Three Netherlands players with points to prove at Euro 2020

With the European Championships fast approaching, it’s an opportunity for players to make an impact at one of international football’s biggest tournaments. With a number of teams in contention to win the competition, it’s anyone’s guess who will lift the trophy on July 11th at Wembley Stadium.

One team hoping to do so is the Netherlands, who are playing in their first major tournament since they reached the semi-finals of the 2014 World Cup. They are among the contenders in the Euro 2020 winner odds, and having missed out on qualification for both Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup, you can bet that there will be a number of Netherlands players hugely motivated to make a big statement this summer.

Among these, we’ve picked out three who, for various reasons, will be desperate to demonstrate their best form at the Euros

Georginio Wijnaldum

Liverpool fans have had to come to terms with the fact that, from next season, Georginio Wijnaldum will not be lining out at Anfield. Despite having been one of the Reds’ most consistent players over the last five years or so, the Liverpool hierarchy were not prepared to meet Wijnaldum’s contract demands, and as a result the midfielder will leave the club, with Barcelona seen as his likely destination.

It is thought that Wijnaldum requested a longer and more lucrative contract than Liverpool would normally hand out to a 30-year-old, and the midfielder’s quest at Euro 2020 will be to prove why the club was wrong. Generally, Wijnaldum is deployed in a more attacking role for the Netherlands as opposed to his controlling midfield role for Liverpool, and as a result he should get plenty of opportunities to either score or assist goals. With a strong performance at a major international tournament, Liverpool may rue letting Wijnaldum go.

Memphis Depay

It feels like a lifetime ago that Memphis Depay played for Manchester United, but since that failed spell in the Premier League, he has successfully re-built his reputation, and is on the verge of joining Barcelona after a strong spell at Lyon. Depay is a reliable goalscorer for club and country, and has certainly matured as a player since his time in England.

The fact that the Netherlands have missed out on qualification for the last two international tournaments has meant that Depay has lacked opportunities to showcase his talents on the world stage, but this summer presents a golden opportunity. He performed well at the 2014 World Cup as a youngster, scoring two goals, and he’ll be keen to prove that, seven years on, he is now a complete player.

Donny van de Beek

As a £35 million arrival to Manchester United last summer, much was expected of Donny van de Beek, but it simply hasn’t happened. For whatever reason, coach Ole Gunnar Solskjær simply hasn’t taken a liking to the Dutchman, and his appearances in the first team have been very limited as a result.

It’s not too long since van de Beek was one of the stars of the Ajax team that reached the Champions League semi-finals, and the upcoming European Championships represent an excellent opportunity to prove to his club manager that he has plenty more to offer.