UEFA Nations League final: Who is in it? When is it? Where does it take place?
Sunday, January 1, 2023
Article summary
The Netherlands or Croatia will play Spain or Italy in the 2023 UEFA Nations League final in Rotterdam.
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Who is in the 2023 Nations League final?
The Netherlands or Croatia will face Spain or Italy in the 2022/23 UEFA Nations League final. The Netherlands (2019) and Spain (2021) were runners-up in the first two editions, while Italy finished third two years ago. Croatia are hoping to emerge triumphant in their first finals appearance.
When is the 2023 Nations League final?
The kicks off at 20:45 CET on Sunday 18 June.
Where is the 2023 Nations League final being held?
The final takes place at the Stadion Feijenoord 'De Kuip' in Rotterdam. The venue is home to Dutch side Feyenoord.
Meet the teams
Croatia
How they got there
Not many gave Croatia much hope when they were thumped 3-0 at home by Austria in their opening Group A1 game. The outlook wasn't much improved by a 1-1 draw with France in Split, but Zlatko Dalić's charges showed their mettle with two victories against Denmark sandwiching a fine 1-0 win in France. They then held their nerve in Austria to prevail 3-1 thanks to two goals in the last 21 minutes.
03/06/2022 Croatia 0-3 Austria
06/06/2022 Croatia 1-1 France
10/06/2022 Denmark 0-1 Croatia
13/06/2022 France 0-1 Croatia
22/09/2022 Croatia 2-1 Denmark
25/09/2022 Austria 1-3 Croatia
14/06/2023 Netherlands vs Croatia
Tactics
Dalić is most comfortable using a 4-3-3 formation, occasionally switching to 4-2-3-1 – albeit with little difference between the two. The coach rotated a lot during the league phase, though he stuck with a midfield trio of Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić and Marcelo Brozović, plus Ivan Perišić on the left. Elsewhere, Dalić experimented as he looked for solutions up front, on the right and in defence.
Key player
Even at 37, there is little doubt that everything still depends on the form of midfield maestro Modrić. Croatia's regal skipper still retains his magic and capacity to dictate matches, with his passes sprayed around with supreme intelligence and his feel for the game on a different level.
One to watch
Joško Gvardiol is one of the most sought-after defenders in the game following his outstanding displays at the FIFA World Cup. The Leipzig centre-back is just 21 but his reactions and maturity are already remarkable, especially when he is under pressure. The future of Croatia, he has emerged as a key pillar in Dalić's team.
Did you know?
With his opener against Austria on Matchday 6, Modrić became the only Croatia player to register more than one goal in their current Nations League campaign.
Italy
How they got there
Paired with EURO 2020 final opponents England and Germany in a tough section, Roberto Mancini's side restored some pride following their shock loss to North Macedonia in the World Cup play-offs. A 5-2 defeat in Germany on Matchday 4 was a blow, but the Azzurri came good with back-to-back wins in September, Giacomo Raspadori scoring in both.
04/06/2022 Italy 1-1 Germany
07/06/2022 Italy 2-1 Hungary
11/06/2022 England 0-0 Italy
14/06/2022 Germany 5-2 Italy
23/09/2022 Italy 1-0 England
26/09/2022 Hungary 0-2 Italy
15/06/2023 Spain vs Italy
Tactics
In qualifying, Mancini mostly used the 4-3-3 formation which led the Azzurri to triumph at EURO 2020, but switched to a 3-5-2 for the final two games of the group stage, picking up wins and clean sheets against England and Hungary.
Key player
The Azzurri won their last two games in the group without the injured Marco Verratti but, when fit, the Paris midfielder gives Mancini's team crucial intensity, energy and technique.
One to watch
Raspadori scored in the September wins against England and Hungary. At the tender age of 23, the Napoli forward could be the solution to Italy's attacking problems with his never-say-die attitude, creativity and lethal finishing.
Did you know?
In the decisive qualifying game against Hungary, Salernitana right-back Pasquale Mazzocchi became the 51st player to make his Italy debut under Mancini. Only Arrigo Sacchi (55) has had more debutants as Azzurri coach.
Netherlands
How they got there
The only side to remain unbeaten through League A, the Netherlands started as they meant to go on by thumping neighbours Belgium 4-1 away. It was not plain sailing after that: the Oranje had to recover from 2-0 down to draw with Poland, while both wins against Wales came courtesy of added-time goals. Yet the Dutch always found a way, and sealed their passage with a 1-0 defeat of Belgium in Amsterdam.
03/06/2022 Belgium 1-4 Netherlands
08/06/2022 Wales 1-2 Netherlands
11/06/2022 Netherlands 2-2 Poland
14/06/2022 Netherlands 3-2 Wales
22/09/2022 Poland 0-2 Netherlands
25/09/2022 Netherlands 1-0 Belgium
14/06/2023 Netherlands vs Croatia
Tactics
A back three, wing-backs who are a vital element of the attack, a midfield diamond with the point in front, two strikers who are fast, mobile and almost impossible to pin down, and a team full of players who can comfortably interchange positions were all features of Louis van Gaal's outfit. Will Ronald Koeman, who took the reins following the World Cup, stick to that formula?
Key player
Virgil van Dijk is still the rock on which Dutch success is built. A colossus of a defender, a born leader, and occasional scorer of vital goals.
One to watch
Van Dijk reckons Jurriën Timber – the positionally smart, ball-playing 21-year-old Ajax defender – is "much further in his development than I was at that age".
Did you know?
The Dutch had failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their matches in 2022 until Remko Pasveer took over in goal for the Oranje's final two games before the World Cup.
Spain
How they got there
It was an up-and-down qualifying campaign for Spain before they sealed their spot in a second consecutive finals. The 2021 runners-up struggled to build up momentum in the early games, with a couple of draws followed by a narrow win in Switzerland – who then condemned La Roja to a first home defeat since 2018. However, they showed character and resilience to secure a priceless win away to Portugal, Álvaro Morata hitting the winner in the dying minutes to seal a semi-final berth.
02/06/2022 Spain 1-1 Portugal
05/06/2022 Czechia 2-2 Spain
09/06/2022 Switzerland 0-1 Spain
12/06/2022 Spain 2-0 Czechia
24/09/2022 Spain 1-2 Switzerland
27/09/2022 Portugal 0-1 Spain
15/06/2023 Spain vs Italy
Tactics
Luis de la Fuente's approach is perhaps more pragmatic than his predecessor Luis Enrique's "everyone defends, everyone attacks" philosophy, playing to individual strengths. De la Fuente's 2019 Under-21 EURO-winning team played a 4-2-3-1, his 2020 Olympics side was more of a 4-3-3 while it was a 4-1-4-1 in his only previous match in charge of the seniors.
Key player
Despite just being 20, Pedri – the Young Player of the Tournament at UEFA EURO 2020 – has become a mainstay for club and country. His influence is growing and he is often the key to Spain's attacking threat, having added goalscoring to his game of late.
One to watch
Luis Enrique had enormous faith in Ansu Fati and his successor will be desperate to see him fulfilling his potential after a string of injuries in recent seasons checked his progress.
Did you know?
Gavi, who made his Spain debut in the semi-finals of the last Nations League in October 2021, became the country's youngest-ever scorer in this season's competition against Czechia aged 17 years 304 days, beating Ansu Fati's record from September 2020 by a week.
