The Netherlands will be without the players who led the team to the World Cup final last month when it plays Ukraine in a friendly match on Wednesday.
Coach Bert van Marwijk has retained only backup goalkeeper Michel Vorm from the World Cup squad for the match in Donetsk, allowing the Dutch to test how deep the country's new pool of talent goes ahead of its first 2012 European Championship qualifier, against San Marino on Sept. 3.
With players like Wesley Sneijder and Robin van Persie missing, possible debuts await PSV Eindhoven defender Erik Pieters, FC Utrecht forward Ricky van Wolfswinker, Chelsea center back Jeffrey Bruma and Ajax midfielder Siem de Jong, who are all aged 22 or younger.
Feyenoord's Leroy Fer, Hedwiges Maduro of Valencia and AZ Alkmaar's Dirk Marcellis could also get a chance to play. PSV midfielder Orlando Engelaar, who was dropped days before the World Cup, opted out of the squad.
The Netherlands lost 1-0 to Spain in the World Cup final, conceding a goal to Andres Iniesta in the second half of extra time.
Ukraine, which failed to qualify for the World Cup but will co-host Euro 2012 with Poland, is without injured Dynamo Kiev winger Oleh Husev while Anderlecht midfielder Oleksandr Yakovenko misses out with a damaged hip. Dnipro midfielder Ruslan Rotan is available to coach Myron Markevych after returning from injury.
The friendly is causing consternation among Ukraine's top clubs, whose domestic season already is in full flow. By coincidence, Dynamo Kiev faces Dutch team Ajax in a Champions League qualifier next week, and coach Valery Gazzayev has asked Markevych to rest star strikers Andriy Shevchenko and Artem Milevskiy for the match against the Dutch.
But Markevych indicated he'd field his strongest side, saying: ''I understand Gazzayev. He's worried about the physical condition of his players but we shouldn't forget that we're talking about the national team.''
Markevych said he was expecting the Dutch to prove a tough opponent despite its inexperienced squad.
