"You can see how England will play through their squad selections", Koeman stated on the evening of 27/5, while announcing the 26-player Netherlands squad for the 2026 World Cup. He noted that England would "take risks with corners and throw-ins. That style of play consumes the least energy in hot weather. It's also how Arsenal won the Premier League. Without those corners, they couldn't have been champions".

Last season, Arsenal scored 29 goals from set-pieces, with 19 of them coming from corners, across 38 Premier League matches. These are record numbers in English top-flight history. English midfielder Declan Rice was often tasked with executing these set-pieces, including corners or direct free kicks, allowing teammates inside to score with one-touch headers or to combine and finish. This tactic helped Arsenal win the title after a 22-year wait and avoided finishing second three times in a row in the league.

Declan Rice lifts the Premier League Cup after Arsenal's 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace in the final round on 24/5. Photo: AP

In England's 2026 World Cup squad, Arsenal contributes 4 players: Rice, Eberechi Eze, Bukayo Saka, and Noni Madueke. Coach Thomas Tuchel also called up strong aerial players such as Harry Kane, Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney, and Dan Burn. Not long ago, coach Tuchel stated: "We have specialists for different situations: when leading and when trailing. We want to be a strong team in set-pieces and penalties".

England will kick off their 2026 World Cup campaign in Group L, facing Croatia (17/6), Ghana (23/6), and Panama (27/6). The tournament features 48 teams divided into 12 groups. The top two teams from each group and the 8 best third-placed teams will advance to the round of 16. England has won only one of their 16 World Cup appearances. In the Euro, their best performance was reaching the finals in 2021 and 2024.

In Group K of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers – European zone, England won all 8 matches. However, in their two most recent friendly matches, Tuchel's side only drew 1-1 with Uruguay and lost 0-1 to Japan, providing a mixed picture of their current form.

The Netherlands is in Group F with Sweden, Japan, and Tunisia. Their best historical performance includes finishing as runners-up in 1974, 1978, and 2010. In this year's squad, the Netherlands boasts many experienced key players such as captain Virgil van Dijk, midfielder Frenkie de Jong, and a host of Premier League stars like defenders Nathan Ake (Man City), Jurrien Timber (Arsenal), Micky van de Ven (Tottenham), midfielders Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), Tijjani Reijnders (Man City), along with forwards Cody Gakpo (Liverpool) and Justin Kluivert (Bournemouth).

Coach Koeman's selection has sparked controversy, as he called up Wout Weghorst – the 33-year-old forward who scored only 8 goals in 29 appearances for Ajax in the 2025-2026 season – while omitting Jeremie Frimpong (Liverpool) and Joshua Zirkzee (Man Utd).

Thanh Quy (via ESPN)