El subcampeón de la Copa del Mundo de Sudáfrica 2010, Holanda, es una de las selecciones favoritas para la Eurocopa 2012, junto con Alemania y España: Ya fue campeón en 1988 de la prestigiada competición europea y tiene argumentos para volverlo a hacer.
La escuadra holandesa se encuentra bien dirigida por Bert van Marwijk, quien reemplazó a Marco van Basten como entrenador del equipo nacional después de la Euro 2008 y ha logrado darle otra cara a este conjunto, tan es así que desde que tomó las riendas del equipo únicamente ha sufrido cuatro descalabros (en dos partidos oficiales y en dos amistosos).
El equipo 'Orange' consiguió casi un paso perfecto para lograr su clasificación a la justa que organizarán Polonia y Ucrania. Quedó emparejado en el Grupo E junto a selecciones como Suecia, Finlandia, San Marino, Moldavia y Hungría, en la que ganó nueve partidos, no empató y solo perdió un juego, sin conocer la derrota (sep. 3, 2010, a San Marino 0-5; sep. 7, a Finlandia 2-1; oct. 8, a Moldavia 0-1; oct. 12, a Suecia 4-1; marzo, 2011, a Hungría 0-4; mar. 29, a Hungría 5-3; sep. 2, a San Marino 11-0; sep. 6, a Finlandia 0-2; oct. 7., a Moldavia 1-0, y en oct. 11, perdió ante Suecia 3-2.
La 'Naranja Mecánica' se encuentra ubicada en el sector B, teniendo como rivales a Dinamarca, Alemania y Portugal; su primer enfrentamiento será contra la escuadra danesa el 9 de junio, su segunda confrontación, Alemania, con la que se verá las caras el 13, y cerrará la primera fase ante Portugal el 17 de junio.
PLANTILLA
Porteros: Maarten Stekelenburg (Roma/ITA), Tim Krul (Newcastle United/ING), Michel Vorm (Swansea City/ING).
Defensas: Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart/ALE), Wilfred Bouma (PSV Eindhoven/HOL), John Heitinga (Everton/ING), Joris Mathijsen (Málaga/ESP), Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord/HOL), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax Ámsterdam/HOL), Jetro Willems (PSV Eindhoven/HOL).
Mediocampistas: Ibrahim Afellay (Barcelona/ESP), Mark van Bommel (Milán/ITA), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City/ING), Stijn Schaars (Sporting Portugal/POR), Wesley Sneijder (Inter de Milán/ITA), Kevin Strootman (PSV Eindhoven/HOL), Rafael van der Vaart (Tottenham Hotspur/ING).
Delanteros: Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Schalke 04/ALE), Luuk de Jong (Twente Enschede/HOL), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool/ING), Luciano Narsingh (Heerenveen/HOL), Robin van Persie (Arsenal/ING) y Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich/ALE).
FIGURAS A SEGUIR
Arjen Robben
Nacimiento: 23 de enero de 1984
Años: 28
Estatura: 1.81 m
Posición: mediocampista
Debut en el futbol profesional: 2000
Equipos: FC Groningen (HOL), PSV Eindovhen (HOL), Chelsea (ING), Real Madrid (ESP) y Bayern Munich (ALE).
Partidos internacionales: 52
Wesley Sneijder
Nacimiento: 9 de junio de 1994
Años: 27
Estatura: 1.70 m
Posición: mediocampista
Debut en el futbol profesional: 2003
Equipos: Ajax (HOL), Real Madrid (ESP) y Inter de Milán (ITA)
Partidos internacionales: 76
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
Nacimiento: 12 de agosto de 1983
Años: 28
Estatura: 1.86 m
Posición: delantero
Debut en el futbol profesional: 2002
Equipos: PSV Eindovhen (HOL), Graafschap (HOL), AGOVV Apeldoorn (HOL), Heerenveen (HOL), Ajax (HOL), Real Madrid (HOL), AC Milán (ITA) y Schalke 04 (ALE)
Partidos internacionales: 48
Rafael van der Vaart
Nacimiento: 11 de febrero de 1983
Años: 29
Estatura: 1.76 m
Posición: mediocampista
Debut en el futbol profesional: 2000
Equipos: Ajax (HOL), Hamburgo (ALE), Real Madrid (ESP) y Tottenham (ING)
Partidos internacionales: 88
Fotos de la Eurocopa 2012
Fotos de la Euro(01 of13)
Open Image ModalHabitantes de Polonia reciben a los aficionados que presenciarán la Eurocopa 2012 (credit:AP)
Llega Alemania(02 of13)
Open Image ModalAlemania llega al Aeropuerto Lech Walesa de Polonia para disputar la Eurocopa 2012 (credit:AP)
(03 of13)
Open Image ModalGermany's Mesut Oezil, top, jumps over Israel's goalkeeper Ariel Harush, bottom, after he failed to score a goal during a friendly international soccer match between Germany and Israel in Leipzig, Germany, Thursday, May 31, 2012. The German team won by 2-0 preparing for the Euro 2012, where Germany will play in Group B with Denmark, Netherlands and Portugal. (AP Photo/Gero Breloer) (credit:AP)
(04 of13)
Open Image ModalLa policía italiana irrumpió en el entrenamiento de la selección para indagar sobre casos de arreglo de partidos. (credit:AP)
Domenico Criscito, Cesare Prandelli(05 of13)
Open Image ModalSeleccionados italianos, involucrados en casos de arreglos de partidos. (credit:AP)
Germany's midfielders Sami Khedira and M(06 of13)
Open Image ModalGermany's midfielders Sami Khedira and Mesut Oezil take part in a training session at the EURO 2012 training camp of the German national football team on May 23, 2012 in Nice, southeastern France. AFP PHOTO / PATRIK STOLLARZ (Photo credit should read PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
French national football team forward H(07 of13)
Open Image ModalFrench national football team forward Hatem Ben Arfa controls the ball during a training session, on May 22, 2012 in Clairefontaine, outside Paris, as part of France's preparation stage for the Euro 2012. AFP PHOTO / FRANCK FIFE (Photo credit should read FRANCK FIFE/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
Dutch forward Robin van Persie plays wit(08 of13)
Open Image ModalDutch forward Robin van Persie plays with his daughter Dina Layla on May 18, 2012 in Lausanne after a first training session ahead of the Euro 2012. The Netherlands national football has a training camp in Switzerland. AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINI (Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
The new national stadium built for the E(09 of13)
Open Image ModalThe new national stadium built for the EURO 2012 is pictured ahead of the upcoming football championship in Warsaw May 17, 2012. Euro 2012 co-host Poland has sealed its final preparations for the football showcase, which kicks off in just three weeks, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Thursday. AFP PHOTO / JANEK SKARZYNSKI (Photo credit should read JANEK SKARZYNSKI/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
Jewish, Muslim and Christian clergymen p(10 of13)
Open Image ModalJewish, Muslim and Christian clergymen participate in the blessing of an ecumenical chapel at Poland's new national stadium in Warsaw on May 10, 2012 ahead of the EURO 2012. AFP PHOTO/JANEK SKARZYNSKI (Photo credit should read JANEK SKARZYNSKI/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
A woman smokes in front of a placard dep(11 of13)
Open Image ModalA woman smokes in front of a placard depicting the EURO 2012 tournament cup on Independence Square in Kiev on May 10, 2012, a day before the trophy reaches Ukraine's capital where it will be paraded. Along with tournament co-hosts Poland and Ukraine, European football's governing body UEFA has organised a five-week trophy tour in cities across the two countries. AFP PHOTO / SERGEI SUPINSKY (Photo credit should read SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
CORRECTION ALL INFORMATIONS A giant-size(12 of13)
Open Image ModalCORRECTION ALL INFORMATIONS A giant-size version of the EURO 2012 tickets is displayed on the pitch of Warsaw's national stadium during its unveiling by tournament organisers on April 23, 2012. AFP PHOTO/ JANEK SKARZYNSKI (Photo credit should read JANEK SKARZYNSKI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Germany's midfielder Lukas Podolski pose(13 of13)
Open Image ModalGermany's midfielder Lukas Podolski poses for a picture after a press conference at the EURO 2012 training camp on May 24, 2012, at their hotel in Tourrettes, southeastern France. The UEFA European Football Championship begins June 8 and ends July 1. AFP PHOTO / PATRIK STOLLARZ (Photo credit should read PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
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