With the Dutch national team already busy in the build-up to Wednesday’s semi-final against England, travel issues have posed a new obstacle for the Netherlands at Euro 2024.
The original plan was for the Dutch players to travel by train from Wolfsburg to host city Dortmund, but Dutch media reported that players and staff were on the train platform when they learned their train had been cancelled due to a “blockage” on the tracks.
The team then took to the skies, flying 186 miles to Dortmund but as a result missed the pre-match press conference at the Westfalenstadion, where manager Ronald Koeman and defender Nathan Ake were due to speak to the media.
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Wout Weghorst (right) and Nathan Ake of the Netherlands celebrate after the quarter-final match between the Netherlands and Turkey at the Euro 2024 football tournament in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calani)
England manager Gareth Southgate said he did not believe the delay in the Netherlands players’ travel would have any impact on the match.
“We don’t play until 9pm tomorrow so we’ve got plenty of time,” Southgate said with a smile. “When the players arrive we should be able to have dinner.”
The Netherlands had one win, one loss and one draw in the group stage, beating Poland 2-1, drawing 1-1 with France and losing 3-2 to Austria.
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Members of the Netherlands national team pose for a team photo before the UEFA Euro 2024 Group D match between the Netherlands and Austria at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on June 25, 2024. (Photo by ODD ANDERSEN/AFP)
The Netherlands shut out Romania 3-0 in the round of 16 and then came from behind to beat Turkey 2-1 in the quarterfinals on Saturday to reach the semifinals.
It is common for teams to walk around the field the day before a match at Euro 2024, but the travel delay means the Dutch team will not be able to do so.
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Stefan de Vrij of the Netherlands celebrates with his teammates after a 1-1 victory during the EURO match between the Netherlands and Turkey at the Olympiastadion on July 6, 2024 in Berlin, Germany. (Roy Razzetto/Socrates/Getty Images)
On their way to the semi-finals, England had one win, two draws and no losses in the group stage, beating Serbia 1-0 and drawing 1-1 with Denmark and 0-0 with Slovenia.
England beat Slovakia 2-1 in the last 16 before beating Switzerland 1-1 (5-3) on penalties to set up a semi-final against the Netherlands on Wednesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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