A Dutch lesson from 2000

Nederland were in the Group of Death. Co-members were France, Czeckia and, the eventual whipping-boys, Danmark. After two games, Nederland and France both had six points and a plus-four goal difference; France were topping the table by virtue of having scored one (and conceded one) more against Czeckia. Nederland and France were to play for the top group spot, although both had already qualified for the next round. The game was billed as a preview of the final. Oranje fielded their first team. The French coach used the game to give several members of his squad their first starting place. Nederland won the day, but lost the tournament.

Oranje had a phenomenal attack, as is evidenced by their six-one trouncing of Yugoslavia, but it was unable to better a definitive display of Italian catenacchio in the semi-final. The Italians won that game on penalties and were close to taking the final, until France scored a last-minute equaliser. The tournament was settled in France's favour with a golden goal.

When faced with a stubborn Italian defence, the coaches of France and Nederland had resorted to the same tactics: change to a more attacking shape and bring on attack-minded players. The differing result stemmed from that final group game. Whereas Nederland had put their stars through a tough game, France had rested theirs, and blooded secondary players who were to prove all the more useful as substitutes in later rounds.