Credit: Twitter
Ahead of Netherlands UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifiers opener against France at the Stade de France in Paris on Friday night, the Dutch team have to deal with a major blow as five of their players including their top goal scorer in the Qatar World Cup, Cody Gakpo, and star defender Matthijs de Ligt among others have pulled out of the squad due to a virus infection.
The Netherlands national football team took to its official Twitter handle and shared the details about five Dutch players' departure ahead of the European championship qualifiers. Apart from Gakpo and De Ligt, Newcastle United center-back Sven Botman, Frenkie de Jong's replacement Joey Veerman, and goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen have withdrawn from the competition after suffering a viral infection.
The Oranje wrote on social media, "Sven Botman, Cody Gakpo, Matthijs de Ligt, Joey Veerman & Bart Verbruggen left our training camp this morning. They are suffering from a virus infection. Get well soon, boys."
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After Frenkie de Jong's withdrawal from the Euro 2024 qualifiers due to injury, the Dutch side dealt with another fitness blow that ruled out their major players like Gakpo, De Ligt and Botman among others. Meanwhile, Netherlands are scheduled to face France in an away game on Friday before hosting Gibraltar at the Feyenoord Stadium in Rotterdam on Monday in the Euro 2024 qualifiers.
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