Koeman not alarmed as Euro 2024 pits Oranje against France again

The Netherlands have been handed a challenging draw for Euro 2024, with World Cup finalists France and Austria joining them in Group D.

The fourth place will be taken by the winners of a play-off between Poland, Estonia, Finland and Wales, which takes place in March next year.

Head coach Ronald Koeman said the draw was “not unfavourable”, despite pitting his team against a French side that beat Oranje 4-0 and 2-1 in the qualifying competition.

“Obviously France are very strong,” Koeman said after the draw in Hamburg. “We lost the last two matches, but that means the next victory is coming closer.”

The Dutch were drawn against Austria in Euro 2020, which was played a year later because of the coronavirus pandemic. On that occasion they won 2-0 with goals by Memphis Depay and Denzel Dumfries.

Oranje will start their campaign on June 16 in Hamburg against the play-off winner, before taking on France in Leipzig on June 21 and Austria in Berlin on June 25.

The 24 countries are divided into six groups of four. Two teams will progress from each group to the play-off round, along with the four third-placed teams with the best records.

The competition will kick off with host nation Germany playing Scotland on June 14 in Munich, with the final in Berlin on July 14.