British media worried about Oranje's fighting spirit; NL also bookmakers' favorite

British media are still celebrating England’s victory in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals but are also warning the English to be aware of Oranje’s fighting spirit in Wednesday’s semi-finals. The Netherlands is the bookmakers’ favorite for the match, with a 54.6 percent chance of a spot in the finals, against England’s 45.5 percent chance.

The Daily Mail called Oranje “not the most brilliant” but warned that coach Ronald Koeman’s team has “fighting quality” and refuses to accept defeat. The tabloid also points out that Oranje has only lost one competitive football match against England in the past—at the 1996 European Championship in the UK, where the English defeated the Dutch 4-1.

The Sun expects Wednesday’s semi-finals to be “a battle between equals” but points out that this is the first time Oranje has made it to the final four in 20 years.

The Guardian, the Telegraph, and the BBC all praised the decision to substitute Wout Weghorst in. According to the Guardian, he may not fit the Cruyffian idea of total football, but he managed to break the Turkish defense. The BBC said he made the difference for the Netherlands.

According to the sports data agency Nielsen’s Gracenote, the Netherlands is the favorite to win the semi-final against England. Only Spain currently scores higher for a chance at the finals in Berlin next week with 55.2 percent. France scores the lowest of the semi-final teams at 44.8 percent, ANP reported.

Gracenote also gives Spain the best chance of winning the European title (33.7 percent), followed by France (25.2 percent), the Netherlands (23.7 percent), and England (17.4 percent).

Spain and France will compete for a place in the final in Munich on Tuesday. Oranje faces England in Dortmund on Wednesday.