As Germany and the Netherlands met in Amsterdam to start their Nations League campaign, all attention was supposed to be on the two countries’ debuting managers. Jürgen Klopp and Xavi Hernández have been appointed to carry out a hard reboot of their squads and lead their teams back to the top ranks of global soccer, and for most of the match it seemed Klopp would win the battle of the celebrity coaches. Ruben van Bommel had other ideas. Winning his first Dutch cap as a substitute, the PSV winger set up Cody Gakpo’s stoppage-time equalizer with a sublime, outside-of-the-boot assist to give Xavi’s Netherlands a share of the spoils.
It was a high-profile way for both countries to start a fresh era. Thursday’s match was the 49th meeting between these two old rivals, a series which includes the 1974 World Cup final and a semifinal clash at Euro 1988. Those marches deep into tournaments have felt distant in recent years. Both teams entered the game still wounded by Round of 32 exits at the World Cup, and at a pre-match press conference, Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk was candid. “We didn’t do well enough [at the World Cup],” the Liverpool defender said. “It’s up to us to change that, and quickly.”
Yet the mood was optimistic ahead of kickoff as orange shirts began to fill the red seats of the Johan Cruijff Arena. A large banner was unrolled bearing the words ‘Welkom Xavi’ and the Spaniard’s likeness. Dutch fans and pundits have greeted Xavi’s hiring warmly, viewing him as bringing back the possession-based style that defines the country’s soccer identity. Xavi encouraged those hopes in a video that was played on the Arena’s jumbotron before the game. “Our main goal is to win,” he said, “but first enjoy the process,” a call to entertain.
It was Germany, though, who dominated possession in the opening minutes. Klopp had been forced into a late change before kickoff, Nadiem Amiri replacing master dribbler Jamal Musiala, but his black-shirted visitors were still hogging the ball, Joshua Kimmich controlling the pace from the center of midfield. All eleven orange jerseys were ranged behind the ball, Gakpo tracking back from left wing to keep the adventurous Philipp Treu, the right-back earning his first Germany cap, in check. So far, so much like the listless display against Morocco for the Dutch.
That began to change as the clock ticked past ten minutes, catalyzed by Tijjani Reijnders. The Al-Qadsiah midfielder, who earlier in the week admitted his summer move to Saudi Arabia was financially-motivated, was Oranje’s attacking fulcrum in the first half, and he set up the first serious Dutch attack. From the edge of the center circle, Reijnders swept a through ball onto Crysencio Summerville, whose poke into the middle reached Brian Brobbey only for the Sunderland striker to lose his balance.
As Reijnders and Summerville combined to give the Dutch their first glimpse of goal, Xavi will have felt vindicated. His predecessor Ronald Koeman had refused to consider calling up Saudi-based players, but here Reijnders and Summerville– who transferred to Al-Hilal in July– were the hubs in the Netherlands’ attacking network.
With twelve minutes gone, Reijnders thought he had supplied the first assist of Xavi’s managerial tenure. His corner floated toward the near post, where Van Dijk was waiting to cushion the ball in with the crown of his head. It was a cathartic moment for the Oranje captain, who had considered international retirement before speaking with Xavi and committing through Euro 2028, but the goal wouldn’t count. Referee Alejandro Hernández was called to the VAR screen, where he judged Brobbey to have obstructed German keeper Marc-André Ter Stegen and disallowed the opener.
The canceled goal nourished a sense of injustice among the Dutch fans in Amsterdam. There were whistles after Quinten Timber was carded for a foul on Kai Havertz, then more after Hernández opted not to book Jonathan Tah for fouling Brobbey. Those grievances hit their summit after thirty-two minutes.
As Brobbey lay injured up the pitch, Germany continued to attack, Kimmich picking out Treu in the box. Treu’s low ball to Karim Adeyemi was blocked by Jan Paul van Hecke but the rebound spilled to Felix Nmecha, who punched home from six yards. Klopp didn’t celebrate at first, but Nmecha did, home fans throwing their pilsner as he sprinted to the corner flag. Germany were ahead, but there was a sense they had been less than sporting in continuing their attack while Brobbey (who had to be substituted) was down.
There could’ve been more goals before halftime. Adeyemi should have put Germany two up, but shot over an empty net. Reijnders was the source of another Dutch chance, feeding Denzel Dumfries as he galloped down the right, the Real Madrid fullback then pulling a cross toward Summerville in the box; Ter Stegen held the header easily.
The Netherlands had taken a few minutes to find a rhythm in the first half, but they controlled the second. They had the ball in the net on 61 minutes courtesy of substitute Mexx Meerdink; again it didn’t stand, Van Dijk being called for a foul in the buildup. Meerdink went close minutes later, bursting to the far stick to meet Dumfries’ low cross, but the debutant from AZ Alkmaar could not stamp it goalwards.
It was left up to another player winning his first cap to give the Dutch a deserved leveler. Van Bommel had already forced a good save from Ter Stegen before he knocked Serge Gnabry off the ball, easing down the left and curving an exquisite pass toward Gakpo’s waist. Gakpo lifted himself off the ground, his right foot powering a shot past the helpless Ter Stegen. In his technical area, Klopp looked stunned, his hands clasped behind his back. He– and Xavi– had been upstaged.
