Meet the UEFA Nations League final four: Croatia, Italy, Netherlands, Spain

Croatia, Italy, Netherlands and Spain will contest the 2022/23 UEFA Nations League finals after topping their League A groups. Spain (2021) and the Netherlands (2019) were runners-up in the first two editions while Italy finished third two years ago. For Croatia, the tournament in June will be their first finals appearance.

UEFA.com checks out the four contenders' road to the semi-finals, tactics and players of interest ahead of June's last-four fixtures.

Croatia

How they qualified

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 then 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 a pair of vital goals in the last 21 minutes. "In the end, the win was deserved," said captain Luka Modrić. "I am very happy we are in the top four."

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

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 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

Following Dejan Lovren's retirement, 23-year-old Josip Šutalo has earned a regular starting slot at centre-back, confirming his place in Dalić's plans after appearing in the match for third place at the 2022 FIFA World Cup finals. Strong, skilful and fast, Šutalo was a key man for Dinamo Zagreb this season, and will have even more responsibility in the Nations League after Joško Gvardiol was forced to withdraw through injury.

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 qualified

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

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

Not many Italian fans knew Mateo Retegui when Mancini called him up to the national team in March for the EURO qualifiers against England and Malta. The 24-year-old already had a track record of goals with Tigre in Argentina and wasted no time in confirming his place on the international stage, scoring in his first two games in an Azzurri shirt.

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 qualified

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 came 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

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. Time will tell whether Ronald Koeman, who has only taken charge of two games since replacing the 71-year-old, will 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 

Jurriën Timber. Van Dijk reckons the positionally smart, ball-playing Ajax defender – who turns 22 on 17 June – 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 and proved unbeatable in the final two games.

Spain

How they qualified

It was an up-and-down qualifying campaign for Spain as 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

Tactics

Luis de la Fuente's approach is perhaps more pragmatic than predecessor Luis Enrique's "everyone defends, everyone attacks" philosophy, playing to individual strengths. He opted for a 4-3-3 in his opening two games in charge – a 3-0 triumph over Norway and a 2-0 defeat in Scotland.

Key player

Pedri – the Young Player of the Tournament at UEFA EURO 2020 – lost his race against time to be fit for the finals, so many eyes will now be on his Barcelona team-mate Gavi. Still only 18, the silky midfielder already has three goals in 19 international appearances.

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. Expect the forward to become a regular once again for both Barcelona and Spain.

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.