An injury-hit Netherlands will kick off their Euro 2024 campaign against Poland in Hamburg on Sunday, looking to build on their promising performance at the Qatar World Cup after years of struggles. The Dutch failed to qualify for Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup, and they were eliminated in the last-16 of the most recent European Championship by the Czech Republic. However, under Louis van Gaal, they reached the World Cup quarter-finals two years ago, losing on penalties to eventual champions Argentina.

Ronald Koeman is back for a second stint as coach, with expectations high for a strong performance in Germany after the team eased through qualifying despite two defeats by France. "We feel the hunger for results, the hunger to win something," said wing-back Denzel Dumfries. "We now have several players who already have the experience needed in final tournaments, so we need to use that to our advantage."

The Oranje midfield has been hit hard by injuries, with Frenkie de Jong, Teun Koopmeiners, and Marten de Roon all withdrawing from the squad. Experienced midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum will likely play a crucial role, while Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch could see more playing time than initially expected. Coach Koeman has chosen not to dwell on the injuries, focusing instead on the players available. 

Chelsea's Ian Maatsen, a late call-up as a replacement for De Jong, brings confidence after a successful loan spell with Borussia Dortmund. Joey Veerman is also a contender for the midfield, having cheered on the national team as a fan just three years ago. Defensively, Matthijs de Ligt is looking to make amends for his red card in the loss to the Czechs at Euro 2020, partnering with Virgil van Dijk in central defense.

On the Polish side, the absence of captain and all-time top scorer Robert Lewandowski due to a thigh injury suffered in a warm-up game against Turkey is a significant blow. Coach Michal Probierz is hopeful that Lewandowski will be fit to face Austria in their second match. Poland were eliminated in the group stage three years ago but reached the quarter-finals in 2016 and the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup.

Probierz emphasized that Poland will not just aim to survive against the Dutch but will actively take the game to them. "We respect the Netherlands, but we are not afraid of them," he said. "We want to play a good match and prove that we have taken another step towards the development of this national team." Verona winger Karol Swiderski, who also picked up an injury against Turkey, may be fit to play, while Krzysztof Piatek is likely to start up front in Lewandowski's absence, with Juventus forward Arkadiusz Milik ruled out of the tournament due to a knee injury.