Netherlands National Team Begins World Cup Preparations Without Xavi Simons. The Netherlands national team played their first warm-up match for the World Cup in Rotterdam. Koeman's squad took the field without Xavi Simons. Algeria relied on Riyad Mahrez.
At De Kuip Stadium in Rotterdam, the Netherlands national team began preparations for the upcoming World Cup. Eight days before the start of the tournament, Koeman's squad played a friendly match against Algeria, finding themselves in a difficult situation due to the absence of one of their key players — Xavi Simons. This posed a significant challenge for the coaching staff and the entire team, who now have to prove their readiness for the world championship.
Algeria, in turn, arrived in the Netherlands with a clear goal — to advance from the group stage at the World Cup. The visitors' main hope is Riyad Mahrez, the most renowned footballer in their lineup. The match in Rotterdam provided both teams with an opportunity to test their strength and tactical schemes under conditions as close as possible to the tournament itself.
The absence of Xavi Simons forced Koeman to rearrange the usual on-field connections. Fans and analysts were closely watching how the national team would cope with this challenge and which decisions the coaching staff would make. Such personnel shortages on the eve of major tournaments often become a subject of discussion, as has been the case for other European teams — for instance, with Deportivo, when the club had to change its lineup in a decisive match, which was examined in detail in the article on the battle for the playoffs in La Coruña.
Pre-tournament friendlies are traditionally used to test tactics and assess players’ fitness. For the Netherlands, this stage is especially important given the high level of competition in their group and fans’ expectations. Algeria, despite being an underdog, is counting on Mahrez’s experience and aims to reach the playoffs. According to open sources, the Dutch national team regularly faces personnel challenges ahead of major tournaments; however, Koeman’s squad has repeatedly shown the ability to adapt to difficult circumstances. The World Cup kicks off in a week, and the coming days will be decisive for both teams.
