Football
Soccer

    Netherlands

    Holland before a game in the Nations League

    From Johan Cruyff to Robin van Persie or Virgil van Dijk, the Dutch national team has produced some of world football's best talent for decades, and they're now back on the hunt for trophies.

    The Dutch national football team, known affectionately as the Oranje, are widely regarded as the best country never to win a World Cup.

    Immortalised in football history thanks to the achievements of Johan Cruyff and his generation of players in the 1970s, they were European champions in 1988 under Rinus Michels with a squad including the likes of Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit, Ronald Koeman and Marco van Basten.

    The Netherlands were runners-up at the 1974 and 1978 World Cups and then again in 2010.
    The team is governed by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB). They play their home matches at the Johan Cruyff Arena, the Philips Stadion and De Kuip.

    Early history

    Breakthrough in the 1970s

    1988 European Championship win

    Netherlands and losing run in European Championship semi-finals

    Back-to-back World Cup podiums

    Knockout losers

    Controversy at Euro 2024

    Netherlands legends

    Biggest rivals

    Fanbase

    Netherlands News