Netherlands National Football Team Formation

Starting Lineup

Maatsen · de Ligt · van de Ven · van Dijk · Gravenberch · de Jong · Koopmeiners · Depay · Simons · Verbruggen · Frimpong

The Netherlands plays with a clear intent to dominate through a high press and vertical play in a 3-4-3 formation. This lineup is designed to win the ball high up the pitch and move it quickly through the thirds. By using a wide attacking front, the team seeks to stretch the defence and create space for late runs.

Verbruggen operates as the goalkeeper to initiate play from the back. The defensive unit consists of a back three featuring van de Ven, de Ligt, and van Dijk. van de Ven uses his recovery speed to cover the space behind the line, while de Ligt is dominant in the air to win the header. van Dijk acts as a ball playing defender who can pass through the lines to find the midfield. This back three works to hold the line and defend zonally to keep the team compact.

The midfield is controlled by a double pivot consisting of de Jong and Gravenberch. de Jong drops between the centre backs to receive the ball and recycle possession, acting as a deep lying playmaker. Gravenberch uses his driving runs to carry the ball forward and connect the defensive and attacking lines. Maatsen and Frimpong provide the necessary width as attacking wing backs. Maatsen will overlap the winger on the left, while Frimpong pushes high on the right to whip it in from the byline.

Forwards Koopmeiners, Depay, and Simons form the attacking front. Depay plays as the central striker to hold up the ball and find the feet of his teammates. Koopmeiners operates from the left as an attacking winger who will cut inside and arrive late into the box. Simons plays as an inverted winger on the right, looking to cut inside and create chances in the half spaces. This front line will press from the front to force a long ball and allow the team to win the second ball.

A key strength of this Netherlands formation is the ability to create wide overloads. When Maatsen and Frimpong push high, they pin the last defender and create space for the central midfielders to operate. Another advantage is the speed of transition, as the team can break quickly once they win the ball back high up the pitch. This allows them to exploit gaps left by a retreating defence.

This 3-4-3 formation is built for a high intensity game that relies on aggressive pressing and quick transitions. It is best suited for facing teams that struggle to defend against wide overloads or those that play with a high defensive line.