![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ANP-530017962.jpg\")
Dutch women in action earlier this summer. Photo: Ben Haeck ANP<\/p>\n August 8, 2025 Dutch women in action earlier this summer. Photo: Ben Haeck ANP<\/p>\n
The Netherlands\u2019 men\u2019s and women\u2019s hockey teams both begin their European title defence campaigns in M\u00f6nchengladbach on Saturday and both are aiming for gold again.<\/p>\n
Women\u2019s coach Raoul Ehren said expectations are high after the team won the last four European titles. \u201cEveryone expects us to just win,\u201d he said. \u201cBut becoming champions doesn\u2019t just happen. Belgium and Germany can make things difficult for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
The women start in a group with hosts Germany, France and Ireland, a line-up considered less demanding than the other pool.<\/p>\n
Men\u2019s coach Jeroen Delmee described the championship as \u201coften the hardest tournament to win\u201d because all matches are against top-six teams. The Netherlands share a group with Belgium, Austria and Spain<\/p>\n
The Dutch influence extends beyond their own squad: six Spanish players compete in the Dutch Hoofdklasse, and former international Jeroen Hertzberger is now assistant coach of France. The French have also shown form, beating the Netherlands 1-0 and drawing 2-2 in warm-up matches.<\/p>\n
Delmee said the warm-ups were experimental and he will field his strongest team in Saturday\u2019s opening match against Spain.<\/p>\n
The top two teams from each group progress to the semi-finals. Matches will be broadcast live on NOS television and online.<\/p>\n
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