Portugal vs Netherlands facts

The Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi is the venue for a heavyweight contest between Portugal and the Netherlands in the second round of games in UEFA European Under-21 Championship Group A with both teams looking for their first win and goal of the tournament.

Portugal went down 2-0 against co-hosts Georgia on Matchday 1, conceding twice late in the first half and ending with ten men after Tomás Araújo was sent off 14 minutes from time. The Netherlands, meanwhile, shared a goalless draw with neighbours Belgium, Kenneth Taylor hitting the post.

While Portugal have been runners-up three times – their 2021 final defeat their second in the last four editions – the Netherlands were champions in 2006 and 2007 but are making only their third finals appearance since, although both of those campaigns extended into the semi-finals.

Previous meetings

This is the sides' tenth competitive U21 fixture, Portugal having had the better of the previous nine with four wins to the Netherlands' two and 17 goals scored versus 13 for the Dutch.

Most recently they were paired together in 2021 qualifying, each recording a home victory. Two Myron Boadu goals helped the Dutch to a 4-2 win in Doetinchem on 11 October 2019; Fábio Vieira scored past Kjell Scherpen early in each half as Portugal won 2-1 in Portimão on 18 November the following year, Cody Gakpo's 42nd-minute strike not enough for the Dutch.

That was insufficient for Portugal to overtake the Dutch on head-to-head record as the teams finished level on 27 points, although both reached the final tournament.

Portugal had qualified for the 2015 finals at the Netherlands' expense with a 7-4 aggregate win in an eventful play-off tie. Goals from Sérgio Oliveira (45+1pen) and Carlos Mané (82) secured a 2-0 first-leg win in Alkmaar before a 5-4 home win in the Paços de Ferreira return, Ricardo Pereira scoring twice for the home side with Rúben Neves and Bernardo Silva also among the goals. Nathan Aké scored twice for the Netherlands, Wout Weghorst getting their first goal.

The sides' only finals meeting came on Matchday 2 of the 2007 tournament in the Netherlands, the hosts winning 2-1 thanks to goals from Ryan Babel (33pen) and Maceo Rigters (75); Miguel Veloso (77) replied for Portugal.

The countries' first three U21 qualifying fixtures all ended in draws, Portugal winning the fourth 3-0 in Felgueiras in the 2002 preliminaries.

In November 2018, Tiago Dantas scored in Portugal's 2-1 U19 friendly loss to the Netherlands.

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp scored for the Netherlands in a 1-1 U20 draw against Portugal in October 2019.

Taylor scored the opening goal in the Netherlands' 2-1 defeat of Portugal at the U17 Algarve Cup on 10 February 2019.

Form guide

Portugal

This is Portugal's tenth appearance in the U21 final tournament; yet to lift the trophy, they were runners-up in 1994 to Italy, 2015 to Sweden and 2021 to Germany. They were also third in 2004.

Portugal have now qualified for four of the last five tournaments, reaching two finals in that time – all under long-serving coach Rui Jorge, who was also a runner-up as a player in 1994.

In 2021 Portugal won their first three games to finish six points clear at the top of Group D and subsequently beat Italy (5-3 aet) in the quarter-finals and Spain (1-0) in the semis only to go down 1-0 to Germany in the final.

In charge since 2010, Jorge oversaw a near-faultless qualifying campaign for the 2023 finals, Portugal winning nine of their ten games and drawing the other to finish ten points clear at the top of Group D.

The Portuguese were top scorers in qualifying with 41 goals, conceding only three.

Portugal also boasted the overall top scorer in qualifying, Gonçalo Ramos's 12 goals five more than any other player. The striker, who is not in the final tournament squad, scored four goals in each of the home games against Liechtenstein (11-0) and Cyprus (6-0) and found the net at least once against all five Group D opponents.

Portugal's Matchday 1 loss was their second in succession at the U21 final tournament, both without scoring, their previous six matches having all ended in victory. It was also their joint heaviest defeat at the finals.

Netherlands

The Netherlands have reached the final tournament for the sixth time, although only the third since claiming back-to-back titles in 2006 and, as hosts, 2007. The only tournament in which they failed to progress from the group stage was in 2000.

Both subsequent finals campaigns have ended in the semi-finals, against Italy in 2013 (0-1) and Germany in 2021 (1-2).

Two years ago, the Netherlands had finished top of Group A on five points, progressing with eventual champions Germany on goals scored in a three-way head-to-head with Romania. Myron Boadu's double, the second goal three minutes into added time, secured a 2-1 quarter-final victory against France but the Jong Oranje were unable to recover from conceding twice in the first eight minutes of their last-four tie against Germany.

Erwin van de Looi's side won eight of their ten qualifiers for the 2023 finals, drawing the other two, to finish three points clear of Switzerland in Group E. They scored 32 goals and conceded only three, Joshua Zirkzee finishing as their top scorer on seven, which put him joint second overall.

The Netherlands have lost just one of their last 12 group games at the U21 final tournament (W6 D5) – a 3-0 defeat by Spain on Matchday 3 of the 2017 tournament after they had already sealed a place in the semi-finals.

Links and trivia

Have played in the Netherlands:
Francisco Conceição (Ajax 2022–)
Fábio Silva (PSV Eindhoven 2023 loan)

Conceição's Ajax team-mates include Devyne Rensch, Taylor and Brian Brobbey.

Have also played together:
Tiago Dantas & Joshua Zirkzee (Bayern München 2020/21)

Ryan Gravenberch scored past Celton Biai in Ajax's 3-0 home win against Benfica in the 2018/19 UEFA Youth League group stage. Brobbey and Ekkelenkamp both found the net for Ajax in the subsequent 3-3 draw in Portugal, when Tiago Dantas was on target for the Eagles.

Also in the 2018/19 UEFA Youth League, Zirkzee scored past Biai as Bayern drew 2-2 at home to Benfica.

Afonso Sousa scored to help Porto beat Chelsea 3-1 in the 2018/19 UEFA Youth League final. Fábio Silva also appeared for Porto, with Ian Maatsen starting for the English side.