FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Sunderland v West Ham United - Stadium of Light, Sunderland, Britain - August 16, 2025 Sunderland's Robin Roefs reacts REUTERS/Scott Heppell/File Photo
(Reuters) -Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs and Feyenoord captain Sem Steijn were both handed a first call-up to the Netherlands squad on Friday as coach Ronald Koeman named his 25-man selection for World Cup qualifiers against Poland and Lithuania.
The Dutch, who won their opening two Group G games in June, host Poland in Rotterdam next Thursday and are then away in Kaunas against Lithuania on Sunday, September 7.
Returning to the squad is Jurrien Timber, who was injured in June, while PSV Eindhoven captain Jerdy Schouten is recalled to replace the injured midfielder Mats Wieffer.
First choice goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen was also missing for their last two games against Finland and Malta in mid-yearbut the Brighton & Hove Albion player is also back.
Third choice goalkeeper Nick Olij has not played since his move to PSV, so Roefs gets a chance while the 23-year-old Steijn has been knocking on the door of selection over the last year, having scored 43 Dutch league goals in two seasons for Twente before his move to Rotterdam.
In the lead-up to Friday's squad announcement, the potential absence of Memphis Depay was the biggest concern.
The Netherlands' joint all-time top scorer recently recovered from a hamstring injury and made his first appearance since the beginning of the month on Wednesday for Brazilian club Corinthians.
He has been deemed fit enough to be included in the squad and now has a chance to move past Robin van Persie in the scoring charts.
Liverpool's new signing Jeremie Frimpong is out after being sidelined for several weeks with a hamstring injury.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Mark Flekken (Bayer Leverkusen), Robin Roefs (Sunderland), Bart Verbruggen (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Defenders: Nathan Ake (Bayer Leverkusen), Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan), Matthijs de Ligt (Manchester United), Stefan de Vrij (Inter Milan), Jurrien Timber (Arsenal), Micky van de Ven (Tottenham Hotspur), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Midfielders: Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), Justin Kluivert (Bournemouth), Teun Koopmeiners (Juventus), Tijjani Reijnders (Manchester City), Jerdy Schouten (PSV Eindhoven), Sem Steijn, Quinten Timber (both Feyenoord)
Forwards: Memphis Depay (Corinthians), Cody Gakpo (Liverpool), Noa Lang (Napoli), Donyell Malen (Aston Villa), Xavi Simons (RB Leipzig), Wout Weghorst (Ajax Amsterdam).
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
