Former Manchester United teammates Rio Ferdinand and Owen Hargreaves both made their clear-cut predictions for the Euro 2024 semi-final clash between the Netherlands and England on Wednesday.
Spain were the first nation to reach the final of Euro 2024 in Germany after a stunning 2-1 comeback win against France in the semi-final clash on Tuesday.
England, who are one of the tournament favourites, reached the semi-finals of this summer’s Euros after overcoming Switzerland on penalties in the quarter-finals.
The Three Lions trailed Switzerland 1-0 before Arsenal star Bukayo Saka scored a second-half equaliser to send the match to extra time and subsequently penalties.
England manager Gareth Southgate has faced mounting criticism over the Three Lions’ performances, despite their progress in the tournament so far.
The Netherlands, much like England, came from behind in the quarter-finals to beat Turkey and sealed their place in the semi-finals of Euro 2024.
Samet Akaydin fired Turkey into a first-half lead before Ronald Koeman’s men mounted a second-half comeback to secure a 2-1 win on Saturday.
Hargreaves dropped Netherlands vs England prediction
Owen Hargreaves linked up with former Manchester United teammate Rio Ferdinand on the UEFA YouTube channel for the ‘legends lounge’ show.
The 43-year-old former England and United midfielder has backed Gareth Southgate’s men to lift their performance for the Euro 2024 semi-final clash.
Hargreaves has predicted that the Three Lions will beat Ronald Koeman’s side 2-1 and added that England are “more talented” than the Netherlands.
“I think we’re going to play better,” he said.
“I like the back three, I think the balance is better… I think we’ll beat the Netherlands 2-1.
“They’re good, they’ve got Virgil [van Dijk] back there [alongside] Micky van de Ven, [but] I think we’re more talented than them for sure.
“I just want to see them [England] enjoy a bit more, just go mad aggressive, just go for it, throw the kitchen sink at it.
“We just play in one half, press, when we get the ball, play forward, run forward, we did that better [against Switzerland].”
Ferdinand makes Netherlands vs England prediction
The winner of the Netherlands vs England will meet Spain in the final of Euro 2024 at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on Sunday.
Spain are now widely considered the favourites to lift the Henri Delaunay trophy, having won all six of their matches at this summer’s Euros.
Ferdinand, much like Hargreaves, has backed England to knock the Netherlands out of the Euros and progress to the final of the UEFA tournament.
However, the United legend boldly claimed that the match won’t be “close” and believes that England are “coming into form in the right time.”
“I don’t think it’ll be close. I just think we’re coming into form in the right time,” Ferdinand said, as per Sportskeeda.
“They’ve not even hit the form… they look ugly, worse than us. I just think we got too much.”
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