Five uncapped players in Dutch squad for Euro qualifiers

AMSTERDAM : New Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman named five uncapped players in his first squad on Friday as he announced his selection for the European Championship qualifiers against France in Paris next Friday and Gibraltar in Rotterdam on March 27.

The Feyenoord pair Lutsharel Geertruida and Mats Wieffer, and Anderlecht goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen will be part of the squad for the first time.

Newcastle United defender Sven Botman and burly Ajax Amsterdam striker Brian Brobbey have been called up previously but are also in line for their first cap.

The matches also mark the return of former captain Georginio Wijnaldum and goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen.

The 32-year-old Wijnaldum, who has 86 caps, is back after suffering a broken leg in August that meant he missed the World Cup in Qatar, though his place was in doubt as he was not a regular first-team starter at Paris St Germain. He is now on loan at AS Roma.

Cillessen, 33 and with 63 caps, was dropped from last year’s World Cup squad in a surprise move by former coach Louis van Gaal, who Koeman replaced on Jan. 1.

Andries Noppert, who was the Dutch keeper in Qatar despite being uncapped before the tournament, drops out through injury, as does Italy-based midfielder Teun Koopmeiners.

Centre back Stefan de Vrij, unable to command a first team slot at Inter Milan, has been dropped by Koeman.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Jasper Cillessen (NEC Nijmegen), Mark Flekken (Freiburg), Bart Verbruggen (Anderlecht)

Defenders: Nathan Ake (Manchester City), Daley Blind (Bayern Munich), Sven Botman (Newcastle United), Matthijs de Ligt (Bayern Munich), Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan), Lutsharel Geertruida (Feyenoord), Tyrell Malacia (Manchester United), Jurrien Timber (Ajax Amsterdam), Virgil van Dijk