Birthday boy Koeman (60) sees Veerman join training Oranje

Joey Veerman has joined the Dutch national team. The PSV midfielder trained Tuesday ahead of the duels with France and Gibraltar in qualifying for next summer’s European Championship in Germany. Veerman was called up on Monday as a replacement for the injured Frenkie de Jong.

National coach Ronald Koeman trained with all his 25 internationals on his 60th birthday. Donyell Malen already participated on Monday. The Borussia Dortmund striker was initially not in the Orange selection, but was allowed to report Monday after Steven Bergwijn was injured.

The Netherlands opens the European Championship qualifying tournament Friday with an away game against France at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris. Gibraltar is the guest of De Kuip on Monday. The Netherlands will also take on Ireland and Greece later in EC qualification.

Captain Virgil van Dijk wears a OneLove band during Friday night’s match in Paris. “By wearing this band, the Dutch national team wants to show again to be for connection and against racism and all forms of discrimination in society,” he announced.

Van Dijk also wanted to wear the OneLove band during the World Cup in Qatar, but world soccer federation FIFA did not give permission.