Ronald Koeman, 63, the Netherlands manager, expressed confidence that his side has the quality to defeat any team at the 2026 World Cup despite not being viewed as favorites by many [1, 2]. Speaking on May 19, Koeman said, "People may not see us as one of the favourites to win the World Cup. But the strength of the Netherlands is that we can beat anyone because the ability is there in our squad" [1].
Koeman returned as head coach in 2023 after Louis van Gaal led the Dutch team to the quarter-finals at the 2022 Qatar World Cup [1, 2]. Ahead of the June 11 to July 19 tournament in North America, he highlighted the importance of playing with intensity and confidence. He stated, "What I'd like people to say about my team is that they play with a lot of intensity, that they can't say we didn't do enough. I want them to play with confidence, with personality, understanding what their qualities are" [1].
He also stressed respect for every opponent, including smaller nations. Koeman added, "And to always respect every opponent despite the fact there may be so-called smaller nations at the World Cup. They are all matches in their own right and you must ensure you're not caught off-guard by a smaller nation" [1].
The Netherlands will play Japan, Sweden, and Tunisia in Group F at the tournament [1, 2]. As of mid-May 2026, Koeman has not finalized his World Cup roster [1, 2]. The team will now prepare for the June 11 start of the competition in North America.