Zirkzee Misses Out On Netherlands' Euro 2024 Squad, De Jong Secures Spot
Joshua Zirkzee was a notable omission from Ronald Koeman's Netherlands squad for Euro 2024, despite his impressive form for Bologna this season. Frenkie de Jong, who has been sidelined with an ankle injury, made the preliminary 30-man squad announced on Thursday. This list will be reduced to 26 players before the tournament begins on June 14.
The Netherlands are set to compete in Group D against France, Austria, and Poland. Koeman's decision to exclude Zirkzee, who has netted 12 goals this season, raised eyebrows. Instead, he opted for experienced forwards Wout Weghorst, Memphis Depay, and Brian Brobbey.
De Jong's inclusion comes despite his lack of recent playtime for Barcelona. Ryan Gravenberch returns to the squad after a year-long absence and is joined by Liverpool teammates Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo. Tottenham's Micky van de Ven and Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong also made the cut.
Arsenal's Jurrien Timber, who suffered a serious injury in August, is not included. Georginio Wijnaldum, now playing in Saudi Arabia, has been selected. Koeman will finalise his 26-man squad by the end of May.
| Goalkeepers | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Bijlow (Feyenoord) | Nathan Ake (Manchester City) | Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool) | Steven Bergwijn (Ajax) |
| Mark Flekken (Brentford) | Daley Blind (Girona) | Frenkie de Jong (FC Barcelona) | Brian Brobbey (Ajax) |
| Bart Verbruggen (Brighton & Hove Albion) | Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) | Teun Koopmeiners (Atalanta) | Memphis Depay (Atletico Madrid) |
| Nick Olij (Sparta Rotterdam) | Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan) | Tijjani Reijnders (Milan) | Cody Gakpo (Liverpool) |
| Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen) | Marten de Roon (Atalanta) | Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund) | |
| Lutsharel Geertruida (Feyenoord) | Jerdy Schouten (PSV) | Wout Weghorst (Hoffenheim) | |
| Matthijs de Ligt (Bayern Munich) | Xavi Simons (RB Leipzig) | ||
| Ian Maatsen (Borussia Dortmund) | Quinten Timber (Feyenoord) | ||
| Micky van de Ven (Tottenham Hotspur) | Joey Veerman (PSV Eindhoven) | ||
| td> | Stefan de Vrij (Inter) td> tr> table> The final squad announcement will be closely watched as Koeman makes his final decisions ahead of Euro 2024. Fans and analysts alike will be eager to see how the team shapes up for their challenging group stage matches. p > Story first published: Friday, May 17, 2024, 0:18 [GST]  Log in for unlimited reading! Manage Profile First Name Last Name Email Address Age Select Age
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