Speaking after Monday’s 4–0 victory over Lithuania, a result that sealed the Oranje’s place at next year’s FIFA World Cup, Koeman confirmed he has identified what he considers the ideal balance in the center of the pitch. However, he remained deliberately cryptic when asked to disclose the trio.

Koeman deployed a fresh midfield combination in Amsterdam, with Tijjani Reijnders partnering Frenkie de Jong at the base and Xavi Simons operating in the No. 10 role. The Dutch boss has rotated several players in recent matches, including Ryan Gravenberch and Justin Kluivert, as he experimented in search of the right structure.

“You shouldn’t think there are only three midfielders and that the midfield must always look the same,” Koeman told reporters inside the Johan Cruyff ArenA. “If Justin plays as our ‘10’, or Xavi like tonight, that’s different from when Tijjani plays there. It can change every game. We have excellent midfielders. Reijnders could be an important player for us, despite being sloppy at times.”

After weeks of testing different combinations, Koeman hinted he has reached a conclusion:
“We have options, but I am convinced about what should usually be our midfield. There will still be matches where we do things differently.”

Pressed to reveal the preferred trio, Koeman cut off the discussion with a smile:
“You’ll see.”

Koeman: “Not many teams are better than us”

Despite some uneven performances in Group G, the Netherlands topped the standings, finishing three points ahead of Poland, who took points off Koeman’s side in both head-to-head meetings. Lithuania also caused problems earlier in qualifying, particularly during September’s tense match in the Baltic region.

Koeman acknowledged those challenges, but said he has never doubted the quality of his squad.

“I’ve said since the start that we are the best team in the group, and we proved that,” he said. “But some things still need to improve — whether it’s concentration or something else. I don’t think it’s tactical, but we must recognise what is required to be stable. That also means holding each other accountable in a positive way.”

Looking ahead to the 2026 World Cup, taking place in the United States, Canada and Mexico, Koeman believes his team can compete with the world’s elite, but warned that inconsistency remains their biggest obstacle.

“We’re not done yet. It’s not as if we’re going to automatically play a fantastic World Cup,” he continued. “The bad moments have to go. They could cost us a game. But I don’t see many teams that are always better than us. We’ve proved that too.”

He pointed to the Netherlands’ competitive meetings with Spain as evidence of their ability to challenge top sides:
“Some countries have more creativity and have an edge, but we showed in our two games against Spain that they could only beat us on penalties. In a World Cup match, that matters. We possess that quality.”