Netherlands vs Uzbekistan
There is never a good time to have injuries, but surely just before a World Cup is about to start is as lousy timing as any.
As they prepare to meet the minnows of Uzbekistan in an international friendly, that is the scenario currently facing the Dutch.
Yes, international friendly 2026 highlights should await them in New York on Monday morning, but it is the bigger picture that must be concerning manager Ronald Koeman.
Talking Points
I’m not exaggerating either.
Spurs midfielder Xavi Simons suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in April and won’t be back until next year. The PSV midfielder Jerdy Schouten is also recovering from the same injury. Centre back Matthijs de Ligt has not regained full fitness after a back problem sustained in early December. Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong missed most of the season and Inter Milan’s Denzel Dumfries was out for four months.
Throw in Manchester City duo Tijjani Reijnders and Nathan Ake, who were often on the bench, and Memphis Depay, who sustained a serious hamstring injury at the end of his season in Brazil, and there appears to be a combination of players either missing or sorely lacking match fitness.
Still, for some of those mentioned, if they can get up to speed, there is no reason why the Oranje campaign can’t be a successful one.
The question now is can Holland go one stage further than the last two major tournaments.
At the 2022 World Cup, they went out to eventual winners Argentina in a dramatic contest in which they fought back from 2-0 down, only to be pipped in a penalty shoot-out.
Then, at Euro 2024, they were beaten at the death by England at the semi-final stage just as another shoot-out loomed.
Given the backdrop, the Netherlands – who are in a tough group with Japan, Sweden and Tunisia – must now select their fittest and strongest players, rather than the most talented ones that reflect the Dutch footballing philosophy. The KNVB (the Royal Dutch Football Association) has made reaching the semi-finals a minimum target; Koeman wants to go even further and win the tournament. But that will require a lot of hard work.
And what of Uzbekistan? Perhaps the sheer fact that they have qualified provides sufficient joy.
It has certainly been a long wait for the White Wolves who, before this time around, had several near misses on the pitch and experienced tragedy off it. Not only are they the first Uzbek team to qualify, but they are the first from Central Asia, a vast expanse of land buffeted by Russia to the north, China to the east and a string of others to the south.
In a land where the sport was first played more than a century ago, the nation has had to deal with tragedy along the way. In 1979, a core group of one of the most talented generations the nation has produced was lost over the skies of modern-day Ukraine, when a plane carrying the mighty Pakhtakor side was involved in a mid-air collision.
Since then, the country has also seen heartbreaking near misses, chief among them being agonising defeats at the final stage of continental qualifiers for both Germany 2006 and Brazil 2014.
In total, Uzbekistan had failed on seven occasions to qualify for the World Cup since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, with the nation’s only major triumph being success in the men’s football tournament at the 1994 Asian Games.
Now, finally, their time has come with a new generation of talent led by former Italian World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro (Italian captain in 2006) no less.
A decade after he earned his 119th and final cap, local icon Timur Kapadze and, before him, Srecko Katanec were in charge and oversaw a successful qualifying campaign.
Since then, Cannavaro has come in and his backroom staff features experienced specialists designed to prepare the squad for the highest level of international competition.
So, do I fancy their chances of progressing beyond Group K? Not a jot. But does it really matter? Probably not.
Holland will provide a stern friendly test and then, when they begin their opening match against Colombia in the iconic Azteca Stadium in Mexico (which hosted the 1970 and 1986 World Cup Finals) on June 17, there will be no prouder nation.
History
This will be the first ever international match between the sides.
Betting Tip
Given Holland are ranked the eighth best side in the world and Uzbekistan are 50th, you won’t be surprised to know which way the SBOTOP international friendly 2026 betting odds are leaning.
Don’t forget to check them out and a have a flutter before kick-off.
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