Koeman Calls up Maatsen to Replace Injured De Jong in Netherlands Euro 2024 Squad 

Ian Maatsen of Dortmund in action during the UEFA Champions League final match of Borussia Dortmund against Real Madrid, in London, Britain, 01 June 2024. (EPA)
Ian Maatsen of Dortmund in action during the UEFA Champions League final match of Borussia Dortmund against Real Madrid, in London, Britain, 01 June 2024. (EPA)
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Koeman Calls up Maatsen to Replace Injured De Jong in Netherlands Euro 2024 Squad 

Ian Maatsen of Dortmund in action during the UEFA Champions League final match of Borussia Dortmund against Real Madrid, in London, Britain, 01 June 2024. (EPA)
Ian Maatsen of Dortmund in action during the UEFA Champions League final match of Borussia Dortmund against Real Madrid, in London, Britain, 01 June 2024. (EPA)

Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman called up versatile Borussia Dortmund defender Ian Maatsen on Tuesday to replace midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who was cut from the European Championship squad because of an ankle injury.

Koeman announced late Monday that De Jong would not be fit in time to play at the tournament in Germany that begins Friday.

The Dutch soccer association also said Tuesday that midfielder Teun Koopmeiners will miss Euro 2024 after suffering an injury while warming up Monday for the Netherlands' final friendly against Iceland.

Maatsen, who was part of the provisional Netherlands squad, was set to return from vacation to join the team at its base in the German city of Wolfsburg.

Maatsen impressed this year after moving on loan from Chelsea to Dortmund. He was named in UEFA's Champions League team of the season and will give Koeman an extra option on the left flank.

The Netherlands, the 1988 European champion, plays Poland in its first Group D match on Sunday in Hamburg before taking on World Cup runner-up France and completing the group stage against Austria.



Olympic Cauldron to Rise into Paris Skies Each Night

 Paris 2024 Olympics - Paris, France - July 27, 2024. A general view of the balloon and Olympic cauldron in Jardin des Tuileries. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Paris, France - July 27, 2024. A general view of the balloon and Olympic cauldron in Jardin des Tuileries. (Reuters)
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Olympic Cauldron to Rise into Paris Skies Each Night

 Paris 2024 Olympics - Paris, France - July 27, 2024. A general view of the balloon and Olympic cauldron in Jardin des Tuileries. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Paris, France - July 27, 2024. A general view of the balloon and Olympic cauldron in Jardin des Tuileries. (Reuters)

The Olympic cauldron that made a stunning first flight at the Paris Games opening ceremony will sit on the ground during the day and rise again every evening.

Paris Olympics organizers said that from Saturday, the cauldron attached to a balloon will fly more than 60 meters (197 feet) above the Tuileries gardens near the glass pyramid entrance to the Louvre museum from sunset until 2 a.m.

During daytime hours, 10,000 people each day can get free tickets to approach the cauldron, which is the first in Olympic history to light up without the use of fossil fuels.

Organizers said the electric flame uses 40 LED spotlights “to illuminate the cloud created by 200 high-pressure misting nozzles.”