Group F · Matchday 3

NetherlandsvsTunisia

2026-06-25·18:00 localPredictions finalised

Snapshot · 2026-07-14Model 1.0.0Final prediction · locked 25 Jun, 21:10 UTCNetherlands·Tunisia·Head-to-head →·
Full time · forecast gradedNetherlands 3 1 TunisiaThe locked pre-match forecast has been graded against this result.See the calibration recap →

The forecast

Match-outcome probability

  • Netherlands win
    56.0%
  • Draw
    26.4%
  • Tunisia win
    17.6%

A 325-point Elo gap frames this as a significant mismatch, yet the model still gives Tunisia a 7% probability of a result — enough to make this more than a formality.

Likeliest score1–014.8%
First goal0-15'33.6%
Both teams score41.1%
Over 2.5 goals44.4%
Top scorerDepay11.0%
Expected goals1.8 - 0.7
Loading pitch visualisation...

Why the model says this

Favoring Netherlands

  • ·Netherlands holds a significant Elo rating advantage, with a 325-point gap over Tunisia.
  • ·Netherlands is ranked 7th in FIFA, considerably higher than Tunisia's 40th position.
  • ·The model projects Netherlands to generate 1.68 expected goals (xG) compared to Tunisia's 0.71 xG.
  • ·Netherlands remains undefeated against Tunisia in their 3 historical head-to-head encounters, with 1 win and 2 draws.

Favoring Tunisia

  • ·Tunisia has demonstrated resilience by securing 3 draws in their last 6 matches.
  • ·Tunisia exhibits a high reliance on set pieces, with 26.3% of their expected goals (xG) originating from such situations, placing them in the 98.7 percentile for this metric.
  • ·Tunisia has maintained a relatively solid defence, conceding only 5 goals in their last 6 fixtures.

What the model can't fully price

  • ·Two projected starters, one from each squad, are currently carrying fitness doubts. The model's current lineup channel does not incorporate the impact of these potential absences.
  • ·As a Matchday 3 fixture in the group stage, the specific motivational factors and qualification scenarios for both teams are not explicitly captured by the statistical model.

Form check

Netherlands

Improving

Netherlands enters this match in strong form, having secured 4 wins and 2 draws in their last 6 fixtures. Their attacking output has been particularly notable, with 16 goals scored during this period.

Scored 16 goals in their last 6 matches.

Tunisia

Steady

Tunisia's recent form is mixed, recording 2 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss in their last 6 games. While they have shown defensive solidity in some matches, conceding 5 goals, their attacking contribution has been more modest with 8 goals scored.

Recorded 3 draws in their last 6 matches.

Analysis

How it plays out

Netherlands press high and force the tempo. Tunisia's pragmatic setup needs to absorb that pressure early and find the right moments to play forward. Tunisia generate 26% of their xG from set pieces. Foul discipline and aerial duels from Netherlands matter more here than usual.

What decides it

Netherlands press high (PPDA 20.6). If the press doesn't win the ball early, the space behind their back line becomes exposed. Tunisia adjust shape to the opponent. That flexibility is an asset, but it takes longer to settle into a game. Memphis Depay's 11.0% scoring probability is the highest in this fixture. Containing that output is Tunisia's primary defensive task.

Off the pitch

No major off-pitch asymmetries. This one is decided by the football.

The angle

The model gives Tunisia just 14.5% to win. Every World Cup produces group-stage upsets; the question is whether this fixture is one of them.

Goals & scorelines

Likeliest score 1–0 (14.8%) · xG 1.8 - 0.7

Expected goals

Netherlands
1.79
Tunisia
0.67

Mean of the Dixon-Coles joint goal distribution. Same fit that produces the most-likely-scoreline list below.

Most likely scorelines

  • 1–0
    14.8%
  • 2–0
    13.8%
  • 1–1
    10.8%
  • 0–0
    9.2%
  • 2–1
    9.2%

From the Dixon-Coles joint Poisson with the low-score correction. Scorelines are listed in probability order; this is a description of the model's distribution, not a recommendation.

Most likely half-time scorelines

  • 0–0
    29.8%
  • 1–0
    25.7%
  • 2–0
    11.7%
  • 1–1
    9.3%
  • 0–1
    9.2%

Same Dixon-Coles fit as the full-time list above, with rates halved to a 45-minute window and the low-score correction applied to that 1st-half block. The 0-0 row sits higher here than at full-time because fewer minutes have elapsed.

Goal totals

  • More than 0.5 goals
    90.8%
  • More than 1.5 goals
    70.9%
  • More than 2.5 goals
    44.4%
  • More than 3.5 goals
    23.3%
  • More than 4.5 goals
    10.3%
  • More than 5.5 goals
    3.9%
  • Both teams score
    41.1%

Each row is the probability the match finishes with more than the listed number of goals. Both-teams-to-score is the probability each side scores at least once. All values are marginals of the Dixon-Coles joint goal grid that produces the scoreline list above — not market lines or any other operator construct.

Event-typed probabilities

  • Netherlands clean sheetOpposing team scores zero51.4%
  • Tunisia clean sheetOpposing team scores zero16.7%

Derived from the same Dixon-Coles joint distribution as the scoreline list. These are descriptive event probabilities — see CLAUDE.md §3/§4 (formerly COMPLIANCE.md §4.2.7) for the framing the project uses.

Win-margin probability

  • Netherlands by 4+
    6.8%
  • Netherlands by 3+
    17.8%
  • Netherlands by 2+
    37.9%
  • Netherlands by 1+
    63.8%
  • Draw
    23.5%
  • Tunisia by 1+
    12.7%
  • Tunisia by 2+
    3.4%
  • Tunisia by 3+
    0.7%
  • Tunisia by 4+
    0.1%

Each row is the probability the match ends with the listed margin or larger in that direction. Marginal of the Dixon-Coles joint goal grid; the “by 1+” rows plus the draw row sum to 1.

How the match unfolds

Over 2.5 goals 44.4% · BTTS 41.1%

Game state through the match

0%25%50%75%100%0'15'30'45'60'75'90'
  • Netherlands ahead64.4%
  • Level22.3%
  • Tunisia ahead13.3%

Probability of each game state at minutes 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90 — derived from two independent thinned-Poisson processes with the Dixon-Coles per-team rates. The three lines always sum to 1 at each minute. The right column shows the state at the match's closing minute.

When the first goal arrives

  • 0–15
    33.6%
  • 15–30
    22.3%
  • 30–45
    14.8%
  • 45–60
    9.8%
  • 60–75
    6.5%
  • 75–90
    4.3%
  • No goal
    8.6%

Probability the match's first goal arrives in each 15-minute window. Homogeneous Poisson with combined rate λ = λh + λa from the Dixon-Coles fit; the seven rows (six windows + no-goal tail) sum to 1.

Half-time / full-time grid

Joint probability of half-time and full-time results
HT ↓ / FT →HNetherlands winDDrawATunisia win
HNetherlands ahead43.3%3.6%0.6%
DLevel19.1%15.4%5.3%
ATunisia ahead2.0%3.5%7.3%

Each cell is P(half-time result, full-time result). All nine cells sum to 1. Derived from a halved-λ Dixon-Coles fit for the first half plus an independent-Poisson second-half convolution.

Comeback probability

  • Netherlands trail at HT, avoid defeat at FT
    5.5%
  • Tunisia trail at HT, avoid defeat at FT
    4.2%

Joint probability — P(side trailing at half-time AND avoiding defeat at full-time). NOT conditional on trailing at HT. Derived from the same half-time / full-time decomposition that produces the HT/FT grid above; a tied first half is neither a home nor an away comeback opportunity.

Cards

  • Expected yellow cardsMean of the Poisson on total yellow cards.3.45
  • Total yellows over 2.567.0%
  • Total yellows over 3.545.3%
  • Total yellows over 4.526.5%
  • Any red cardP(at least one red card in the match).9.5%

Referee not yet assigned. Using the 2026 pool-mean per-match rate as a placeholder; the model picks up the referee's personal rate once the assignment is published. Total yellow cards modelled as a Poisson with mean equal to two team baselines plus the referee's deviation from the pool mean. Reds are modelled the same way, independently. See /docs/methodology/.

Teams & players

Top scorer: Depay (11.0%)

Match detail

Netherlands

Model-rated key players: Memphis Depay (FW) — P(scores) 11.0%; Donyell Malen (FW) — P(scores) 6.6%; Cody Gakpo (FW) — P(scores) 3.6%.

How they play

Netherlands under Ronald Koeman play a structured press game with 54% possession. Their likely shape is a other, though they have also used 5-3-2. They apply moderate pressing intensity (PPDA 20.6) and build patiently through midfield with 7.7 passes per attacking sequence.

What they must execute

Netherlands need their high press to force turnovers in dangerous areas — if opponents can play through the press, the space left behind is vulnerable. Physical conditioning and squad rotation will be critical to sustain pressing intensity across a long tournament. Managing minutes for Virgil van Dijk across what could be seven matches will test the coaching staff's rotation planning.

Storylines
Top scorer: Donyell MalenModel's top anytime-scorer for the team — 28% probability of scoring at least once, rank #8 of all players.
Touchline: Ronald KoemanFirst World Cup as head coach, appointed 2023.
Teen starter: Jorrel Hato20 at kickoff — 7 caps — projected on the bench, the squad's youngest pick.

Tunisia

Model-rated key players: Dylan Bronn (DF) — P(scores) 5.3%; Seifeddine Jaziri (FW) — P(scores) 3.4%; Elias Achouri (FW) — P(scores) 2.6%.

How they play

Tunisia under Sabri Lamouchi play a pragmatic game with 49% possession. Their likely shape is a other. They apply moderate pressing intensity (PPDA 22.5). They are selective in their shooting (9.8 per 90) and rely heavily on set pieces (26% of their xG).

What they must execute

Tunisia play a pragmatic, results-oriented game that adapts shape to the opposition. Tactical flexibility is their strength. The risk is inconsistency — without a default identity, a poor result can cascade if the team struggles to find a Plan B. With Sabri Lamouchi appointed relatively recently (161 days before kickoff), building tactical cohesion in limited preparation time is the immediate challenge.

Storylines
Teen starter: Rayan Elloumi18 at kickoff — 2 caps — projected on the bench, the squad's youngest pick.
Touchline: Sabri LamouchiAppointed less than 18 months ago. Came in from Al-Diriyah.
Dead-ball: Naïm SlitiTakes corners and free kicks — the team's dead-ball threat.
Workload going in

Netherlands's predicted XI averages 1,959 club minutes over the 2024-25 season (moderate load).

Netherlands coverage: 67.0% (10/11 XI matched against the FBref Big-5) · Tunisia: 28.0% (5/11).

Set-piece outlook

Netherlands historically converts 14.8% of xG from set-pieces, contributing 0.26 expected set-piece goals in this fixture. Tunisia converts 26.3% from set-pieces (0.17 expected). Combined, the model expects 0.44 set-piece goals across the 90 minutes.

  • P(Netherlands scores set-piece goal) 23.2%
  • P(Tunisia scores set-piece goal) 16.1%
  • P(set-piece goal in match) 35.5%

Netherlands: Donyell Malen on corners (20 corners), Frenkie de Jong on free kicks (per fbref 2022 23) · Tunisia: Naïm Sliti on corners (95 corners) (per fbref 2018 19)

Penalty outlook

If a penalty is awarded to Netherlands, the model gives 73.3% conversion, 71.4% for Tunisia.

Netherlands primary PK: Memphis Depay (4/5 in 2021-22, per fbref 2022 23) · Tunisia primary PK: Dylan Bronn (1/2 in 2020-21, per fbref 2018 19).

Derived from the model's per-fixture forecast joint and supporting reference data (predicted squads, set-piece xG share, PK posteriors, club minutes). See /docs/methodology/ for the full methodology.

Tactical forecast

Netherlandsstructured-press
PPDA
20.6
Possession
54%
Directness (yds/pass)
5.3
Long balls/90
31
Set-piece xG
15%
Tunisiapragmatic
PPDA
22.5
Possession
49%
Directness (yds/pass)
6.7
Long balls/90
40
Set-piece xG
26%

Style profile per side from StatsBomb open-data aggregation across recent international tournaments (Euro 2020/2024, Copa America 2024, AFCON 2023, World Cup 2018/2022). The tactical-fingerprint badge maps each team’s observed style vector into one of eight canonical archetypes via a rule-based classifier; teams with fewer than three matches of qualifying coverage carry an “insufficient-data” label rather than being forced into a default. Sides outside the StatsBomb-open corpus use FotMob team match stats from recent qualifiers and friendlies instead (possession and shot volume only), marked as partial coverage. PPDA = passes the side allows per defensive action (lower = more intense press). Formation distributions are not yet produced — that head of the §2.7 classifier is pending its own data pull. See /docs/methodology/.

Squad depth

Most irreplaceable starters

Netherlands

  1. Bart VerbruggenGoalkeeperCover: Robin Roefs · 0.570.40gap
  2. Donyell MalenStrikerCover: Brian Brobbey · 0.560.36gap
  3. Memphis DepayStrikerCover: Brian Brobbey · 0.560.14gap

Tunisia

  1. Montassar TalbiCentre-backCover: Adem Arous · 0.060.62gap
  2. Dylan BronnCentre-backCover: Adem Arous · 0.060.53gap
  3. Hannibal MejbriAttacking midfieldNo natural backup0.37gap

Gap = how far a side's rating at the position falls from the starter to his likely in-squad replacement (named under each name). Larger = harder to replace. Descriptive metric, does not feed the published probabilities. Methodology →

Match conditions

  • AltitudeNear sea level229 m
  • Avg temperatureFive-year mean over the tournament window25.8 °C
  • Avg humidity69%
  • Heat stressShade WBGT ~27.5 °CLow heat stress
  • Pitch surfacenatural grass

Natural-grass NFL stadium; FIFA-standard hybrid pitch for the tournament.

Heat stress is a shade Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature proxy from the venue's climatology mean temperature and humidity; FIFA mandates cooling breaks at WBGT 32 °C. Evening kickoff (local time). These are long-window averages, not a match-day forecast, and they are not inputs to the forecast.

Top scorers · P(scores in this match)

Netherlands
Tunisia

Per-player scoring rate from Model #5 (`p_score_per_match`). Reflects each player's npxG/90, expected minutes, team xG share, and the average opposing-team defence. See /docs/methodology/.

Recent match form

Last match player ratings

Netherlands

vs Morocco · avg 5.0

5
El Idrissi
ATK
DEF
PAS

Tunisia

vs Japan · avg 8.0

8
Mouez DahmenGK
ATK
DEF
PAS

Player scores from official highlight analysis of each team's most recent match. Observational, not a model input. Methodology →

Video analysis: player performance

Per-player ratings and event breakdowns from official highlights analysis. Tap a player to see their full match timeline.

Netherlands
Tunisia
8
Daichi Kamada

Scored the crucial opening goal, demonstrating excellent predatory instincts and composure.

8
Dahmen47'–74'

Made multiple outstanding saves, including a critical goal-line stop, preventing an even heavier defeat for Tunisia.

2saves

Match timeline

47'Tunisia's goalkeeper, Dahmen, makes an excellent goal-line save to deny Japan a second goal.
74'Tunisia's goalkeeper, Dahmen, saves a shot from Japan's Tanaka.
8
Ritsu Doan

Scored a powerful and well-placed second goal, showcasing his strong shooting ability.

8
Junya Ito

Scored Japan's third goal with a clinical finish after a strong run into the box.

8
Ayase Ueda

Scored Japan's fourth goal with a well-executed header, demonstrating good aerial ability and positioning.

7
Suzuki

Made a crucial early save and maintained a clean sheet in a dominant team performance.

7
Nakamura

Contributed directly to Japan's first goal with good close control and offensive drive.

6
Tanaka

Contributed to Japan's offensive pressure from midfield with a shot on target.

Match observations

  • Japan delivered a dominant performance, securing a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Tunisia.
  • The Japanese side exhibited clinical finishing and fluid attacking movements, creating numerous scoring opportunities throughout the match.
  • Tunisia's goalkeeper, Dahmen, was a standout performer, making several impressive saves to limit the scoreline.

Under the hood

Model-by-model comparison

Netherlands vs Tunisia

High disagreement (13.7%)
ModelWeightHomeDrawAway
EloRating-based strength estimate32%
77.5%
22.0%
0.5%
Dixon-ColesGoal-process model with low-score correction63%
64.1%
23.2%
12.6%
Hierarchical PoissonBayesian model with confederation pooling6%
63.8%
22.8%
13.4%
Bayesian stackingLearned-weight combination
76.6%
20.7%
2.7%
Ensemble (published)Uniform average + isotonic calibration
69.9%
23.0%
7.1%
Home spread: 13.7%
Draw spread: 1.2%
Away spread: 13.0%
How each model works
Elo
Each team carries a single strength rating updated after every match by a margin-aware K-factor. Match probabilities come from the logistic function of the rating gap. Elo is fast-adapting but coarse — it sees only who won and by how much, not how the goals were scored.
Dixon-Coles
A Poisson regression on team-level attack and defence parameters, fitted via maximum likelihood with an exponential time-decay weighting. The Dixon-Coles correction adjusts the four low-score cells (0-0, 1-0, 0-1, 1-1) where independent Poisson underestimates dependence. Produces full scoreline distributions, not just H/D/A.
Hierarchical Poisson
A Bayesian Poisson model fitted via MCMC (PyMC) with hierarchical priors that pool attack and defence parameters within confederations. Shrinks small-sample teams toward their confederation mean — helpful for nations with few recent competitive fixtures. Slower to fit but better-calibrated on the tails.
Bayesian stacking
Optimises simplex weights (w_elo, w_dc, w_hp) to maximise the leave-one-out log-score across a walk-forward backtest (Yao et al. 2018). The result is a weighted average of the three component models' probabilities, then isotonic-calibrated. Adds no extra features — just learns which component to trust more from historical accuracy.
Ensemble (published)
Equal-weight average of all three component models, followed by per-class isotonic regression calibration fitted on 24 months of walk-forward out-of-fold predictions. This is the probability published on the site. The uniform mean is deliberately simple — it avoids overfitting to the stacking weights' training window.

Three independent component models feed two combination strategies. The uniform ensemble is the published probability; Bayesian stacking uses learned weights. Amber bars flag >5pp divergence from the published number. Full methodology

Probability decomposition (transparency surface)

  • Baseline ensemble — P(Netherlands win)61.3%
  • + Lineup contribution0.0pp
  • + Style-matchup contribution+0.6pp
  • Published P(Netherlands win)61.8%
Netherlands
61.8%
Draw
25.0%
Tunisia
13.2%

Decomposition of the published P(Netherlands win) into the calibrated- baseline plus contributions from the §2.3 expected-XI lineup delta and the §2.7 style-matchup interaction. The §2.7 roadmap is explicit that style effects are second-order to team strength — single-digit-percentage P(win) shifts on extreme style matchups, near-zero on balanced ones. We surface the decomposition for transparency even when the contributions are small; the baseline carries the prediction. Methodology: /docs/methodology.

Head-to-head history

DateCompetitionVenueScoreResultxG
11 Feb 2009FriendlyARadès11D
19 Jan 1994FriendlyATunis22D
5 Apr 1978FriendlyATunis40W

Netherlands vs Tunisia, every senior international meeting in the martj42 results dataset (score from Netherlands's perspective; H/A/N = home/away/neutral).

Latest news & match context

Team news

No recent headlines for Netherlands or Tunisia.

Match conditions
Stage:
Group F · Matchday 3
Date:
25 Jun
Availability

Netherlands

Netherlands come in at close to full strength.

Tunisia

Tunisia come in at close to full strength.

What it means

Netherlands and Tunisia both come in at close to full strength, so the forecast rests on baseline team strength rather than late team-news swings.

The model's style-matchup analysis nudges the forecast +0.6pp toward Netherlands, versus the baseline team-strength prior.

Availability from the predicted squads and injury feed; forecast adjustments from the model's own decomposition. See /docs/methodology/.

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