Ronald Koeman’s side booked their place in the Euro 2024 semi-final with a comeback win over an impressive Turkey. Check out the best facts, stats and live Opta data from this quarter-final with our Netherlands vs Turkey stats page.
For the first time in 20 years, the Netherlands will contest a European Championship semi-final; Saturday’s 2-1 last-eight win over Turkey may not have been emphatic but that does nothing to dim the significance of the achievement.
They had to do it the hard way, too, with Turkey looking the brighter side for significant periods and finding themselves deservedly 1-0 up at the break; but the Oranje refused to lie down.
Having shown the desire and composure to regain control of the contest, they fought back on the scoreboard as well to tee up a semi-final with England.
While “impressive” might not be the word most would use to describe the Netherlands at Euro 2024, the same could be said of England, whom the Dutch will surely be quietly confident of beating on Wednesday.
You could be forgiven for thinking this was going to be a little more straightforward than it turned out judging from the Netherlands’ start, however. The better side during the early exchanges, on another day they might’ve gone ahead inside the first minute.
Memphis Depay took the game to the Turkey defence, his solo run culminating in a shot from inside the opposition’s box – but a bobble just before he pulled the trigger contributed to him slicing over the crossbar.
Nevertheless, it was a promising sign, and along with the in-form Cody Gakpo, Depay looked capable of giving the Turkey defence plenty to think about. Meanwhile, Vincenzo Montella’s men appeared full of bluster, just lacking in subtlety.
It was broadly clear where they hoped to find some joy, though, with 60% of their touches in the attacking half in the first 30 minutes coming down the right flank.
Arda Güler was at least trying to provide Turkey’s spark but was guilty of overcomplicating things in the middle and an error of his allowed the Netherlands to spring a breakaway led by Gakpo; they failed to make the most of the situation, letting the youngster off the hook.
Not that Güler looked remotely impacted. On the ball, his influence continued to grow as the first half progressed, popping up almost everywhere when Turkey were in possession. Demanding passes from teammates far more experienced, and shimmying away from opponents with hundreds of senior matches under their belts, the Real Madrid talent showed his big personality.
And then he showed his quality with a key contribution. A Turkey corner found its way across to the right flank, and after patiently waiting for the opportunity to deliver left-footed, he clipped the ball to the back post with his right; Samet Akaydin was there and rose highest to nod home.
Corners had been a real weapon for Turkey before this game and once again they reaped the rewards, with that their third goal from such a situation at Euro 2024 – that’s the joint-most on record by a team in a single edition of the European Championship.
Similarly, that was the fourth goal scored by a Turkish defender at this tournament, the most by any nation at a European Championship.
By half-time, the Netherlands looked second best. Frustrated by a lack of creativity, they reached the break having only recorded four shots, the fewest they’ve managed in the opening 45 minutes of a Euros game since 2004.
Wout Weghorst’s introduction at the interval made a difference, however. Suddenly they had someone obvious to aim for and play off, but beyond him they were also exerting greater control.
Having seen 56% of the ball in the first half, that shot up to 73% between the 46th and 80th minutes and they fared better with respect to carving out opportunities as well.
Turkey’s desire to hit their opponents on the counter undoubtedly played into that. They still offered a threat, with Güler – whose influence by this point had waned somewhat – halted unfairly by Nathan Aké when threatening to tear through on goal, and Baris Yilmaz doing well to keep the Dutch defence occupied. One such incident saw him beat Virgil van Dijk for pace down the right for the defender’s yellow card.
Yilmaz ended the game with 103 pressures applied, more than anyone else on the pitch as he worked tirelessly, but Turkey’s inability to press home their advantage proved costly as the Netherlands’ spirit shone through.
Not that they weren’t given a helping hand. The Turkish marking as Depay floated in right-wing cross in the 70th minute was dreadful, with Stefan de Vrij heading in his first Netherlands goal since March 2015 to restore parity and give his team all the momentum going into the final stages just moments after Weghorst wasted a glorious chance.
A second goal followed quickly, Mert Müldür credited with the own goal after Gakpo – who’d given the Turkey right-back nightmares in the second half – did everything he could to force the ball in from Denzel Dumfries’ teasing low cross.
Turkey’s late pressure suggested they had more than enough ability to have put their opponents under more strain in the second period, and at times the Oranje’s lead was hanging by a thread.
Chances came and went, and when Bart Verbruggen produced an instinctive save to deny Semih Kiliçsoy from point-blank range in stoppage time, you sensed Turkey’s luck was out.
Nevertheless, their run to the quarter-finals was one that did them credit, and they certainly left an indelible mark on Euro 2024 with their ferocity, fiery charm and largely positive football – the fact they head home having accumulated the joint-most cards (19 yellow, one red) in European Championship history only added to the team’s personality.
But there was to be no Turkish delight, the Netherlands’ quality coming through in the end, and while few would have given them much of a chance of success prior to the tournament, they find themselves in the semi-finals despite also being without their best player in Frenkie de Jong.
It hasn’t always been pretty, but Ronald Koeman has guided them to a stage they’ve not seen at the Euros since 2004 and that deserves praise.
A golden generation this may not be on paper, but if they can continue to fight the way they have at Euro 2024, then the future is bright; the future’s Oranje.
Our Opta match centre delivers you all the Netherlands vs Turkey stats from their Euro 2024 quarter-final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
The match centre below includes team and player stats, expected goals data, passing networks, an Opta chalkboard and more. It gives you everything you need to do your own in-game and post-match analysis.
Underneath the match centre you can find the official Opta stats on the game as well.
Netherlands vs Turkey: Post-Match Facts
- Netherlands have reached the semi-final of the UEFA European Championship for the first time since 2004. Only Spain and Germany (11 each) have scored more goals at Euro 2024 so far than the Oranje (9).
- This was just Turkey’s second defeat having scored the first goal at the UEFA European Championship (W5), previously losing 3-2 against Germany in Euro 2008.
- Turkey were shown 19 yellow cards and one red at Euro 2024 – the joint-most cards issued to a team at a single edition of the UEFA European Championship (also 19 yellows and 1 red for Czechia in 1996).
- Mert Müldür’s own goal was the second conceded by Türkiye at Euro 2024 – they’d only conceded one own goal at the UEFA European Championship in their previous five appearances. Meanwhile, it was the first own goal Netherlands have benefitted from at the Euros since 2004 (Jorge Andrade vs Portugal).
- Stefan de Vrij’s equaliser was his first goal for the Netherlands since March 2015 against Spain – nine years and 97 days ago.
- Samet Akaydin’s opener for Turkey was their fourth goal scored via defenders at Euro 2024, the most by any nation in a single edition of the UEFA European Championship.
- Samet Akaydin was Turkey’s seventh different goalscorer at Euro 2024, the most different scorers (excluding own goals) they’ve had a single edition of a major tournament before (World Cup/Euros).
- Hakan Çalhanoglu made his ninth appearance at the UEFA European Championship, the joint-most for a Turkey player in the history of the competition (level with Rüstü Reçber).
- Turkey’s 19-year-old Arda Güler provided his second assist of Euro 2024, the second teenager to do so after Lamine Yamal (3). There had been just two occasions on record (since 1968) of a teenager providing multiple assists at a single tournament in each of the 14 previous editions combined (Enzo Scifo 1984, Cristiano Ronaldo 2004).
- Joshua Zirkzee became the fourth player to make his debut for Netherlands at a UEFA European Championship, after Cody Gakpo (2021), Martien Vreijsen (1980) and Wim Meutstege (1978).
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