Liverpool · UEFA Nations League · Midfielder · #8 · Netherlands · 23 yrs
The Netherlands and Japan played to a draw in a closely contested match in Group F of the 2026 World Cup. Although Crysencio Summerville appeared to have scored the winning goal for Ronald Koeman’s team, Daichi Kamada equalized in the final minutes of the match. Netherlands arrived as the clear favorite to defeat Japan in the 2026 World Cup Group F match. While they dominated possession, they were not effective at all, remaining far from scoring a third goal. Nonetheless, Crysencio Summerville’s goal seemed to give Ronald Koeman’s team the victory, but Daichi Kamada scored in the final minutes to level 2-2 the match. Unlike Koeman’s team, Japan was not looking to dominate the ball. Instead, they remained quite effective with the ball. By relying on a crowded defense, they managed to close down chances for the Netherlands, who could not do much damage. Then, they looked to press and recover the ball to break on the counterattack. With this, they constantly reached the opposition penalty area, but their lack of efficiency came back to haunt them. With Frenkie de Jong and Ryan Gravenberch, Netherlands imposed a great rhythm on the game, controlling the ball constantly. However, they failed to open up spaces in the Japanese defense, looking totally inefficient. Therefore, Crysencio Summerville’s goal gave them life back, as it was an individual piece of brilliance. After Ronald Koeman’s changes, they dropped off, giving protagonism to Japan, who ended up equalizing the 2026 World Cup group F game. Japan never stopped chasing the equalizer, pressing the Netherlands in the closing minutes. Relying on counterattacks and crosses into the box, they managed to wear down their opponent, opening the door to level the match. Despite the quality of the opposing defenders, a header from Koki Ogawa that was deflected by Daichi Kamada ended up giving his team the equalizer they had pursued throughout the match.
The Netherlands confirmed their 26-player roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Among those included is Wout Weghorst, who had a memorable clash with Lionel Messi during the 2022 tournament. Wout Weghorst became part of soccer history because of his heated exchange with Lionel Messi during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Now, the striker will get another opportunity after being included in the Netherlands squad for the 2026 edition in North America. On Wednesday, the national team unveiled the list of 26 players selected by head coach Ronald Koeman through a post on its official social media accounts. Alongside the squad’s biggest stars, Weghorst’s inclusion stands out. The 33-year-old center forward is one of eight attackers selected to represent Netherlands, earning his place after a respectable 2025-26 season with Ajax: nine goals and four assists in 34 matches across the Eredivisie, KNVB Cup, and UEFA Champions League. The incident involving Weghorst and Messi took place immediately after Argentina’s penalty shootout victory over Netherlands in the quarterfinals of Qatar 2022. While the Argentine forward was giving an interview to TyC Sports, he exchanged words with his rival, telling him: “What are you looking at, fool? Go over there.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by OnsOranje (@onsoranje) At the 2026 World Cup, the chances of Argentina and Netherlands meeting again will depend on where each team finishes in the group stage. If both teams finish first in their respective groups, they would only meet in a hypothetical final. However, if one of them ends up finishing second or third, they could face each other as early as the quarterfinals. Netherlands roster Beyond the presence of Wout Weghorst, the 26 names selected by Ronald Koeman do not feature many surprises. The country’s biggest stars are all included, such as Virgil van Dijk and Frenkie de Jong, along with other standout players like Denzel Dumfries, Micky van de Ven, Ryan Gravenberch, Memphis Depay, and Cody Gakpo. Among the major absences, two names stand out: Matthijs de Ligt and Xavi Simons. Both were left out because of injuries suffered in recent months, with recovery timelines extending beyond the World Cup. Among the players Koeman chose not to call up, the most notable omission is Liverpool’s Jeremie Frimpong. What’s next for Netherlands With the roster now confirmed, Netherlands are ready to begin preparations. They will play two friendly matches against Algeria and Uzbekistan on June 3 and June 8, respectively. Their Group F debut will come on June 14 against Japan, followed by matches against Sweden and Tunisia.
