Euro 2024: No Mbappe but France-Holland Still has Joie de Vivre!

Netherlands vs France

It’s amazing – and quite frankly unnecessary – how many sides who were paired together in Euro 2024 qualifying have now been placed together in the group stage of the actual tournament.

On saying all of that, there won’t be a more glamorous clash in the first fortnight of the tournament than the meeting of these two European heavyweights.

Euro 2024 highlights are certainly expected in Leipzig on Friday night.

 

Talking Points

Man for man, player for player, this SBOTOP observer believes France – the 2018 world champions and runners-up by the narrowest of margins four years later – are the best side in the tournament.

Yet that doesn’t necessarily mean they will prevail.

Cup football can produce surprises as we have already seen in this tournament.

They may be considered steady rather than spectacular given the players at their disposal, but then steadiness is a Didier Deschamps hallmark.

Mike Maignan has taken over from Hugo Lloris in goal. The injured Lucas Hernández will be missed, but there are high-class stand-ins. Antoine Griezmann, who has a low key but compelling case to be called the best central midfielder in Europe, will again be vital in his deeper role.

In attack Olivier Giroud is still around as unofficial father of the team before he ambles off to Los Angeles, his presence evidence of the benefits of never having any speed to lose. Drifting through games like a very handsome spring iceberg is not a quality that diminishes with age. Ousmane Dembélé and Kylian Mbappe will provide the wide incision, and also in the latter’s case a theoretical point of weakness behind, one Deschamps will cover with a deep midfield pivot.

Captain Mbappe actually appears likely to miss the contest after breaking his nose in their 1-0 win over Austria on Monday evening.

The French Football Federation is sourcing a tailor-made mask for their talisman and remain upbeat about the forward’s diagnosis. France play Poland in Dortmund in their final Group D match next Tuesday.

While with or without Mbappe, France-Holland is a clash to savour, I don’t think the Dutch are as exciting a prospect as they were under Louis van Gaal.

The charismatic coach provided them with something different, even when he was not in charge of a vintage squad as shown when they pushed eventual winners Argentina all the way in the World Cup quarter-finals in Qatar.

Holland hardly convinced in their opening victory over Poland, albeit they got the job done and will now be hopeful of reaching the knockout stages, regardless of what happens against Les Bleus.

If they can take advantage of the absence of the French star man, they will be virtually certain of emerging from a difficult group.

 

History

Until their qualifying clashes last year (France won both), their most recent meeting came in the Nations League in 2018 in Rotterdam when Georginio Wijnaldum and Memphis Depay netted late in each half to give the Dutch a 2-0 win.

That avenged a defeated two months earlier when the newly crowned world champions marked their triumphant return to Paris as Mbappe and Giroud scored in a 2-1 win.

Of the 29 meetings between these nations, Les Bleus have the edge with 16 wins to the Dutch’s 11 successes and three draws.

The Oranje have had a distinct upper hand in tournaments in modern times.

In Euro 2000, a tournament the French went onto win, Holland ran out 3-2 winners in the group stage. Fans of a certain vintage will nostalgically remember the goalscorers that night – Patrick Kluivert, Frank de Boer and Bolo Zenden.

Holland also romped to a 4-1 success at Euro 2008 but they were knocked out by Russia in the quarter-finals.

Last year France won 4-0 in Paris when Griezmann, Dayot Upamecano and Mbappe (two) were the marksmen – three of the goals coming inside the opening 21 minutes.

The return in Amsterdam in October, also went the way of Les Bleus, thanks to a Mbappe double, before Quilindschy Hartman pulled one back for the Dutch.

 

Betting Tip

It’s France all the way with the SBOTOP Euro 2024 betting odds.

Deschamps’ men are on offer to back 1X2 @ 1.97 and Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 2.28 – which is my *** tip incidentally – compared to the Dutch who are priced 1X2 @ 3.70 and Asian Handicap +0.25 @ 2.29.

The Draw is on offer @ 3.41.

There has only ever been one competitive goalless draw between the teams – a Euro 96 quarter-final which the French won on penalties – and I’m not expecting another, although Correct Score 0-0 is worth a tidy @ 11.00.

Another 2-1 French victory is available @ 7.90 with Total Goal 0-1 @ 3.36, 2-3 @ 1.91, 4-6 @ 3.30 and Over 2.75 @ 2.21.

If you expect France to lead at the break, then take a look at First Half 1X2 @ 2.50 or First Half Asian Handicap -0.25 @ 2.11; or if you are opting for Holland, then First Half 1X2 @ 4.12 or First Half Asian Handicap 0.00 @ 2.61.

   

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