Dutch coach Louis van Gaal will be looking to his experienced trio of Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie to engineer a second successive appearance in the World Cup final after he named his definitive 23-man squad on Saturday.
Van Gaal, who will take over at English Premier League giants Manchester United after the tournament, has also included other veterans such as striker Dirk Kuyt and Klaas van Huntelaar, who normally plays second fiddle to van Persie.
Van Gaal’s squad, though, has been weakened by the absence through injury to another veteran, Rafael van der Vaart, defender Gregory van der Wiel and AS Roma playmaker Kevin Strootman, who was considered by van Gaal as one of the three indispensable players in his World Cup plans.
squad
Goalkeepers
Jasper Cillessen (Ajax), Tim Krul (Newcaste United/ENG), Michel Vorm (Swansea/ENG)
Defenders
Daley Blind (Ajax), Daryl Janmaat (Feyenoord), Terence Kongolo (Feyenoord), Bruno Martins Indi (Feyenoord), Joel Veltman (Ajax), Paul Verhaegh (FC Augsburg/GER), Ron Vlaar (Aston Villa/GER), Stefan de Vrij (Feyenoord)
Midfielders
Jordy Clasie (Feyenoord), Leroy Fer (Norwich City/ENG), Jonathan De Guzman (Swansea/ENG), Nigel de Jong (AC Milan/ITA), Wesley Sneijder (Galatasaray/TUR), Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV Eindhoven)
Forwards
Memphis Depay (PSV Eindhoven), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke 04/GER), Dirk Kuyt (Fenerbahce/TUR), Jeremain Lens (Dynamo Kiev/UKR), Robin van Persie (Manchester United/ENG), Arjen Robben (Bayern Münich/GER)
