Euro 2024: Netherlands vs. England - Prediction, Preview & Betting Picks

This one is likely to be a hyper-competitive encounter that could go either way. Both sides have strengths and both have clear weaknesses, but England can take heart from the fact there has been a gradual improvement in their showings, with Sunday's performance against Switzerland probably their best of the tournament.

The Dutch, by contrast, were fairly unconvincing against Turkey, and it took some last-ditch saves from their goalkeeper to keep them in the game.

England's expected goals against rate, currently at 0.76xGA per 90 minutes, is the best in the whole tournament, which shows how tough they are to beat. Add to that the mental strength and resilience the players have shown in the last two games, coupled with the individual quality in the squad, and we think Gareth Southgate's side will grind out a huge result here. Netherlands 0-1 England.

The semi-final clash between the Netherlands and England in Euro 2024 is set to be a compelling encounter, drawing on both teams' storied histories and contrasting journeys through the tournament. This match, taking place on Wednesday, promises to be a fascinating contest between a Dutch side that has quietly navigated its way to the semi-finals and an England team that, despite internal and external criticisms, find themselves just one step away from the final.

• Date: 07/10/2024
• Kick-off time: 3pm ET
• Location: Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund

The Netherlands' path to the semi-finals has been a mix of resilience and under-the-radar progress. Finishing third in Group D with four points, the Dutch shared a group with tough opponents: Austria, France, and Poland. This group stage performance was marked by a balance between adequate and unremarkable, yet it was enough to see them through to the knockout stages.

In the round of 16, the Netherlands showcased their potential by breezing past Romania. This victory was a testament to their tactical discipline and ability to capitalise on opportunities, qualities that have become hallmarks of Ronald Koeman's management. The quarter-final clash with Turkey was a different story, however. The match was a gritty affair, with the Dutch scraping through by the narrowest of margins, demonstrating their ability to grind out results even when not at their best.

Ronald Koeman, at the helm, has been instrumental in guiding his team through these challenges. Known for his pragmatic approach, Koeman has managed to extract consistent performances from his squad without drawing too much attention. The key to this has been the form of Cody Gakpo and Stefan de Vrij. Gakpo, with three goals and an assist, has been the standout in attack, providing crucial contributions when needed. De Vrij, on the other hand, has been a rock in defence, ensuring stability and leadership at the back.

This semi-final appearance marks the first time the Dutch have reached this stage in a major tournament since 2014. The significance of this achievement cannot be understated, as it represents a resurgence of Dutch football on the international stage after a period of underperformance.

England's journey to the semi-finals has been fraught with criticism and underwhelming performances, despite finishing top of Group C with five points. The group stage was far from convincing, with England arguably being the biggest underperformers in the tournament. Their play was often lethargic, uncoordinated, and at times, seemingly incompetent.

Manager Gareth Southgate has borne the brunt of the criticism, with his team selections and tactical decisions frequently coming under fire. Many fans and pundits have described his choices as bewildering, and his reluctance or slowness to make necessary changes during games has been a recurring point of contention. This growing toxicity among the fanbase towards Southgate has overshadowed England's progress to some extent.

Despite these issues, England showed signs of improvement in their quarter-final match against Switzerland. While the performance was better, it was not without its concerning moments. England's inability to maintain control of the game and Southgate's lack of proactive measures when the match appeared to be slipping away highlighted ongoing issues. However, individual performances have provided some solace for England supporters. Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka, in particular, have shown quality and determination, often stepping up in crucial moments to lead their team forward.

The historical context between these two teams adds another layer of intrigue to this semi-final match-up. In their last five encounters, the Netherlands have dominated, securing three wins compared to England's solitary victory. It's worth noting, however, that four of these matches were friendlies, and the most recent clash was back in 2019.

For both teams, this semi-final represents a significant opportunity. For the Netherlands, it's a chance to cement their return to the top tier of international football, while for England, this match is about proving their critics wrong and uniting the fanbase.

Watch Netherlands vs. England and every UEFA Euro 2024 match on FOX, FS1, and the Fox Sports App.

Netherlands Team News:

The Netherlands are coming into this game with a fully fit and available squad and aren't likely to make too many changes to an XI that is fairly settled.

The only change to the side that started the win over Turkey on Sunday could see Donyell Malen replace Steven Bergwijn.

Predicted line-up: Verbruggen; Dumfries, De Vrij, Van Dijk, Aké; Schouten, Simons, Reijnders; Malen, Depay, Gakpo

England Team News:

Harry Kane was forced off in extra time on Sunday with an injury sustained through a clash on the sidelines, but it seems like he'll be recovered in time to keep his place in the starting XI for this one.

Luke Shaw also made his long-awaited return from injury as he came on in the second half of the quarter-final against Switzerland, so he'll likely be in serious contention to start here.

One of Gareth Southgate's biggest conundrums will come at centre-back, where he must decide whether to reward Ezri Konsa with another start following an impressive showing against Switzerland or recall Marc Guéhi, who is available for selection again after serving a one-match suspension.

Predicted lineup: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guéhi; Saka, Mainoo, Rice, Trippier; Bellingham, Foden; Kane

England opened up their Euro 2024 account with a 1-0 win over Serbia, with Jude Bellingham's early goal preceding what turned out to be a laboured performance.

The Three Lions followed that up with what was arguably the worst England performance of the Gareth Southgate era in a 1-1 draw with Denmark, where despite Harry Kane's early goal they proceeded to deliver the type of performance you'd expect from a team put together on a whim.

On Tuesday night, England hoped to end their group stage on a high point as they took on Slovenia, but another subpar performance resulted in a drab 0-0 draw, a result that brought a wave of fairly ferocious discontent from the travelling fans at full-time.

England's round of 16 saw a little improvement performance-wise as Gareth Southgate's men locked horns with Slovakia in a game where they sealed a dramatic 2-1 win with a pair of very, very late goals. After falling 0-1 down in the first half, England struggled to break down an organised Slovakian side for the remainder of the 90 minutes but in the 95th minute, a long throw-in from Kyle Walker was flicked on by Marc Guéhi before finding its way to Jude Bellingham who, in a show of outstanding acrobatics, placed an overhead kick into the corner - an outstanding goal that preceded an eventual winner from Harry Kane

England's performance level improved in the quarter-final against Switzerland, but England still struggled to offer a credible threat in the final third, and they were made to pay for that staleness as Switzerland took the lead in the 75th minute.

However, that lead lasted only five minutes as Bukayo Saka, who was England's standout performer, curled a long-distance shot into the far corner. The remainder of the game was scrappy and eventually reached a penalty shoot-out where England were clinical, scoring all five of their penalties to secure a 5-3 win, with Jordan Pickford having saved Manuel Akanji's opening spot kick.

The Netherlands began their tournament with a 2-1 win over Poland, where goals from Cody Gakpo and Wout Weghorst sealed the victory.

That game preceded a 0-0 draw with France, a game in which the Dutch will have felt aggrieved at having a late Xavi Simons goal disallowed for a contentious offside call.

The Dutch capped off their group stage with a 3-2 defeat to Austria in a back-and-forth game where Cody Gakpo and Memphis Depay both registered their names on the scoresheet.

In the round of 16, the Dutch took on Romania in what turned out to be a very straightforward win against a pretty sorry Romania side as a brace from Donyell Malen and a goal from Gakpo was enough to secure a resounding win.

On Sunday night, the Netherlands took on Turkey in the quarter-final and played out a very entertaining encounter that ended in a narrow victory. After falling behind in the first half, the Netherlands struggled to break down a resolute Turkey side until Stefan de Vrij netted a towering header from a corner before Gakpo forced Mert Müldür to divert the ball into his own goal to give them the lead.

It was a very nervy finish to the game for the Dutch too, as goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen was forced into a couple of excellent saves while the defence had to make some last ditch blocks to deny the Turks an equaliser.

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