Ronald Koeman and Julian Nagelsmann were both dispensed with after underwhelming performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Xavi Hernandez and Jurgen Klopp have been respectively installed.
Both bosses won titles at club level, and after break from management for the pair, they now come face to face as part of fresh projects to bring both countries back to the top of international football.
Netherlands v Germany team news
Xavi ticked off a key job at the start of the month, by convincing Virgil van Dijk not to retire from international football, and he will captain the Dutch up against his old Liverpool manager.
Fellow Reds Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo are also included by Xavi - alongside the in-form Bran Brobbey who signed off from Premier League duty with a hat-track for Sunderland at Manchester City - but key pair Justin Kluivert and Frenkie De Jong miss out through injury.
The Liverpool connection continues via Klopp's faith Florian Wirtz, despite a low-key start to 2026/27 at Anfield, alongside Bayern Munich stars Joshua Kimmich, Jonathan Tah, Serge Gnabry and Jamal Musiala.
Kai Havertz will start in attack with Manuel Neuer and Antonio Rudiger both absent after retirement calls after the World Cup.
Netherlands v Germany predicted lineups
Netherlands XI: Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Hecke, Van Dijk, Ake; Gravenberch, Veerman, Koopmeiners; Summerville, Brobbey, Gakpo.
Germany XI: Ter Stegen; Baku, Tah, Schlotterbeck, Raum; Kimmich, Pavlovic, Musiala; Gnabry, Havertz, Wirtz.
Netherlands v Germany kick off time
Kick off at the Amsterdam Arena is set for 8:45pm local time and 7:45pm in the UK.
Key stat
The two sides met in the last Nations League series with Germany winning 1-0 at home and claiming a 2-2 draw on the road in Amsterdam.