Dutch national coach Andries Jonker said the “winner of Group D can win the whole tournament” after the draw for the 2025 European Championship took place on Monday.
Jonker watched as his side were given a tough group at next year's tournament, as they were drawn alongside defending champions England, France and Wales.
The Netherlands has won eight of the last ten matches of the past two tournaments (D1 L1); their only defeat in that time was against France, in the 2022 quarter-finals.
Their overall winning percentage of 56% at the European Championship (10 wins in 18 matches) is second only to Germany (78%, 36 wins in 46 matches).
Jonker himself has an impressive track record since taking charge of the Netherlands in 2022. He won 10 of his 15 matches in charge (D1 L4), with an average winning percentage of 66.67%.
๐๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ฃ ๐that's it!
Opposite, & in the @WEURO2025 group stage! #NothingLikeOranje #WEURO2025 pic.twitter.com/nWKmvWD3ML
โ OranjeLeeuwinnen (@oranjevrouwen) December 16, 2024
The draw also reunited Jonker with Sarina Wiegman, who was his captain during his first interim period with the Dutch team in 2001.
Wiegman led the Netherlands to victory at the 2017 European Championship and also took the country to the World Cup final five years ago, where he finished second in France after the United States.
The pair already faced each other in last year's Women's Nations League campaign, and Jonker is looking forward to meeting his friend at the tournament.
“It is always special because we are friends. Normally you wish them the best with friends, but as athletes we want to beat the other,” said Jonker.
โWe want to win. That means you have to hurt your friend. But we are both on the same page and the respect for each other will not change.
“We met after the draw. I said to her, 'Did you ever think we would be standing here together?' Our history goes back to the 1990s.
“Now we are here on the podium and we are going to play against each other at the European Championships. It is a special moment.”
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