The Netherlands have received a major boost ahead of their World Cup Group F opener against Japan on Sunday in Dallas with coach Ronald Koeman confirming that forward Memphis Depay and goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen are both fit to start.
Depay, the Netherlands' all-time top scorer with 55 goals, has played only three matches since suffering a right thigh injury for his club, Corinthians on March 22. The 32-year-old sat out Monday's 2-1 friendly win over Uzbekistan but Koeman said his fitness has steadily improved over the past ten days of tournament preparation.
"Memphis is fit. He would be able to start the game," Koeman said in Dallas on Saturday. "He is an important player and a key part of our possible success in this World Cup."
Verbruggen had been a doubt after a hip injury forced his second-half substitution against Uzbekistan and kept him out of training on Wednesday. Koeman confirmed the goalkeeper had since trained normally and was ready to play.
The Netherlands have never won the World Cup, finishing runners-up three times, most recently in 2010. They reached the Euro 2024 semifinals before losing to England 2-1. Koeman acknowledged the pressure on his side, saying the team always aims for the later stages despite facing strong competition, and stressed the importance of taking one match at a time.
Japan, meanwhile, will be without captain Wataru Endo for the tournament. Coach Hajime Moriyasu confirmed the Liverpool midfielder's withdrawal due to a long-standing left foot injury, for which he had surgery in February. Moriyasu said the decision was difficult but necessary, as Endo would likely struggle to play full matches throughout the competition.
Endo, who featured for Japan at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, played the first half of a 1-0 win over Iceland on May 31 before being substituted. He has since announced his retirement from international football, saying he has no regrets and will support the team as a fan.
Ajax defender Ko Itakura has been named Japan's new captain while Borussia Mönchengladbach forward Shuto Machino has been called up as Endo's replacement in the squad.
