World Cup 2026: Netherlands vs Japan lineups – Malen and Dumfries start for Oranje; Suzuki in goal for Japan | OneFootball

The Netherlands face Japan with a strong Serie A contingent in their starting eleven for their World Cup opener.

Roma striker Donyell Malen leads the line, Inter’s Denzel Dumfries, whose Real Madrid move is imminent, starts at right back, and former Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders lines up in the middle of the park.

Juventus’ Teun Koopmeiners, Atalanta’s Marten De Roon and Napoli’s Noa Lang, who spent the second half of the season on loan at Galatasaray, are all among the substitutes.

For Japan, Parma goalkeeper Zion Suzuki starts in goal, while former Lazio midfielder Daichi Kamada lines up in the centre of midfield.

Ex-Inter full-back Yuto Nagatomo is named among the substitutes at 39 years old, alongside former Bologna defender Takehiro Tomiyasu.

MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 17: Denzel Dumfries of FC Internazionale Milano reacts as the team warms up prior to the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Cagliari Calcio at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 17, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Netherlands vs Japan – World Cup 2026 Lineups

Netherlands: Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Hecke, Van Dijk, Van de Ven; De Jong, Gravenberch; Summerville, Reijnders, Gakpo; Malen.

Japan: Suzuki; Taniguchi, Watanabe, H.Ito; Doan, Kamada, Sano, Nakamura; Maeda, Kubo; Ueda.