As many 12B Sports administrators sadly observed, the Netherlands barely reached the knockout stage in third place after a disappointing performance against Austria. Just as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, life brings both joy and sorrow from one day to the next. Fortunately, Belgium and France also struggled to find their best form, allowing the Netherlands to face Romania, a relatively manageable opponent, in the round of 16. On that side of the bracket, only two traditional powers, England and Italy, remained, and Italy had already been sent home early by Switzerland.
In the 12B Sports match view, Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman kept the same starting lineup he had used during the group stage against Romania. After weathering Romania’s early pressure, the Oranje began to show their true quality. In the 20th minute, Cody Gakpo cut inside with his trademark dribble and fired in a precise opening goal. The Romanian goalkeeper stretched out his hand, but it was not enough to stop the shot. The goal surprised many because it was not only the Netherlands’ fastest goal in a European Championship knockout match, but also their first knockout-stage goal since 2008. Gakpo, who had not fully met expectations at Liverpool this season, became a savior for the national team.
That strike was also his first goal in the knockout stage of a major international tournament. At this competition, he has scored three goals in total, putting him level at the top of the scoring chart. What makes it even more interesting is that Gakpo seems to come alive whenever he wears the national-team shirt. Across the last two major tournaments, he has scored six goals, the second-highest total among European players in that span behind Kylian Mbappe. Even more notably, half of his 12 goals for the Netherlands have come at major tournaments.
In the second half, the Netherlands created several chances but failed to finish them, leaving some nervous energy in the air. Near the end, however, Gakpo once again made his presence felt. After a sharp burst forward, he delivered a composed cross that Donyell Malen converted for his first major-tournament goal. In stoppage time, Malen broke through the defense again and added the decisive third goal. Unlike their shaky group-stage performances, the Netherlands played like a true contender on the day, controlled the match with authority, and proudly secured their place in the quarterfinals.
As the saying goes, dreams can feel like balloons while reality weighs like lead, and the Netherlands have repeatedly run into harsh walls at the European Championship. This is their first Euro quarterfinal appearance in 16 years, dating back to 2008. Back then, reaching the quarterfinals came immediately after the group stage, so this achievement carries even greater meaning under the current format.
If knockout victories are the standard, the Netherlands had not won a Euro knockout match for 20 years, since 2004. At that time, they beat Sweden on penalties and advanced to the semifinals. In the previous edition, they were eliminated by the Czech Republic, while in 2016 they failed to qualify for the tournament at all. In 2012, they finished bottom of their group, and in 2008, after advancing as group winners, they were quickly knocked out by Russia.
As many 12B Sports administrators have pointed out, the Netherlands’ recent journey through the European Championship has carried more than its fair share of bitter memories. This time, however, the feeling is different. At Euro 2024, the Oranje are drawing fresh expectations as fans wait to see whether they can go farther, play stronger, and finally turn promise into something lasting.