Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Netherlands | UEFA Nations League | Pre Match

Playing only for personal pride in the final round of UEFA Nations League group fixtures, the Netherlands and Bosnia-Herzegovina finish League A Group 3 on Tuesday evening in Zenica.

Ronald Koeman's men thumped Hungary 4-0 on Saturday to confirm their second-placed finish, while their hosts were subjected to their heaviest-ever defeat in a 7-0 slaughter at the hands of Germany.

For the third time in four Nations League campaigns, the Netherlands will be present in the knockout rounds, seeking to go one better than their runners-up finish in the 2018-19 edition while also improving on a disappointing fourth-placed ranking on home soil last year.

Koeman's men assured themselves of a place in the quarter-finals by putting four past Hungary without reply on Saturday evening, where Wout Weghorst and Cody Gakpo both struck from the spot in the first half before Denzel Dumfries and Teun Koopmeiners registered in the second.

The result at Amsterdam ArenA became almost trivial following a worrying medical emergency involving Hungary coach Adam Szalai in the first half, but medical personnel arrived on the scene in rapid time, and the former Magyars international has since provided a reassuring update from his hospital bed.

Despite the distressing circumstances, the Netherlands went about their business with professionalism to punch a second-placed finish in the section behind leaders Germany; indeed, all fates in League A Group 3 have been sealed before the final matchday.

As well as guaranteeing that they can no longer be caught by Hungary, Saturday's success ended a three-game winless sequence for Oranje in the Nations League, but Koeman's men have failed to triumph in either of their away matches in the 2024-25 competition so far.

The travelling Dutch faithful should harbour few concerns about their side's ability to end League A Group 3 on a high note in Zenica, though, as they square up to a bruised and battered Bosnia-Herzegovina outfit reeling from their heaviest-ever loss in senior men's football.

Before Saturday's trip to Freiburg in Germany, the Golden Lilies had never lost by more than five goals, but the history books were re-written at the Europa-Park Stadion as Florian Wirtz (2), Tim Kleindienst (2), Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz and Leroy Sane tore Sergej Barbarez's men to shreds.

Die Mannschaft's merciless performance guaranteed what was almost a formality before the game; Bosnia-Herzegovina will be playing League B football during the next Nations League cycle, continuing their theme of promotion followed by immediate relegation since the inaugural 2018-19 edition.

At the time of writing, Bosnia-Herzegovina boast the worst defensive record in the whole UEFA Nations League - shipping no fewer than 16 goals in their five matches - and they have now lost 10 of their last 11 games, drawing the other one, during a truly pitiful spell of form.

That sequence includes a 5-2 Dutch drubbing at the hands of Koeman's side on September 7, although they managed to stunt the 2010 World Cup finalists during their only previous battle on Bosnian soil, a goalless draw in the 2020-21 Nations League with just 1,600 fans present.