The Netherlands continue their search for a first major trophy since 1988 as they host Croatia in the semifinals of the UEFA Nations League on Wednesday.
Dutch manager Ronald Koeman was part of that European championship-winning team as a player 35 years ago, and now looks to lead them back to glory against the 2018 World Cup runners-up.
They play hosts, with the country having already been chosen as the Nations League final four location, regardless of who was playing in the matches, meaning the Dutch are afforded a chance to gain an advantage over the field here and in the final should they advance.
Croatia, meanwhile, contest what is likely to be the final chance for their "Golden Generation" to win a major title, with Luka Modric now 37 years old and showing clear signs of decline. Ivan Perisic is 34, Marcelo Brozovic is 30, and Mateo Kovacic is 29 as key players slowly start to slip into their twilight years.
Netherlands vs Croatia match facts
- Date: Wednesday, June 14
- Kickoff Time: 2:45 p.m. ET / 7:45 p.m. BST / 4:45 a.m. AEST (Thu, Jun. 15)
- Location: De Kuip (Rotterdam, Netherlands)
- Official: Istvan Kovacs (ROM)
- Last meeting: Croatia 0-3 Netherlands (Feb. 6, 2008 | International Friendly)
Netherlands vs Croatia prediction, odds
- Moneyline lean: Draw (+200)
- Score prediction: Netherlands 1-1 Croatia
This Croatia side are specialists in managing to secure a draw and give themselves a chance in extra time. They have tasted defeat in just one of their last 15 matches, coming in the 3-0 defeat to eventual champions Argentina in the 2022 World Cup semifinals.
They managed draws with Morocco, Belgium, Japan, Brazil, Wales, and France in that span dating back to last summer's Nations League group stage play, plus wins over Denmark, France, Austria, Morocco, and Turkey.
Netherlands have the firepower to score, but the presence of World Cup hero Dominik Livakovic in goal will keep Croatia in the game. With Livakovic in goal, his club Dinamo Zagreb conceded just two goals in their final eight games of the season en route to the Croatian league title by a solid 10-point margin.
| Netherlands win (90 min) | Draw | Croatia win (90 min) | Both teams to score Y / N | Over / Under 2.5 goals | NED advance | CRO advance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM (USA) | -125 | +250 | +375 | -105 / -145 | +105 / -150 | -200 | +138 |
| Sports Interaction (Canada) | +106 | +235 | +250 | -115 / -135 | +117 / -149 | -185 | +133 |
| SkyBet (UK) | 1/1 | 11/5 | 11/4 | 5/6, 5/6 | 11/10, 4/6 | 1/2 | 6/4 |
| Neds (Australia) | 2.05 | 3.20 | 3.75 | 1.91 / 1.80 | — | 1.50 | 2.40 |
| Dafabet (India) | 2.03 | 3.36 | 3.79 | 1.92 / 1.82 | 2.18 / 1.68 | 1.51 | 2.53 |
Netherlands vs Croatia: best bet
- Pick: Netherlands 6+ shots on target
- Odds: +115 (FanDuel)
This is a high bar to clear, but Dominik Livakovic was tested plenty during the World Cup, and it's likely that the Netherlands will look to overwhelm Croatia with attacking flair as they have other teams throughout the Nations League and European qualifying.
The Dutch ripped off an insane 52 shots against Gibraltar their last time out in March, putting 22 on target, so they love a hit on goal. They put up six shots on target against the United States in the World Cup, and are capable of doing so again here.
On the flip side, Croatia concede an overwhelming amount of shots and rely on their goalkeeper to bail them out. They gave up 18 shots to Turkey in a 2-0 win last time out, nine of those on frame, and Argentina tested Livakovic seven times in the World Cup semifinal.
Netherlands vs Croatia prop bet
- Pick: Xavi Simons to score or assist
- Odds: +175 (FanDuel)
The Dutch youngster will be key to getting the ball past the Croatian defense and into Dominik Livakovic's net. He was electric in the Eredivisie this season for PSV, having arrived this past summer from PSG on a free transfer.
The 20-year-old had the second-highest successful dribbles in the Dutch top flight and drew the fourth-most fouls in the league, and he could give Josip Juranovic fits on the Netherlands left flank. He played the full 90 minutes against Gibraltar last time out and was excellent, and he will surely be a major player here as a youngster in form.
Netherlands vs Croatia live stream, TV channel
MORE: Watch Premier League matches live with Fubo in USA
| TV channel | Streaming | |
|---|---|---|
| USA | FS1 | Fubo, Fox Sports GO |
| Canada | — | DAZN |
| UK | Viaplay Sports 1 | Viaplay |
| Australia | — | Optus Sport |
| New Zealand | Sky Sport 7 beIN Sports | beIN Sports Connect |
| India | Premier Sports 1 | Premier Player |
| Hong Kong | — | UEFA.tv |
| Malaysia | — | UEFA.tv |
| Singapore | — | UEFA.tv |
