Liam Duckstein
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Greece host the Netherlands in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday 1 October 2026, and the biggest selection talking point on both sides is who has to sit out rather than who starts. With Georgios Vagiannidis unavailable for the hosts and Cody Gakpo missing for the visitors, the predicted lineups below show how each coach is likely to fill the gap based on recent selection patterns.
Predicted Greece Line-up
Ivan Jovanovic’s projected XI is set up in a 4-2-3-1, which lines up as his own preferred formation. This is a largely settled side, with 9 of the projected XI starting their last match, though the sample is thin – only two recent lineups feed this projection, so it should be read as tentative rather than confirmed. Manolis Saliakas stands out for the opposite reason: he has not started either of the two matches used here yet still projects into the XI, while Dimitrios Kourbelis has one start from two and missed the most recent game. Everything here is a projection built from recent selection habits, not an announced team.
Greece predicted XI: Konstantinos Tzolakis; Konstantinos Mavropanos, Panagiotis Retsos, Konstantinos Tsimikas, Manolis Saliakas; Christos Tzolis, Konstantinos Karetsas, Christos Zafeiris, Athanasios Androutsos, Dimitrios Kourbelis; Vangelis Pavlidis
| Line | # | Player | Starts in last 2 | Last 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 12 | Konstantinos Tzolakis | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 4 | Konstantinos Mavropanos | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 5 | Panagiotis Retsos | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 21 | Konstantinos Tsimikas | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 17 | Manolis Saliakas | 0/2 | 0/2 |
| M | 10 | Christos Tzolis | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 19 | Konstantinos Karetsas | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 20 | Christos Zafeiris | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 15 | Athanasios Androutsos | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| M | 6 | Dimitrios Kourbelis | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| F | 14 | Vangelis Pavlidis | 2/2 | 2/2 |
Netherlands Predicted Lineup
Xavi’s expected XI is projected in a 4-3-3, matching his preferred shape. It is a settled side – 10 of the projected XI started their last match – though, as with Greece, only two recent lineups are available so the picture remains tentative. Joey Veerman has just one start in that span, and Brian Brobbey carries the same tally while having missed the most recent fixture altogether, making him the one place in this expected XI most open to change.
Netherlands predicted XI: Bart Verbruggen; Virgil van Dijk, Jan Paul van Hecke, Micky van de Ven, Denzel Dumfries; Ryan Gravenberch, Tijjani Reijnders, Joey Veerman; Crysencio Summerville, Mexx Meerdink, Brian Brobbey
| Line | # | Player | Starts in last 2 | Last 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 1 | Bart Verbruggen | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 4 | Virgil van Dijk | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 6 | Jan Paul van Hecke | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 15 | Micky van de Ven | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 22 | Denzel Dumfries | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 8 | Ryan Gravenberch | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 14 | Tijjani Reijnders | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 18 | Joey Veerman | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| F | 7 | Crysencio Summerville | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| F | 17 | Mexx Meerdink | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| F | 9 | Brian Brobbey | 1/2 | 1/2 |
Team News: Who Is Out
Georgios Vagiannidis is out injured, thinning Greece’s defensive options for this one. Of the players named on the bench, Andrews Tetteh has started once across the matches used here and looks the most obvious candidate to step into that void if needed.
Cody Gakpo is out injured for the Netherlands. Among the bench options, Quinten Timber’s single start in this run puts him in the frame to provide cover should Xavi need to adjust.
Where These Predictions Come From
Both predicted lineups are built from each side’s last two matches, with the more recent of those two fixtures weighted more heavily than the older one. Anyone confirmed injured or suspended, such as Vagiannidis and Gakpo here, is removed from contention before the projection is drawn up. This is a projection, not an announcement, and it can change once the official team news lands closer to kickoff.
Read Also: Greece vs Netherlands Prediction: 01.10.2026 UEFA Nations League Preview
FAQ
What formation are Greece and the Netherlands expected to use?
Greece are projected in a 4-2-3-1 under Ivan Jovanovic, while the Netherlands are expected to line up in Xavi’s preferred 4-3-3.
Who is predicted to start in goal for Greece vs Netherlands?
Konstantinos Tzolakis is projected to start for Greece, with Bart Verbruggen expected between the posts for the Netherlands.
Who is unavailable for Greece vs Netherlands?
Georgios Vagiannidis is out injured for Greece, and Cody Gakpo is unavailable through injury for the Netherlands.
When do Greece and the Netherlands play?
The UEFA Nations League fixture kicks off on Thursday 1 October 2026.