A UEFA Nations League Group A3 encounter in Amsterdam couldn't be more enticing, with international rivals the Netherlands and Germany having both hit five in respective, impressive opening section wins.
Germany began life without the legendary retired quartet of Ilkay Gündoğan, Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller and Toni Kroos in style, hammering Hungary 5-0 in Düsseldorf. Jamal Musiala proved unplayable in that game, creating three of the goals for his teammates and scoring once himself too. That performance will have delighted head coach Julian Nagelsmann, as further goals from Niclas Füllkrug, Florian Wirtz, Aleksandar Pavlović and Kai Havertz saw his next gen side immediately find fifth gear. Füllkrug has picked up an injury since then, so Stuttgart striker Deniz Undav begins in his place up top.
Like Germany, Netherlands kicked off their Group A3 campaign with victory, beating Bosnia & Herzegovina 5-2 to leave them trailing the Germans on goal difference at the top. There were familiar faces on the scoresheet in that win, with former Bayern man Joshua Zirkzee opening the scoring for the Dutch before both former Wolfsburg and Hoffenheim striker Wout Weghortst and RB Leipzig's Paris Saint-Germain loanee Xavi found the back of the net. There was even a goal for VfB Stuttgart's Ermedin Demerović, albeit for the opposition. Ronald Koeman has a number of Bundesliga favourites both past and present in his ranks, with Lutsharel Geertruida (RB Leipzig) and Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund) plying their trade in Germany's top flight. Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen) was named in the squad, but has left the camp on personal grounds. Brian Brobbey, Ryan Gravenberch and Justin Kluivert will also be remembered for their time in the Bundesliga, while former Bayern defender Matthijs de Ligt gets an almost immediate reunion with his ex-teammates, having moved to England in the summer.
The Battle of the Midfield Magicians
Germany are set for a new look for a new era with the road to the 2026 World Cup ahead.
Germany are back to being good again, but is that good enough to beat anyone decent? Well, if they can beat the Netherlands tonight, it would go a long way towards putting all doubts to bed. Julian Nagelsmann seems to have cracked the code, which apparently involves limiting the Bayern Munich influence on his squad as much as possible. Sure, Jamal Musiala still exists, and Joshua Kimmich is still the captain — but two starters and four players total is a far cry from the 2014 World Cup winning squad. Still, if the good performances in this “new era” continue, no one will complain. It’s been a long time since the Germans were actually good.
A Clash of Styles
Germany began their post-Toni Kroos era with a 5-0 thrashing of Hungary in their opening match of UEFA Nations League 2024-25 at Dusseldorf on Sunday and will look to continue with a win when they travel to Amsterdam on Wednesday.
Die Mannschaft had five different scorers in their opening game with Niclas Fullkrug, Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, Aleksandar Pavlovic and Kai Havertz all finding the back of the net. Meanwhile, the Netherlands head into this contest after overpowering Bosnia and Herzegovina 5-2 in Eindhoven on Sunday. The likes of Cody Gakpo and Wout Weghorst, both of whom scored in the last game, will have their task cut out against the German defence.
The Verdict
These two teams are very evenly matched, and there's no reason to shy away from planting yourself firmly on the fence. They've drawn twice in their last five meetings and finished with a one-goal margin in two others, so there have been plenty of tight matchups of late.
Germany are probably the better team on paper, but they've played so many games at home in the past year having hosted Euro 2024, it's hard to know how they'll handle hitting the road for the first time since a 2-0 win in France back in March. They needed an 85th-minute winner from Niclas Fullkrug to beat the Dutch at home the last time they squared off, so traveling to Amsterdam could shift the match enough in favor of the hosts to pick up a result.
After the high-flying performances from both these teams in their first matches of the international window, and in today's over-heavy betting market, it's a shock that the goals total in this match isn't higher. This is especially true when you consider the Netherlands conceded two goals to a stunted Bosnia & Herzegovina attack along with their five-goal haul, while Germany conceded over 1.0 xG to Hungary despite keeping a clean sheet. It's clear both sides want to attack at will even while allowing themselves to be somewhat open at the back, and while it's hard to imagine either side reprising a five-goal performance on their own, they could get there collectively.
The Stars to Watch
Take your pick, the value on all three of these German stars to contribute on the scoresheet is through the roof. No, Germany won't be scoring five goals today, but they should find room to create chances and trouble the Netherlands net, and all three are in electric form. The best value by far is on Jamal Musiala, who has finally found a groove at the national team level. Still just 21 years old, Musiala had a slow start to his Die Mannschaft career despite exploding to life with Bayern Munich, but he's made good on that over the last calendar year, racking up 10 goal contributions over his last 12 international appearances, including three goals at Euro 2024 and a one-goal three assist explosion against Hungary last time out.
If you're not convinced by the youngster's consistency just yet, try one of the other playmakers in the lineup. Florian Wirtz is a bona fide star, scoring and assisting against Hungary to give him four contributions in the last six games. Meanwhile, Kai Havertz looks revitalized after appearing broken during his Chelsea days, owning six international goals plus an assist since last November.
Watching the Match
In the United States, this UEFA Nations League match has been designated for exclusive streaming on Fubo in English. Fubo is currently offering a free seven-day trial for new users. There is also a Spanish-language stream available on ViX.
In Canada, the exclusive home for all UEFA competitions is DAZN who are streaming every single match of the Nations League.
In the UK, this match will be aired on Viaplay International's YouTube page.
This clash between two of Europe's most storied teams promises fireworks and a spectacle not to be missed. Be sure to tune in to this thrilling encounter in the UEFA Nations League.
