Netherlands v England
UEFA EURO 2024 semi-final
8pm BST, Wednesday 10 July 2024
BVB Stadion, Dortmund, Germany

England manager Gareth Southgate wants his team to seize their opportunity when they play the Netherlands in the semi-final of EURO 2024 in Dortmund on Wednesday evening.

Previewing the game, the Three Lions boss also discussed his side's quick turnaround after Saturday's quarter-final win over Switzerland and what he expects from the Dutch.

Here is what he had to say in full.

Reflections on the Switzerland win…

"I thought we improved a lot of aspects of our game, certainly with the ball. We were able to keep it better under pressure, we had more control and it felt like our possession was in better areas. We had an obvious threat with Bukayo Saka and Switzerland defended ever so well. They defended their box, they blocked a lot of shots. We knew it was going to be tight and defensively we had to be patient at times. We pressed well and of course it came down to fine margins. We performed tremendously well in the penalty shootout."

On the quality of the penalties…

"Quite a few of them have either taken them for their clubs regularly or have been in that shootout situation before. I felt we had a calm process and they responded to that. I believe it's something you can prepare for. It doesn't mean you always get the outcome but we wanted to take as much control as we could."

Working. 🏋️ pic.twitter.com/7bLAwwbgop

— England (@England) July 8, 2024

On the quality of Jordan Pickford…

"The goalkeeper that likes to take centre stage in those moments can be an important characteristic and he's comfortable in the spotlight. He's shown time and time again that he can make big saves and he's been really important. We've won three of the four shootouts we've had and he's given us that opportunity."

On his emotions after the victory…

"We're very proud to reach a third semi-final in four tournaments, it's great to be able to celebrate with our fans. We're now in the phase of the competition where you're dreaming about what's possible. I think there was a mindset shift after the Slovakia game. If you go home earlier than you're expected to, that comes with a huge weight and I felt we played that way for a couple of matches earlier in the tournament. But it has felt different around the camp since then, there's no doubt about that. We're trying to make history by reaching our first ever final away from home."

 

We’re live from basecamp 👋

Watch as all 26 #ThreeLions players step out for our last training session before tomorrow’s semi-final! https://t.co/OfcbJxYuI3

— England (@England) July 9, 2024

On Bukayo Saka's performance…

"I was hugely proud of him. His overall performance was so important for the team and he was our major attacking threat. He did a brilliant job defensively as well. Then he stepped up in that moment of enormous pressure, which everybody knows was different for him compared to everybody else. He converted that brilliantly. I was so happy to see that beaming smile of his."

On the pressure of a semi-final…

"It's a little different for us this time because we hadn't reached a final for 55 years last time and we felt the burden of that at home. This time we are a little bit freer I think, but no less motivated or determined. The fact is we're now knocking on the door consistently and it's that consistency which will provide the moment that gets us over the line. If you're in those latter stages regularly it stands to reason that you have a better chance of winning. You learn how to win. We're less satisfied with a semi-final now. You want to enjoy the moment of qualifying but nobody is thinking that it's job done."

On the short turnaround time between games…

"You have to do less on the training pitch and more in terms of meetings but players are used to that with their club turnarounds. We played Croatia in Russia where they had been involved in back-to-back matches and found a way. It's about your mental resolve and that's an area we're rising to."

On Harry Kane…

"He went down with cramp when he landed on my lap in the dugout so we made a quick decision to make a change. I think at that stage to have fresh legs was important and we knew with Ivan Toney we also had a very good penalty taker. Harry is an important leader for us and he provides ability to link the game and the goal threat he's already delivered with. He also has leadership within the group."

On what to expect from the Netherlands…

"There's no question they have better quality than the teams we've played so far. We've played teams that have had some very good players and been very well drilled. The Netherlands are the same but with a little bit more quality in certain areas. There's less room for error. We need to be a level up again in terms of every part of our game. I believe we can deliver that. We've had so many of these challenges. We hadn't won in Italy for 50 years, in Spain for 50 years. We've got to be prepared to seize a brilliant opportunity."

 

Preparation. Experience. Leadership.

The skipper previews our #EURO2024 semi-final... pic.twitter.com/qkBKn5R37m

— England (@England) July 9, 2024

Three Lions striker and captain Harry Kane also spoke on Tuesday ahead of the game, as they aim to become the first senior England men's team to reach a major final on foreign soil.

"It's an incredible game ahead for sure, at one of the best stadiums there is in world football and obviously a semi-final in a major tournament is one of the biggest games in world football.

"We're really looking forward to it, we deserve to be here and we've put a lot of hard work in to get here.

"Now it's about going out there and performing on the big stage in front of our fans and make something special happen.

"It's going to be a tough game, they've shown that throughout the tournament, especially in attack so we're going to have to be ready and bring our best if we're going to get through."

Kane also revealed he's striving to improve on a personal level to add more goals to his tally at this tournament.

"I'd always love to score more goals, but it's been a solid tournament," he added.

"Of course there are areas I can improve on and areas the team can improve on and that's what it's about tomorrow.

"I've got a couple of goals and we have a big game tomorrow so as a striker I want to score goals to get us to that Final."

Head to head

The Three Lions have played the Netherlands at men's senior level on 22 occasions, registering six wins, drawing nine and losing seven times. The first meeting came back in 1935 when the nations met in a friendly game in Amsterdam that ended in a 1-0 victory for the Three Lions.

Last three meetings v Netherlands

England 1-3 Netherlands, UEFA Nations League semi-final, 6 June 2019

A first-half penalty from Marcus Rashford put the Three Lions ahead in Portugal, in the inaugural UEFA Nations League Finals campaign. However, a late equaliser from Matthijs de Ligt took the game to extra time, when an own goal from Kyle Walker and a strike from Quincy Promese sealed victory for the Dutch.

Netherlands 0-1 England, International Match, 23 March 2018

Jesse Lingard's second-half goal was enough to secure victory for Gareth Southgate's team at the Amsterdam Arena as both teams prepared for the 2018 FIFA World Cup later that year.

England 1-2 Netherlands, Breast Cancer Care International, 29 March 2016, 

A meeting at Wembley Stadium saw Jamie Vardy put England ahead before the Dutch staged a second-half comeback thanks to goals from Vincent Janssen and Luciano Narsingh.

● England have won just one of their last nine meetings with Netherlands in all competitions (D4 L4), winning a friendly match 1-0 in Amsterdam in March 2018.

● This is the fourth meeting between England and Netherlands at a major tournament; the Oranje won 3-1 at EURO 1988 (thanks to a Marco van Basten hat-trick), followed by a goalless draw at the 1990 World Cup, and a 4-1 win for England at EURO 1996.

● Of all nations England have faced 20+ times in their history, only against Brazil (15%) do they have a lower win rate than they do against Netherlands (27% - W6 D9 L7).

● This is England’s fourth appearance in the semi-final of the UEFA European Championship; having been eliminated in the first two in 1968 (vs Yugoslavia) and 1996 (vs Germany), the Three Lions reached the final of the competition last time out at EURO 2020 after beating Denmark 2-1.

● Netherlands have been eliminated from four of their five semi-final ties at the UEFA European Championship, with this their first since 2004. The exception was a 2-1 win against hosts Germany in 1988, when they went on to lift the trophy.

● England reached the final of EURO 2020 – there have been five occasions of a team reaching the final of consecutive editions of the UEFA European Championship; USSR (1960/1964), Germany (1972/1976, 1976/1980, 1992/1996) and Spain (2008/2012).

● Netherlands have won two different matches having conceded the first goal at EURO 2024, beating Poland 2-1 in the group stages and Türkiye by the same score in the quarter-final. Only Czechia at EURO 2004 have ever won three games having conceded first a single edition of the UEFA European Championship.

● England have gone to extra-time in both of their EURO 2024 knockout ties so far. Only Portugal at EURO  2016, Spain at EURO 2020, and Italy at EURO 2020 have ever gone to extra-time three times in a single edition of the finals.

● In Memphis Depay (17 shots, ten chances created) and Cody Gakpo (13 shots, eleven chances created), Netherlands are the only side with more than one player to have both ten plus shots and ten plus chances created at EURO 2024. Indeed, one or both of Depay and/or Gakpo have been directly involved in 47 of Netherlands’ 74 shots at this EUROs (63.5%), and six of their nine goals (66.7%).

● Coming into the EURO 2024 semi-finals, no player has scored more knockout stage goals in the competition’s history than England’s Harry Kane (five, level with Antoine Griezmann). Kane scored in the semi-final of EURO 2020 against Denmark; only two players have ever scored at this stage of consecutive UEFA European Championships – Viktor Ponedelnik and Valentin Ivanov, both for USSR in 1960/1964.

England Squad News

Ticket Information

 

Where can I watch England v Netherlands?

Gareth Southgate has made one change to his England line-up to face the Netherlands in Wednesday's UEFA EURO 2024 semi-final.

Marc Guéhi returns to the line-up in place of Ezri Konsa, with the 10 remaining starters from Saturday's victory over Switzerland still in place.

England: 1 Jordan Pickford, 2 Kyle Walker, 4 Declan Rice, 5 John Stones, 6 Marc Guéhi, 7 Bukayo Saka, 9 Harry Kane (c), 10 Jude Bellingham, 11 Phil Foden, 12 Kieran Trippier, 26 Kobbie Mainoo.

Substitutes: 3 Luke Shaw, 8 Trent Alexander-Arnold, 13 Aaron Ramsdale, 14 Ezri Konsa, 15 Lewis Dunk, 16 Conor Gallagher, 17 Ivan Toney, 18 Anthony Gordon, 19 Ollie Watkins, 20 Jarrod Bowen, 21 Eberechi Eze, 22 Joe Gomez, 23 Dean Henderson, 24 Cole Palmer, 25 Adam Wharton

 

Ollie Watkins wrote himself into England history as he scored a 90th-minute winner to break Dutch hearts and send the Three Lions into the EURO 2024 Final, a first major final on foreign soil.

The Netherlands started the game as they meant to continue, with star winger Xavi Simons drilling his long-range effort into the top corner to give Ronald Koeman’s side an early lead.

But, not allowing their heads to drop, England fought back quickly and found parity through a Harry Kane penalty just eleven minutes later.

And in a moment to savour, substitute Watkins fired past Bart Verbruggen to send England to Berlin, setting up a finale showpiece against Spain on Sunday evening.

It was a nightmare start for Gareth Southgate’s side, who found themselves behind inside seven minutes thanks to a piece of individual brilliance from Simons

After robbing Declan Rice of possession in the final third, the 21 year old drove towards the box before rocketing the ball past Jordan Pickford into the top left corner, providing the Netherlands with a start they would have dreamt of.

With England eager to respond quickly, Southgate’s side cranked up the pressure on the Dutch back line.

After Kieran Trippier saw his dangerous free-kick delivery come to nothing, Kane forced Verbruggen into his first action of the night with a low shot from range.

The Bayern Munich frontman then saw another chance go begging as he blazed over a volley from just inside the box.

However, as eyes turned to the replay, a late challenge from Denzel Dumfries on Kane caught the attention of VAR, who recommended an on-field review.

After taking a look for himself, referee Felix Zwayer pointed to the spot, giving England a shot at parity.

Kane stepped up and fired a point-perfect penalty into the bottom-left corner to put England on terms in the 18th minute and register his 66th goal for the Three Lions.

With their tails up, England continued to probe and nearly found a second six minutes later, with Phil Foden squeezing the ball past Verbruggen, only for Dumfries to make up for his penalty-causing error and clear off the line.

Dumfries and Foden then both hit the woodwork within the space of two minutes, with Foden bending from range onto the post moments after Dumfries saw his header cannon off the bar.

The Manchester City man, playing his best football of the tournament, called Verbruggen into action yet again as the interval neared, whipping another delightful effort towards the left of the goal.

The Dutch stopper got down well to deny him, keeping it all square and taking the game into half time with everything still to play for.

Things grew cagey after the restart as the Netherlands looked to frustrate their opponents, killing the tempo and stifling England’s attacking efforts.

That said, it was the Dutch who produced the first meaningful chance of the half, with Pickford forced into a big save to deny Virgil van Dijk, who had latched on to Joey Veerman’s free-kick.

Simons was then left to rue a missed opportunity as he saw his miscued volley bounce conveniently in the direction of the Everton shot-stopper, who made a comfortable save.

Having seen their threats quelled for much of the second half, England thought they’d got their goal with eleven minutes to play as Bukayo Saka fired into the net from Kyle Walker’s cut-back.

However, the flag quickly went up as Saka wheeled away to celebrate, with Walker ruled offside by the slimmest of margins and England looked set to be heading to extra time for their third consecutive knockout game at this tournament.

But as the clock hit 90, Watkins was picked out by fellow substitute Cole Palmer before breaking into the box and drilling a low effort across goal into the bottom-left corner, sparking jubilant scenes from those in white as England booked their place in the final.

England: 1 Jordan Pickford (Everton), 2 Kyle Walker (Manchester City), 4 Declan Rice (Arsenal), 5 John Stones (Manchester City), 6 Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), 7 Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), 9 Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), 10 Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), 11 Phil Foden (Manchester City), 12 Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), 26 Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United)

Substitutes: 3 Luke Shaw (Manchester United) for Trippier 46’, 19 Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) for Kane 80’, 24 Cole Palmer (Chelsea) for Foden 80’, 14 Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa) for Saka 90+3’, 16 Conor Gallagher (Chelsea) for Mainoo 90+3’

Subs not used: 13 Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), 23 Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), 8 Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), 15 Lewis Dunk (Brighton & Hove Albion), 17 Ivan Toney (Brentford), 18 Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), 20 Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), 21 Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), 22 Joe Gomez (Liverpool), 25 Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)

Goals: Kane 18’, Watkins 90’

Coach: Gareth Southgate

Netherlands: 1 Bart Verbruggen (Brighton), 4 Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), 5 Nathan Ake (Manchester City), 6 Stefan de Vrij (Inter Milan), 7 Xavi Simons (RB Leipzig), 10 Memphis Depay (Atletico Madrid), 11 Cody Gakpo (Liverpool), 14 Tijjani Reijnders (AC Milan), 18 Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund), 22 Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan), 24 Jerdy Schouten (PSV)

Substitutes: 16 Joey Veerman (PSV) for Veerman 35’, 9 Wout Weghorst (Hoffenheim) for Malen 46’, 21 Joshua Zirkzee (Bologna) for Dumfries 90+3’, 19 Brian Brobbey (Ajax) for Simons 90+3’

Subs not used: 13 Justin Bijlow (Feyenoord), 23 Mark Flekken (Brentford), 2 Lutsharel Geertruida (Feyenoord), 3 Matthijs de Ligt (Bayern Munich), 8 Gini Wijnaldum (Al-Ettifaq), 12 Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen), 15 Mickey van de Ven (Tottenham Hotspur), 17 Daley Blind (Girona), 20 Ian Maatsen (Borussia Dortmund), 25 Steven Bergwijn (Ajax), 26 Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool)

Goals: Simons 7’

Coach: Ronald Koeman