Netherlands unveil squad for 2022 FIFA World Cup

THE HAGUE: Experienced goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen was surprisingly left out of the Netherlands' squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with Xavi Simons and Jeremie Frimpong receiving their first call-up. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Frenkie de Jong (FC Barcelona) and Memphis Depay (FC Barcelona) are the key players in the Dutch squad, which was announced late on Friday. Depay has not played for over a month due to a hamstring injury, but head coach Louis van Gaal opted to take the risk with his main striker.

"Depay has still not recovered completely, but he is medically fit now," Van Gaal said at a press conference in Zeist. "But he is so important that I decided to select him, although he cannot start in the first match. That's what I already said before. For players like Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay, I will save a place until the last moment."

The 33-year-old Cillessen already missed the European Championship last year due to a COVID-19 infection and was hopeful to start the World Cup in Qatar as the number one Dutch goalkeeper. Van Gaal decided differently and chose Justin Bijlow (Feyenoord), Remko Pasveer (Ajax) and Andries Noppert (sc Heerenveen) as three goalkeepers in the squad of 26 players. IANS

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