Blind back as De Boer names first Netherlands squad

Frank de Boer has named his first squad as Netherlands head coach following his appointment last month, with Daley Blind among those recalled.

Former Ajax, Inter and Atlanta United coach De Boer was named Ronald Koeman’s replacement after his departure for Barcelona, taking the reins from interim boss Dwight Lodeweges.

The Oranje play Mexico in a friendly on October 7 and then have Nations League meetings against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Italy.

De Boer claimed at his presentation as coach tthat his group is more talented than Netherlands’ 2010 World Cup finalists – when he was on the staff – and he has opted against widescale changes.

Blind is back, though, after being left out in September following a health scare.

The centre-back, who was last year fitted with a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator after being diagnosed with heart muscle inflammation, collapsed in an Ajax friendly in pre-season.

Blind subsequently declared he was “feeling fine”, however, and has gone on to start each of Ajax’s opening three Eredivisie wins.

| Bondscoach @FdeBoerofficial heeft 25 spelers opgeroepen voor de komende drie interlands: https://t.co/wSyZGvIn8v . #TheNewWave #NEDMEX #BOSNED #ITANED pic.twitter.com/dbfZTXQe78

— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) October 2, 2020

Steven Berghuis and Donyell Malen have also returned to the fold, while there is a first senior call-up for AZ captain Teun Koopmeiners.

The Leeds United-linked midfielder made the preliminary squad under Lodeweges but has only now made the final selection.

Perr Schuurs was a new name last month but is not in the latest squad, nor is Leroy Fer.

Netherlands squad in full:

Jasper Cillessen (Valencia), Marco Bizot (AZ), Tim Krul (Norwich City); Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Denzel Dumfries (PSV), Nathan Ake (Manchester City), Hans Hateboer (Atalanta), Daley Blind (Ajax), Joel Veltman (Brighton and Hove Albion), Stefan de Vrij (Inter), Owen Wijndal (AZ); Donny van de Beek (Ajax), Mohamed Ihattaren (PSV), Teun Koopmeiners (AZ), Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Marten de Roon (Atalanta), Kevin Strootman (Marseille), Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool); Luuk de Jong (Sevilla), Quincy Promes (Ajax), Ryan Babel (Galatasaray), Memphis Depay (Lyon), Steven Bergwijn (Tottenham), Steven Berghuis (Feyenoord), Donyell Malen (PSV).