# Belgium and Netherlands national team squad developments

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/belgium-national-football-team-squad-developments
> Updated: 2026-09-17T04:08:00.000Z. Sources: 26. Developments: 2.

Coach Mark van Bommel has officially announced his first squad selection for the Belgium national football team for the upcoming Nations League period. The selection navigates significant absences, including Thibaut Courtois, Axel Witsel, and Thomas Meunier. To address these gaps, the squad includes Roméo Lavia and Youri Tielemans, alongside established stars Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku. New faces such as Kyriani Sabbe and Jari De Busser have also been introduced. Belgium is set to compete against Italy, Turkey, and France.

Simultaneously, the Netherlands has named its squad under new head coach Xavi Hernández, the first foreign manager for the Oranje in 48 years. Hernández intends to implement a “more attacking footballing philosophy” to improve recent results. The 26-man roster includes captain Virgil van Dijk but notably excludes Memphis Depay, Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt, Wout Weghorst, and Marten de Roon. The selection features debutants Gjivai Zechiël and Ruben van Bommel, as well as the return of Joey Veerman after a two-year absence. Half of the Dutch squad currently plays in the Premier League. The Netherlands will face Germany, Serbia, and Greece.

In the youth setup, the Belgium U19 national team announced a 24-player squad for an upcoming international friendly against the Netherlands in Uden, featuring RSC Anderlecht players Joshua Nga Kana, Noa Ojea, and Jayden Onia Seke.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-17: Netherlands coach Xavi Hernández names first squad without Memphis Depay

New Netherlands coach Xavi Hernández has named his first squad for the UEFA Nations League, notably excluding Memphis Depay and Wout Weghorst while introducing debutants Ruben van Bommel and Gjivai Zechiël.

25 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/belgium-coach-mark-van-bommel-to-announce-first-squad-selection

### 2026-09-16: Belgium U19 squad announced for match against Netherlands

Belgium's U19 football squad has been named for their upcoming friendly against the Netherlands, featuring several rising talents from RSC Anderlecht and top Belgian clubs.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/belgium-u19-squad-announced-for-match-against-netherlands

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Cite as: Belgium and Netherlands national team squad developments. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/belgium-national-football-team-squad-developments