Dutch national team coach Ronald Koeman announced that his team aims to capitalize on their final away match in the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Gibraltar to score plenty of goals and test substitutes before selecting the squad for next year's finals in Germany. The Netherlands has already secured its spot in the finals scheduled for next June with a 1-0 victory over Ireland in Amsterdam last Saturday, placing them second in Group B.
In a press conference on Monday, Koeman stated, "I want to try out new players," adding that despite the busy schedule of his best players, they do not wish to voluntarily give up their places in the starting lineup. He further noted, "Everyone wants to play as many international matches as possible, so they are not welcoming a break."
The Netherlands will face Gibraltar, who suffered a record 14-0 loss to France in Nice last Saturday, and Koeman mentioned that his team will also be looking for a goal fest. He added, "These matches don’t help much, but we see them as a step on the road to preparation for the Euros. Against an opponent like this, we want to score many goals. I am not seeking a record number of goals. I want to feel that we did everything we could to score."
Koeman emphasized that their attacking style should be better than in the match against Ireland. Striker Wout Weghorst scored an early goal against the Irish team on Saturday, but despite dominating possession, the Netherlands failed to increase their tally. Koeman also revealed that the Netherlands will play a friendly match against Germany next year, although the encounter may be canceled if both teams are in the same group at Euro 2024.
