The Netherlands kicked off their FIFA 2026 World Cup qualification (WCQ) campaign in commanding fashion, cruising to a 2-0 victory over Finland in a match where they rarely looked troubled. With that win, Ronald Koeman’s side extended their unbeaten streak as match favourites to eight games (W5, D3) since a surprising loss to Austria at Euro 2024. Next up: a seemingly routine home fixture against Malta, and if history and form are any indicators, the Dutch are well-positioned to continue their dominant run.
The Oranje boast a flawless head-to-head record against Malta, with six wins from six matches, scoring a staggering 28 goals without conceding a single one. Remarkably, most of the current Dutch squad weren’t even born when these two teams last met in October 1995. Ranked 163 places above Malta in FIFA’s standings, the Netherlands have made a habit of dismantling lower-ranked opposition at home, winning 30 of their last 31 home matches against teams outside the top 20 (D1), and doing so with style—25 of those wins came by a margin of two goals or more.
Malta, by contrast, face an uphill battle. The small island nation has now gone four internationals without scoring, including all three games under current manager Emilio De Leo (D1, L2). While a goalless draw against 143rd-ranked Lithuania marked a slight defensive improvement—ending a three-game streak with red cards and registering a rare clean sheet—producing just one shot on target doesn’t inspire confidence.
Malta’s away form adds to the grim picture. They’ve lost seven of their last eight away matches (W1), with the lone victory coming against 173rd-ranked Andorra. In those seven defeats, they conceded a total of 20 goals while scoring only once. The prospect of getting anything from this trip to the Netherlands borders on fantasy.
In terms of key players, Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk will relish returning to Groningen, the club where his professional journey began. He’ll be looking to marshal the defence to back-to-back competitive clean sheets for the first time since November 2023. For Malta, one bright spot in their recent struggles has been centre-back James Carragher. The Wigan defender impressed against Lithuania, continuing the solid form his club showed in the final stretch of their League One season.
Hot Stat: The Netherlands have scored three or more goals in seven of their last ten victories, underlining the attacking threat Malta must contend with.
With form, history, and talent overwhelmingly on their side, the Netherlands appear poised to deliver another emphatic statement in their path to World Cup 2026.
