Germany and the Netherlands step into the new Nations League campaign on Thursday night with new men in charge and unusually large questions hanging over both squads. Jürgen Klopp takes charge of Germany for the first time, while Xavi begins his Netherlands reign in a fixture with little history of easy answers.
Key takeaways
- Germany and the Netherlands meet in their opening Nations League match on Thursday.
- Klopp has selected 44 players across two separate squads for Germany’s first four fixtures.
- Sixteen uncapped players are included in the German selection, while Leroy Sané and Deniz Undav have not been called up.
- Leon Goretzka is unavailable through injury.
- Xavi has named 22 Netherlands players, including newcomers Ruben van Bommel and Gjivai Zechiël.
- Jeremie Frimpong returns to the Dutch group after missing the World Cup.
Klopp begins with a two-squad Germany plan
The opening match of the competition will also mark the first major test for Klopp since his appointment as Germany coach after the World Cup.
His approach to the first four Nations League games is striking. Germany have called up 44 players in total, splitting them into two groups. One squad will handle the first two matches, before a different set of players takes over for the following two fixtures.
There are 16 players yet to make their senior international debuts among the wider German group, underlining the scale of the transition being attempted.
Sané and Undav have been left out, while Goretzka misses the start of the campaign because of injury.
Xavi’s first Dutch selection brings fresh faces
The Netherlands arrive with a more conventional 22-man squad for Xavi’s first game as head coach. Two young players have been given their first opportunity at senior level: PSV forward Ruben van Bommel and Feyenoord midfielder Gjivai Zechiël.
Frimpong is back in contention after he was absent from the Netherlands squad at the World Cup.
The rivalry offers little room for prediction. Germany and the Netherlands have played each other 48 times, with Germany winning 18 meetings and the Dutch taking 12. The other 18 matches ended level.
In their two most recent Nations League encounters, Germany recorded a 1-0 win before the sides drew 2-2. Thursday’s meeting now opens a new chapter, with Klopp and Xavi both beginning their work under the lights of an old international rivalry.
