UEFA Nations League: Netherlands vs England - Combined XI

Left-back: Ben Chilwell (England)

An unsung hero in Leicester City's reasonably good campaign

James Maddison’s spectacular surge to stardom eclipsed a few other players in the Leicester City squad who had a fine season of their own. Ben Chilwell is one such player, but the irony is while he’s in contention to start against the Netherlands, Maddison is forced to content with watching this from home. Chilwell was a composed presence at the back for the Foxes and a real threat going forward. He registered five assists in the league last season.

Centre-back: Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands)

World's best centre-back right now?

Liverpool metamorphosed into one of the meanest outfits in Europe last season, and much of that is down to Virgil van Dijk. He has made a mockery of the £75 million outlay by the Reds with his sublime defensive exploits that have given the likes of Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski a serious run for their money. He also deservedly picked up the Premier League Player of the Year prize. Replicating these heroics with the Dutch side can help ensure more success in the UEFA Nations League.

Centre-back: Matthijs de Ligt (Netherlands)

Ajax's captain fantastic

Ajax’s youngest captain in their history certainly lived up to the responsibility last season. And that’s a testament to the professionalism and mental fortitude he has shown. Uber-cool in possession but never shying away from jumping into tackles, De Ligt was also crucial to circulating the ball swiftly and effectively. He has a tendency to charge out of his position when an opportunity presents himself also saw the Barcelona target score seven times in all competitions last season.

Right-back: Denzel Dumfries (Netherlands)

Underrated, but not unnoticed

While Manchester City proved to be an indomitable force in the Premier League again, Kyle Walker stuck out like a sore thumb after an underwhelming campaign at an individual level. This sees PSV Eindhoven’s Denzel Dumfries take his place in this side, and he also has the stats to prove he was anyways a better choice here. His four goals and seven assists blows Walker’s return of a solitary goal and an assist last season out of the park.