Two long-time rivals clash in their UEFA Nations League campaigns as the Netherlands host Germany at Johan Cruijff Arena.

Netherlands

Germany

Match Stats

With a long-awaited trophy in mind, the Netherlands began their latest Nations League campaign on Saturday night, facing Bosnia-Herzegovina in Eindhoven. In Memphis Depay's absence, Manchester United's Joshua Zirkzee scored his first international goal with a smart header. Despite an equalizer from Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Oranje regained the lead through Tijjani Reijnders before halftime. In the second half, goals from Cody Gakpo, Wout Weghorst, and Xavi Simons sealed a 5-2 victory, marking a strong return after their Euro 2024 semi-final exit to England.

Historically, the Netherlands have had notable near-misses, including a Nations League final loss to Portugal in 2019 and a fourth-place finish in 2023. This season, a top-two finish in their group will secure a spot in the new quarter-final stage. Their upcoming match against Germany is a storied rivalry, with Johan Cruyff’s side famously beating Germany in Euro '88 but losing to them in the 1974 World Cup final. Recent encounters have seen Germany win a friendly 2-1 in March, but the Netherlands have edged out in competitive matches.

Germany, also in strong form after a 5-0 thrashing of Hungary, is led by Julian Nagelsmann and features standout players like Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala, and Florian Wirtz. With ambitions for a Nations League finals appearance and a build-up to the 2026 World Cup, Nagelsmann's squad aims to secure at least a point from their trip to Amsterdam.