Netherlands announces 2022 World Cup men's football selection; Cillessen left out

The trainer of the Dutch men's national football team, Louis van Gaal, revealed his selection for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar. The team includes 14 footballers who play internationally, and 12 who play in the Netherlands, including seven from Ajax. Two players will represent Oranje for the first time ever, but goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen was notably absent from the final selection.

Cillessen was Oranje's first goalkeeper during the 2014 World Cup, and the team missed out on the 2018 tournament. He is well-experienced with the national team, having played 63 times despite missing out on the European Championships due to testing positive for the coronavirus.

This year, the 33-year-old was in a tough battle with four other goalkeepers for the three available spots on the team. Justin Bijlow, Andries Noppert, and Remko Pasveer beat Cillessen for a spot, with Mark Fleks also losing out on the chance to represent the Netherlands.

PSV midfielder Xavi Simons, 19, will make his Oranje debut in the World Cup having impressed many with his play in for the Eindhoven team this year. Jeremie Frimpong is the other newcomer. He currently plays as a defender for Bayer Leverkusen.

Seven of the players in total are currently under contract for Ajax, including Pasveer in goal, Jurriën Timber and Daley Blind in defence, Steven Berghuis, Davy Klaassen, and Kenneth Taylor in midfield, and Steven Bergwijn up front. PSV is sending three players to the World Cup.

Unsurprisingly, Inter Milan defenders Denzel Dumfries and Stefan de Vrij will both join Oranje for the tournament, as will FC Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay.

Officially, the final list of players needs to be submitted to FIFA no later than Sunday. Changes can still be made if players become injured, in which case substitutions must be announced a minimum of 24 hours before the team's first World Cup match. The Netherlands will first play on 21 November against Senegal in Doha.

All national football teams must bring at least 23 players, including three goalkeepers, to the World Cup. A maximum of 26 players is allowed on the squad's final roster. Last minute substitutions due to injuries must come from the provisional 39-man roster.

The Dutch men's national team for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar

Goalkeepers

Justin Bijlow (Feyenoord)

Andries Noppert (Heerenveen)

Remko Pasveer (Ajax)

Defenders

Nathan Aké (Manchester City)

Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

Matthijs de Ligt (Bayern Munich)

Jurriën Timber (Ajax)

Stefan de Vrij (Inter Milan)

Daley Blind (Ajax)

Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan)

Tyrell Malacia (Manchester United)

Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen)

Midfielder

Steven Berghuis (Ajax)

Frenkie de Jong (FC Barcelona)

Teun Koopmeiners (Atalanta)

Davy Klaassen (Ajax)

Marten de Roon (Atalanta)

Xavi Simons (PSV)

Kenneth Taylor (Ajax)

Forwards

Steven Bergwijn (Ajax)

Memphis Depay (FC Barcelona)

Cody Gakpo (PSV)

Vincent Janssen (Antwerp)

Luuk de Jong (PSV)

Wout Weghorst (Besiktas)

Noa Lang (Club Brugge)