Liam Duckstein
| Prefer us on Google — see Tips.gg in Top Stories & Discover | Add on Google |
Netherlands host Serbia in the UEFA Nations League on Sunday 4 October 2026, and the predicted lineups for this one are shaped as much by who is missing as by who has been in form. Cody Gakpo’s absence leaves Xavi with a selection puzzle up front, while Veljko Paunovic has no such headache and can pick from a fully available squad. Both projections below are built from recent starting patterns rather than any official announcement.
Predicted Netherlands Line-up
Xavi’s side is projected in a 4-3-3, which matches his preferred formation, and the shape looks largely settled, with 8 of the projected XI starting their last match. Bart Verbruggen has started all three of the matches used here and is the clearest fixture in the side, while Noa Lang’s inclusion stands out for the opposite reason – he has not started any of the last three games in this sample yet still projects into the attack. Between those two points the rest of the XI reflects players who have started at least twice in the recent sample used for this projection.
Netherlands predicted XI: Bart Verbruggen; Virgil van Dijk, Micky van de Ven, Denzel Dumfries, Jan Paul van Hecke; Crysencio Summerville, Joey Veerman, Quinten Timber; Mexx Meerdink, Brian Brobbey, Noa Lang
| Line | # | Player | Starts in last 3 | Last 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 1 | Bart Verbruggen | 3/3 | 3/3 |
| D | 4 | Virgil van Dijk | 3/3 | 3/3 |
| D | 15 | Micky van de Ven | 3/3 | 3/3 |
| D | 22 | Denzel Dumfries | 3/3 | 3/3 |
| D | 6 | Jan Paul van Hecke | 2/3 | 2/3 |
| M | 7 | Crysencio Summerville | 3/3 | 3/3 |
| M | 18 | Joey Veerman | 2/3 | 2/3 |
| M | 6 | Quinten Timber | 2/3 | 2/3 |
| F | 17 | Mexx Meerdink | 2/3 | 2/3 |
| F | 9 | Brian Brobbey | 1/3 | 1/3 |
| F | 10 | Noa Lang | 0/3 | 0/3 |
Predicted Serbia Line-up
Serbia project in Paunovic’s preferred 4-2-3-1, and the expected XI is similarly settled, with 9 of the projected side starting their last match. Vanja Milinković-Savić has started two of the last three games but was left out of the most recent one, a small question mark at the back of an otherwise stable group, whereas Andrija Živković has started every match in the sample and looks the most certain name in midfield. The rest of the predicted lineup is drawn from players with at least two starts across the matches used here.
Serbia predicted XI: Vanja Milinković-Savić; Nemanja Gudelj, Srdjan Babic, Kosta Nedeljkovic, Filip Kostić; Andrija Živković, Nemanja Maksimović, Dušan Tadić, Sergej Milinković-Savić, Stefan Džodić; Luka Jovic
| Line | # | Player | Starts in last 3 | Last 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 23 | Vanja Milinković-Savić | 2/3 | 2/3 |
| D | 6 | Nemanja Gudelj | 2/3 | 2/3 |
| D | 15 | Srdjan Babic | 2/3 | 2/3 |
| D | 2 | Kosta Nedeljkovic | 2/3 | 2/3 |
| D | 11 | Filip Kostić | 2/3 | 2/3 |
| M | 14 | Andrija Živković | 3/3 | 3/3 |
| M | 5 | Nemanja Maksimović | 2/3 | 2/3 |
| M | 10 | Dušan Tadić | 2/3 | 2/3 |
| M | 20 | Sergej Milinković-Savić | 2/3 | 2/3 |
| M | 19 | Stefan Džodić | 1/3 | 1/3 |
| F | 8 | Luka Jovic | 2/3 | 2/3 |
Injuries and Suspensions
Cody Gakpo is out injured, which trims the options available to Xavi as he finalises his squad for this one. Of the bench options, Ryan Gravenberch has started twice across the matches used in this projection, which puts him among the likelier names to come into contention if changes are made.
| Player | Pos | Status | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Gakpo | injured | Sprained ankle |
For Serbia, no absentees are recorded in the data, leaving Paunovic with a full group to choose from. Strahinja Erakovic, with two starts in the sample, is the bench option best placed to be considered for a recall if the manager opts to freshen things up.
How These Line-ups Were Picked
Each predicted lineup here is built from the last three available line-ups for that team, with more recent matches weighted more heavily than older ones. Players confirmed as injured or suspended have been removed from contention entirely before the projection is drawn up. This remains a projection rather than a confirmed team sheet, and it can and will change once the official lineup is announced closer to kickoff.
Read also: Netherlands vs Serbia Head-to-Head: Record, Stats & Form as of 2 Oct 2026
Read also: Netherlands vs Serbia Prediction: 04.10.2026 UEFA Nations League
FAQ
Who is predicted to start in goal for Netherlands vs Serbia?
Bart Verbruggen is projected to start in goal for Netherlands, having started all three matches used in this sample. Vanja Milinković-Savić is the projected Serbia goalkeeper, though he did not start the most recent match in the sample.
What formation are Netherlands and Serbia expected to play?
Netherlands are projected in a 4-3-3 under Xavi, while Serbia are projected in a 4-2-3-1 under Veljko Paunovic.
Who is unavailable for Netherlands vs Serbia?
Cody Gakpo is out injured for Netherlands. No absentees are recorded in the data for Serbia.
When do Netherlands and Serbia kick off?
The UEFA Nations League match between Netherlands and Serbia kicks off on Sunday 4 October 2026.