The Netherlands face European champions Spain in the first leg of their Nations League quarter-final in Rotterdam.
Spain come into the match looking to defend the title they won in 2023, when a 5-4 victory over Croatia on penalties gave them their maiden Nations League success.
La Roja have been in fine form since winning Euro 2024 in July, with five wins and one draw from their six matches. Contrastingly, the Dutch have seen mixed results after reaching the semi-finals of the Euros, with two wins, three draws and a loss in their group campaign.
This makes the visitors overwhelming favourites ahead of the tie, with the second leg to come in Valencia on Sunday. Follow all the latest build-up, team news and updates from De Kuip below:
Netherlands 0-0 Spain
Plenty of possession for the hosts in the opening exchanges. The Spanish haven’t been able to exert control at all yet.
Netherlands 0-0 Spain
Now it’s the hosts’ first attack, as Frimpong gets forward and hooks in an early cross. Gakpo collects, but he fires well over after cutting inside.
Contrary to the earlier team news, the team graphics have Frimpong starting as an out-and-out right winger.
Netherlands 0-0 Spain
A few exchanges of possession to begin with and the latest ends with Ruiz slipping through a pass to Pedri, who hits a shot straight at Verbruggen.
Not a bad start.
KICK-OFF! Netherlands 0-0 Spain
We’re underway in Rotterdam!
Netherlands vs Spain LIVE
The crowd are warming up at De Kuip and both sides are in the tunnel now. We’re around five minutes from kick-off.
Spain form guide
Spain have won all five of their last five matches, with a draw in their other Nations League group game (0-0 against Serbia away).
La Roja beat Serbia at home and then won home and away against Denmark and Switzerland over the course of the campaign, scoring 13 and conceding just four in the process.
Previous meetings: Spain 1-5 Netherlands, 2014 World Cup
If that 2010 World Cup win signalled Spain as one of the great sides in football history, this match was the one that signalled the end of that dynasty.
Four years on from the win in South Africa, these two sides met again in Group B in Brazil, and the Netherlands got their revenge in spectacular style.
Despite Spain going 1-0 up through a Xabi Alonso penalty, the Dutch hit back through a now-famous van Persie header before Arjen Robben gave them the lead.
From there it was one-way traffic as both van Persie and Roben secured a brace after Stefan de Vrij had made it 3-1, giving the Netherlands one of the most famous results in recent World Cup history.
Netherlands form guide
The Dutch have won one, lost one and drawn three of their last five matches, with the win and loss coming against Hungary and Germany respectively.
Koeman’s side also managed a draw against both of those sides, with the other result being a 1-1 draw with Bosnia last time out.
Previous meetings: Netherlands 0-1 Spain, 2010 WC Final
The most famous match between these two came in 2010, at the World Cup Final in Johannesburg.
After a match that had seen plenty of missed chances, a red card for John Heitinga and a blatant red card not given to Nigel de Jong, Andres Iniesta popped up with a lovely half-volley to give La Roja their maiden World Cup win.
Having won Euro 2008, this result sealed Spain’s dominance at international level, with players including Xavi, David Villa and Cesc Fabregas featuring again as La Roja won Euro 2012 in style.
For the Netherlands, it was another heartbreak on the biggest stage.
Nations League quarter-final ties in full
Below is the full list of the Nations League quarter-final ties:
Netherlands vs Spain
Croatia vs France
Denmark vs Portugal
Italy vs Germany
The winners of the tie between Spain and the Netherlands will face either Croatia or France in the semi-finals.
Source: independent.co.uk
