How they qualified: Finished 1st in European Qualifying Group E

Team Base: Krakow

The Dutch come into this year’s tournament with a major point to prove to the footballing world.

After playing the villain in the 2010 World Cup final Holland’s reputation was dented and the image of total football was replaced with a hard nosed, hard playing efficient side that had the potential to play great football.

The qualifying group for the tournament was a dream for Bert Van Marwijk’s side as they averaged almost four goals a game, but conceding eight goals, including three to Hungary and three to Sweden, was a slight dark spot on a confident qualifying performance.

The squad’s age has come into question recently with many wondering if the squad may have peeked in 2010 and its time to win a major tournament is gone.  Mark Van Bommel is 35 and will surely be playing his last tournament in a Holland shirt while Joris Mathijsen at center back and Dirk Kuyt are both hovering in the wrong side of 30.

Their strength in depth has been questioned too and with Arjen Robben finishing the season on a rather depressing note, and Wesley Sneijder spending most of the year on the bench at Inter, the mentality of the squad’s key players could prove to be a factor.

They are still very much a contender to lift the trophy and quality emanates through the starting line-up. Robin Van Persie could well be the most inform forward not in a Madrid or Barcelona shirt this season and he will be a key to their success.

WFD Predicted Starting XI: 4-2-3-1

Stekelenburg

Van der Wiel - Heitinga - Mathijsen - Bouma 

 Van Bommel - De Jong

Robben - Sneijder - Kuyt

Van Persie

WFD predicted group finish: 2nd

The Netherlands Group Schedule: (All times local)

Match 1: June 9 v Denmark - Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv (19:00)

Match 2: June 13 v Germany - Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv (21:45)

Match 3: June 17 v Portugal - Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv (21:45)