Why the Netherlands won’t play in third-place playoff match at Euro 2024
The Netherlands’ dream run at Euro 2024 comes to an end after a dramatic 2-1 defeat to England in the semi-final. Played at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, the match saw the Dutch take an early lead through Xavi Simons’ wonder strike in the 7th minute. However, England fought back with a controversial penalty converted by Harry Kane in the 16th minute after a VAR check deemed Denzel Dumfries to have fouled him.
The game remained tense until the dying moments when substitute Ollie Watkins snatched a late winner for England from a seemingly impossible angle. Gareth Southgate’s men held on to secure a place in the Euro 2024 final against Spain.
No Third-Place Redemption for Netherlands
Unlike the FIFA World Cup, there’s no consolation prize for the losing semi-finalists at Euro 2024. In fact, the tournament has done away with the third-place play-off match since 1980, which saw Italy lose to Czechoslovakia on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Low viewership and stadium attendance for that match prompted UEFA to scrap the fixture altogether.
