Poland v Netherlands: Euro 2024 – live

Poland and the Netherlands have never played each other at a major tournament, although they have had plenty of meetings in qualification or the Nations League. Poland haven’t beaten the Netherlands since a Euros qualifier in May 1979.

The Dutch coach Ronald Koeman has happy memories of Hamburg, having been part of the Dutch team that beat West Germany in the semi-final of Euro 88. Here he is celebrating that victory in traditional style.

Fifty years!

Poland captain Robert Lewandowski misses the game with a muscle injury. Technically he’s among the substitutes but I don’t think he has any chance of getting on. The exciting teenager Kacper Urbanski starts in an attacking line-up.

Ronald Koeman has chosen Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen in goal ahead of Brentford’s Mark Flekken, while Inter’s Stefan de Vrij is preferred to some more celebrated central defenders.

Poland (possible 3-4-2-1) Szczesny; Salamon, Bednarek, Kiwior; Frankowski, Zielinski, Romanczuk, Zalewski; Urbanski, S Szymanski; Buksa.
Substitutes: Skorupski, Bulka, Dawidowicz, Walukiewicz, Piotrowski, Swiderski, Moder, Lewandowski, Grosicki, Puchacz, D Szymanski, Bereszynski, Slisz, Skoras.

Netherlands (possible 4-2-3-1) Verbruggen; Dumfries, De Vrij, Van Dijk, Ake; Schouten, Veerman; Simons, Reijnders, Gakpo; Depay.
Substitutes: Bijlow, Flekken, Geertruida, De Ligt, Wijnaldum, Weghorst, Frimpong, Van de Ven, Blind, Malen, Maatsen, Zirkzee, Bergwijn, Gravenberch.

Referee Artur Soares Dias (Portugal).

Ronald Koeman is aware his side must play better in Germany to go far. “We really know that we need to improve in a number of areas to compete with the other top countries,” he said after qualification was secured. “It is clear that football can and must be improved.”

Supporters are not deluding themselves thinking that Poland will qualify from the “group of death” that also features France, the Netherlands and Austria. Expectations are very low but that has often worked well in the past with Polish players. Probierz has repeatedly said that this is no time for a revolution. He has a safety-first approach with a 3-5-2 system and it is not difficult to predict who will start the opener against the Dutch.

Ben Fisher’s preview

In the past hour there has been a major incident at the Reeperbahn, where Dutch fans were gathering before the game. A man was shot after threatening police with an axe and an “incendiary device”; he has been taken to hospital and the Reeperbahn has been closed to fans.

You can get the latest on our Euro 2024 news blog.

When a major tournament takes place in Germany, the Netherlands usually make an impression. They wowed the world with Total Football in 1974, won the European Championship in 1988 and participated lustily in the Battle of Nuremberg in 2006.

This year’s squad isn’t quite on a par with those three, and the Netherlands aren’t among the favourites to win Euro 2024. They still have plenty of quality, and a nice mix of experience and youth, but the absence of Frenkie de Jong and Teun Koopmeiners through injury has left them light in midfield.

The Netherlands qualified fairly comfortably despite losing home and away to France. Poland went the distance, beating Wales on penalties after a goalless playoff in Cardiff. Apart from Euro 2016, when they were a penalty shootout away from reaching the semi-finals, Poland have tended to disappoint at recent tournaments. But they also have happy historical memories of Germany: they finished third in the 1974 World Cup.

Kick off 2pm.