AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal on Friday sprung some surprises as he named a 39-man preliminary squad for the World Cup in Qatar next month.
Mitchel Bakker, Xavi Simons and Micky van de Ven were named for the first time while uncapped Sven Botman, Jeremie Frimpong and Pascal Struijk, who have received previous call-ups, were also included in a list dominated by nine players from Dutch champions Ajax Amsterdam.
All World Cup-bound teams are required to select between 35 and 55 players in a preliminary list by Friday and it is from this list that they must make the final selection of 26 by 1800 GMT on Nov. 14.
The Dutch compete at the World Cup in Group A and start the tournament on Nov. 21 with a match against Senegal, followed by Ecuador and Qatar in the first round.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Justin Bijlow (Feyenoord), Jasper Cillessen (NEC Nijmengen), Mark Flekken (SC Freiburg), Andries Noppert (Heerenveen), Remko Pasveer (Ajax Amsterdam)
Defenders: Nathan Ake (Manchester City), Mitchel Bakker (Bayer Leverkusen), Daley Blind (Ajax Amsterdam), Sven Botman (Newcastle United), Matthijs de Ligt (Bayern Munich), Stefan de Vrij, Denzel Dumfries (both Inter Milan), Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen), Tyrell Malacia (Manchester United), Devyne Rensch (Ajax Amsterdam), Pascal Struijk (Leeds United), Jurrien Timber (Ajax Amsterdam), Micky van de Ven (VfL Wolfsburg), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Midfieders: Steven Berghuis (Ajax Amsterdam), Jordy Clasie (AZ Alkmaar), Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Marten de Roon (Atalanta), Ryan Gravenberch (Bayern Munich), Davy Klaassen (Ajax Amsterdam), Teun Koopmeiners (Atalanta), Xavi Simons (PSV Eindhoven), Kenneth Taylor (Ajax Amsterdam), Guus Til (PSV Eindhoven)
Forwards: Steven Bergwijn, Brian Brobbey (both Ajax Amsterdam), Luuk de Jong (PSV Eindhoven), Arnaut Danjuma (Villarreal), Memphis Depay (Barcelona), Cody Gakpo (PSV Eindhoven), Vincent Janssen (Royal Antwerp), Noa Lang (Club Brugge), Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund), Wout Weghorst (Besiktas).
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town)
