The squad was then plagued with in-fighting and they pressed the self destruct button in England.

Edgar Davids was sent home by coach Guus Hiddink and the side was thrashed 4-1 at Wembley.

The Dutch, however, have re-grouped and face the Czech Republic on Sunday widely regarded as one of the favourites for the tournament.

Rijkaard said: "A lot will come from the heart and we need a feeling of togetherness and continuity in the group.

"But we have prepared well and are mentally very fit. The players are eager to start and really want the tournament to start."

Czech striker Pavel Kuka is confident his team can upset the odds and defeat the Dutch.

The Czechs finished runners-up in 1996 and came through their qualifying group without dropping a point, as Scotland found out to their cost.

Kuka said: "Ten or 11 guys who played in England are with the squad. That counts for four years' experience.

"But the first 15 minutes will be the worst on Sunday, with 50,000 Dutch fans giving it their all. The atmosphere will be electric."