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Netherlands national football team facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
This page is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Netherlands women's national football team.
Quick facts for kids
Netherlands
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) Oranje
Holland
Clockwork Orange
The Flying Dutchmen
Association Koninklijke Nederlandse Voetbalbond (KNVB)
Confederation UEFA (Europe)
Head coach Ronald Koeman
Captain Virgil van Dijk
Most caps Wesley Sneijder (134)
Top scorer Robin van Persie (50)
Home stadium Johan Cruyff Arena
De Kuip
Philips Stadion
De Grolsch Veste
FIFA code NED
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 14 Steady (7 February 2019)
Highest 1 (August 2011)
Lowest 36 (August 2017)
Elo ranking
Current 5 Increase 6 (3 March 2019)
Highest 1 (1978, 1988–1990, 1992, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2014)
Lowest 49 (October 1954)
First international
 Belgium 1–4 Netherlands 
(Antwerp, Belgium; 30 April 1905)
Biggest win
 Netherlands 11–0 San Marino 
(Eindhoven, Netherlands; 2 September 2011)
Biggest defeat
 England Amateurs 12–2 Netherlands 
(Darlington, England; 21 December 1907)
World Cup
Appearances 11 (first in 1934)
Best result Runners-up (1974, 1978, 2010)
European Championship
Appearances 11 (first in 1976)
Best result Champions (1988)
Nations League Finals
Appearances 2 (first in 2019)
Best result Runners-up (2019)
Medal record
Men's football
FIFA World Cup
Silver 1974 West Germany Team
Silver 1978 Argentina Team
Silver 2010 South Africa Team
Bronze 2014 Brazil Team
UEFA European Championship
Gold 1988 West Germany Team
Bronze 1976 Yugoslavia Team
UEFA Nations League
Silver 2019 Portugal Team
Olympic Games
Bronze 1908 London Team
Bronze 1912 Stockholm Team
Bronze 1920 Antwerp Team

The Netherlands national football team represents the Netherlands in international men's football games. It has done so since 1905. The team is managed by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB). This group is part of UEFA (Europe) and FIFA (worldwide).

The team is often called Het Nederlands Elftal (The Dutch Eleven) or Oranje. This nickname comes from the House of Orange-Nassau royal family and their bright orange jerseys. Fans are known as Het Oranje Legioen (The Orange Legion).

The Netherlands has played in eleven FIFA World Cups. They reached the final three times, in 1974, 1978, and 2010. They finished second each time. They have also played in eleven UEFA European Championships, winning the tournament in 1988. The team also won bronze medals at the Olympic football tournament in 1908, 1912, and 1920. The Netherlands has strong football rivalries with nearby countries like Belgium and Germany.

Team History: From Early Days to Now

Starting Out: 1905–1969

Nederlands elftal 1905 colorized
1905 Netherlands team

The Netherlands played its first international match on 30 April 1905. They played against Belgium in Antwerp. The game ended 1–1 after 90 minutes. In extra time, Eddy de Neve scored three goals, leading the Netherlands to a 4–1 win.

In 1908, the Netherlands played in their first official tournament. This was the Summer Olympics in London. They won a bronze medal. They lost to Great Britain in the semi-finals. Then, they beat Sweden 2–0 for third place. They also won bronze medals at the 1912 and 1920 Olympic Games.

Holland - Switzerland - Football World Cup 1934
Netherlands make their way out to face Switzerland at the 1934 FIFA World Cup.

The team reached the semi-finals at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. They lost to Uruguay and then to Sweden in the third-place playoff.

The Netherlands did not play in the first World Cup in 1930 because of travel costs. They first played in a FIFA World Cup in 1934. They lost 3–2 to Switzerland in the first round. Kick Smit scored the first World Cup goal for the Netherlands. In the 1938 World Cup, they were again knocked out in the first round by Czechoslovakia.

After World War II, the Netherlands only qualified for two major tournaments before the 1970s. These were the 1948 and 1952 Summer Olympics. They were eliminated early in both.

Total Football and the First Golden Age (1970s)

In the 1970s, the team started using a new way of playing called Total Football. This style was made famous by the club Ajax. It was led by star player Johan Cruyff and coach Rinus Michels. The Netherlands became very strong and reached two World Cup finals. Carlos Alberto, a famous Brazilian captain, said the Dutch team in 1974 was amazing to watch.

Bundesarchiv Bild 183-N0716-0311, Fußball-WM, BRD - Niederlande 2-1
The Netherlands team before their 1–2 loss against West Germany in the final of the 1974 World Cup

In 1974, the Netherlands beat Brazil and Argentina. They reached the World Cup final for the first time. However, they lost to West Germany 2–1 in Munich. Even though Johan Neeskens scored an early penalty, Germany came back to win.

At the 1976 European Championship, the Netherlands reached the semi-finals. They lost to Czechoslovakia in extra time. They then finished third by beating Yugoslavia.

In 1978, the Netherlands qualified for the World Cup in Argentina. Johan Cruyff did not play in this tournament. The team still had great players like Ruud Krol. They reached the final again, playing against Argentina. The Netherlands lost 3–1 in extra time.

Ups and Downs: 1980s to Early 2000s

The Euro 1980 was the last tournament for the "Total Football" team. They did not get past the group stage. Many older players retired after this. The Netherlands then had a tough time. They missed the World Cups in 1982 and 1986, and Euro 1984.

De Beker
The 1988 trophy on display in Amsterdam
Rinus Michels (1984)
Rinus Michels

Coach Rinus Michels returned for Euro 1988 in West Germany. The team lost their first game but then beat England 3–1 with a hat-trick from Marco van Basten. They also beat the Republic of Ireland 1–0. Van Basten scored a late goal against Germany in the semi-finals, which was a sweet victory after the 1974 World Cup final. The Netherlands won the final against the Soviet Union. Goals from Ruud Gullit and Van Basten secured their first major trophy.

The Netherlands were favorites for the 1990 World Cup in Italy. However, they only scored two goals in the group stage. They lost 2–1 to West Germany in the next round. This game is remembered for a spitting incident between Frank Rijkaard and Rudi Völler.

The team reached the semi-finals of Euro 1992 in Sweden. They were knocked out by Denmark in a penalty shootout. This was Van Basten's last big tournament due to a serious ankle injury.

Dick Advocaat became coach for the 1994 World Cup in the United States. Star players Van Basten and Ruud Gullit were injured. Dennis Bergkamp led the team with three goals. The Netherlands reached the quarter-finals but lost 3–2 to eventual champions Brazil.

Another Strong Era: 1996–2014

Scotland-holland euro 96
Netherlands at the Euro 1996 match against Scotland at Villa Park stadium in Birmingham

With Guus Hiddink as manager, the Netherlands played in Euro 1996. They lost to France in the quarter-finals on penalties. In the 1998 World Cup, the team had many talented players like Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Kluivert. They reached the semi-finals but lost to Brazil on penalties. They finished fourth after losing to Croatia.

The Netherlands co-hosted Euro 2000 with Belgium. They won all their group games and beat FR Yugoslavia 6–1 in the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals, they lost to Italy in a penalty shootout. The team then failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup. This led to manager Louis van Gaal leaving.

Training Netherlands in Freiburg
Netherlands at the 2006 World Cup

Dick Advocaat returned as coach in 2002. The Netherlands qualified for Euro 2004 after beating Scotland 6–0 in a playoff. They reached the semi-finals but lost to hosts Portugal.

The Netherlands qualified for the 2006 World Cup under new manager Marco van Basten. They lost 1–0 to Portugal in the second round. This game was very rough, with 16 yellow cards and four red cards. It was called "the Battle of Nuremberg".

Holland - France Euro 2008 entrance into stadium
Netherlands – France at Euro 2008

The Netherlands qualified for Euro 2008. They were in a tough group with France, Italy, and Romania. They won all their group games, beating Italy 3–0 and France 4–1. However, they lost 3–1 to Russia in the quarter-finals.

Netherlands - Denmark WC2010
Netherlands – Denmark at the 2010 World Cup

Under new coach Bert van Marwijk, the Netherlands had a perfect record in their World Cup 2010 qualification. They won all eight games. In the World Cup, they beat Brazil 2–1 in the quarter-finals. Wesley Sneijder scored two goals. They then beat Uruguay 3–2 to reach their first World Cup final since 1978. They lost 1–0 to Spain in extra time. From August to September 2011, the team was ranked number one in the FIFA World Ranking.

For Euro 2012, the Netherlands were in another "Group of Death". They lost all three group matches for the first time ever. Coach Bert van Marwijk resigned.

Louis van Gaal became manager for the second time. In the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, they won nine games and drew one. They started the World Cup by beating defending champions Spain 5–1. Robin van Persie scored an amazing header.

2014 FIFIA World Cup, Semi final, NED-ARG(2)
The Netherlands team leaves the field after losing to Argentina at the 2014 World Cup.

The Netherlands won their group. They beat Mexico 2–1 in the round of 16. In the quarter-finals against Costa Rica, the game ended 0–0 after extra time. The Netherlands won the penalty shootout 4–3. Goalkeeper Tim Krul was brought on just for the shootout and made two saves.

In the semi-finals, they played Argentina. The game was 0–0 after extra time. The Netherlands lost 4–2 in the penalty shootout. They then won the third-place match against hosts Brazil 3–0. Van Gaal was praised for leading a young team to a great result.

Recent Times: 2014–Present

Guus Hiddink took over as manager. The team failed to qualify for Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup. This was a tough period for the team.

In 2018, Ronald Koeman became the new coach. The Netherlands qualified for the UEFA Nations League finals. They beat England in the semi-finals but lost 1–0 to Portugal in the final.

The Netherlands qualified for Euro 2020 (played in 2021 due to the pandemic). They won all their group matches at home. However, they lost 2–0 to the Czech Republic in the round of 16. Frank de Boer, who was coach at the time, left his job. Louis van Gaal returned for his third time as coach. On 16 November 2021, the Netherlands qualified for the 2022 World Cup. In the 2022 World Cup, they reached the quarter-finals but lost to Argentina on penalties.

At UEFA Euro 2024, the Netherlands made it out of their group. They beat Romania 3–0 in the round of 16. In the quarter-finals, they beat Turkey 2–1. This was their first semi-final appearance since Euro 2004. However, they lost 2–1 to England in the semi-final.

Team Look and Feel

Team Colors and Badge

Netherlands fans - 2006 FIFA World Cup
Dutch fans wearing the traditional orange colours at a 2006 World Cup match in Stuttgart

The Netherlands national football team is famous for its bright orange shirts. Orange is the historic national color of the Netherlands. It comes from the royal family, the House of Orange-Nassau. The team's away shirt is blue. The lion on the team badge is the Netherlands' national animal. It has been on the badge since 1907.

Nike has been the team's kit (uniform) provider since 1996. Before that, Adidas and Lotto supplied the kits.

Rivalries

The Netherlands has a long-standing football rivalry with Germany. This rivalry started strongly after the 1974 World Cup final, where Germany beat the Netherlands. It's one of the most famous rivalries in international football.

They also have a rivalry with their neighbor, Belgium. Games between them are called the Low Countries derby. They have played many matches against each other since 1905.

More recently, the Netherlands has developed a rivalry with Argentina. Their 2022 World Cup quarter-final match was even called the "Battle of Lusail" because it was so intense.

Home Stadiums

Amsterdam ArenA1
The Netherlands play most of their matches at Johan Cruyff Arena.

The Netherlands national team does not have just one home stadium. They play most of their matches at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam. This stadium hosted its first international game in 1997. It was called the Amsterdam Arena until 2018, when it was renamed after the legendary player Johan Cruyff.

They also often play at De Kuip in Rotterdam. Sometimes, games are held at Philips Stadion in Eindhoven and De Grolsch Veste in Enschede.

Latest Matches

This section shows the team's recent results and upcoming games.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2024 Matches

2025 Matches

Team Staff

Here are the main people who help coach and manage the Netherlands national football team.

Position Name
Head coach Netherlands Ronald Koeman
Assistant coaches Netherlands Erwin Koeman
Netherlands Wim Jonk
Goalkeeping coach Netherlands Patrick Lodewijks
Team manager Netherlands Cor Asp

Players

Current Team Squad

The players listed below were chosen for the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League A matches in November 2024.

The number of games played (caps) and goals scored are correct as of 19 November 2024.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Bart Verbruggen (2002-08-18) 18 August 2002 (age 22) 18 0 England Brighton & Hove Albion
13 1GK Nick Olij (1995-08-01) 1 August 1995 (age 29) 0 0 Netherlands Sparta Rotterdam
23 1GK Mark Flekken (1993-06-13) 13 June 1993 (age 32) 8 0 England Brentford
2 2DF Jan Paul van Hecke (2000-06-08) 8 June 2000 (age 25) 2 0 England Brighton & Hove Albion
3 2DF Jurriën Timber (2001-06-17) 17 June 2001 (age 24) 18 0 England Arsenal
4 2DF Matthijs de Ligt (1999-08-12) 12 August 1999 (age 25) 49 2 England Manchester United
5 2DF Jorrel Hato (2006-03-07) 7 March 2006 (age 19) 5 0 Netherlands Ajax
6 2DF Stefan de Vrij (1992-02-05) 5 February 1992 (age 33) 73 4 Italy Internazionale
12 2DF Jeremie Frimpong (2000-12-10) 10 December 2000 (age 24) 10 1 Germany Bayer Leverkusen
15 2DF Devyne Rensch (2003-01-18) 18 January 2003 (age 22) 2 0 Netherlands Ajax
22 2DF Denzel Dumfries (1996-04-18) 18 April 1996 (age 29) 63 9 Italy Internazionale
7 3MF Mats Wieffer (1999-11-16) 16 November 1999 (age 25) 12 1 England Brighton & Hove Albion
8 3MF Ryan Gravenberch (2002-05-16) 16 May 2002 (age 23) 18 1 England Liverpool
14 3MF Tijjani Reijnders (1998-07-29) 29 July 1998 (age 26) 20 3 Italy Milan
16 3MF Quinten Timber (2001-06-17) 17 June 2001 (age 24) 5 0 Netherlands Feyenoord
20 3MF Teun Koopmeiners (1998-02-28) 28 February 1998 (age 27) 23 3 Italy Juventus
9 4FW Wout Weghorst (1992-08-07) 7 August 1992 (age 32) 43 14 Netherlands Ajax
10 4FW Noa Lang (1999-06-17) 17 June 1999 (age 26) 12 2 Netherlands PSV Eindhoven
11 4FW Cody Gakpo (1999-05-07) 7 May 1999 (age 26) 36 14 England Liverpool
17 4FW Justin Kluivert (1999-05-05) 5 May 1999 (age 26) 3 0 England Bournemouth
18 4FW Donyell Malen (1999-01-19) 19 January 1999 (age 26) 41 9 Germany Borussia Dortmund
19 4FW Brian Brobbey (2002-02-01) 1 February 2002 (age 23) 7 1 Netherlands Ajax
21 4FW Joshua Zirkzee (2001-05-22) 22 May 2001 (age 24) 6 1 England Manchester United

Players Called Up Recently

These players have also been called to play for the team in the last year.


Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Justin Bijlow (1998-01-22) 22 January 1998 (age 27) 8 0 Netherlands Feyenoord UEFA Euro 2024
DF Virgil van Dijk (captain) (1991-07-08) 8 July 1991 (age 33) 78 9 England Liverpool v.  Bosnia and Herzegovina, 19 November 2024
DF Lutsharel Geertruida (2000-07-18) 18 July 2000 (age 24) 14 0 Germany RB Leipzig v.  Germany, 14 October 2024
DF Micky van de Ven (2001-04-19) 19 April 2001 (age 24) 10 0 England Tottenham Hotspur v.  Germany, 14 October 2024
DF Ian Maatsen (2002-03-10) 10 March 2002 (age 23) 0 0 England Aston Villa v.  Germany, 14 October 2024
DF Nathan Aké (1995-02-18) 18 February 1995 (age 30) 53 5 England Manchester City v.  Germany, 10 September 2024
DF Daley Blind RET (1990-03-09) 9 March 1990 (age 35) 108 3 Spain Girona UEFA Euro 2024
DF Quilindschy Hartman (2001-11-14) 14 November 2001 (age 23) 4 1 Netherlands Feyenoord v.  Scotland, 22 March 2024 INJ
MF Frenkie de Jong (1997-05-12) 12 May 1997 (age 28) 55 2 Spain Barcelona v.  Bosnia and Herzegovina, 19 November 2024
MF Xavi Simons (2003-04-21) 21 April 2003 (age 22) 24 3 Germany RB Leipzig v.  Germany, 14 October 2024
MF Guus Til (1997-12-22) 22 December 1997 (age 27) 6 1 Netherlands PSV Eindhoven v.  Germany, 14 October 2024
MF Jerdy Schouten (1997-01-12) 12 January 1997 (age 28) 13 0 Netherlands PSV Eindhoven v.  Germany, 10 September 2024
MF Georginio Wijnaldum (1990-11-11) 11 November 1990 (age 34) 96 28 Saudi Arabia Al-Ettifaq UEFA Euro 2024
MF Joey Veerman (1998-11-19) 19 November 1998 (age 26) 16 1 Netherlands PSV Eindhoven UEFA Euro 2024
MF Marten de Roon (1991-03-29) 29 March 1991 (age 34) 42 1 Italy Atalanta UEFA Euro 2024 PRE INJ
FW Memphis Depay (1994-02-13) 13 February 1994 (age 31) 98 46 Brazil Corinthians UEFA Euro 2024
FW Steven Bergwijn (1997-10-08) 8 October 1997 (age 27) 35 8 Saudi Arabia Al-Ittihad UEFA Euro 2024

INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury.
FIT Player withdrew from the squad due to fitness concerns.
PRE Preliminary squad.
RET Player had announced retirement from national team.
SUS Player is serving a suspension.
PRI Player absent due to private circumstances.

Player Records

Here are some of the top players in the Netherlands' history based on games played and goals scored.

Most Games Played

Wesley Sneijder (15487233555) (cropped)
Wesley Sneijder has played the most games for the Netherlands, with 134 appearances.
Rank Player Matches Goals Years Played
1 Wesley Sneijder 134 31 2003–2018
2 Edwin van der Sar 130 0 1995–2008
3 Frank de Boer 112 13 1990–2004
4 Rafael van der Vaart 109 25 2001–2013
5 Daley Blind 108 3 2013–2024
6 Giovanni van Bronckhorst 106 6 1996–2010
7 Dirk Kuyt 104 24 2004–2014
8 Robin van Persie 102 50 2005–2017
9 Phillip Cocu 101 10 1996–2006
10 Memphis Depay 98 46 2013–present

Top Goal Scorers

Van Persie (15300483040) (crop)
Striker Robin van Persie is the Netherlands' top scorer with 50 goals.
Rank Player Goals Matches Ratio Years Played
1 Robin van Persie 50 102 0.49 2005–2017
2 Memphis Depay 46 98 0.47 2013–present
3 Klaas-Jan Huntelaar 42 76 0.55 2006–2015
4 Patrick Kluivert 40 79 0.51 1994–2004
5 Dennis Bergkamp 37 79 0.47 1990–2000
Arjen Robben 37 96 0.39 2003–2017
7 Faas Wilkes 35 38 0.92 1946–1961
Ruud van Nistelrooy 35 70 0.5 1998–2011
9 Abe Lenstra 33 47 0.7 1940–1959
Johan Cruyff 33 48 0.69 1966–1977

Team Records

  • Biggest loss:
    • England beat the Netherlands 12–2 in Darlington on 21 December 1907.

Tournament History

FIFA World Cup

The Netherlands first played in the World Cup in 1934 and 1938. They lost their first games in both tournaments.

After not qualifying for six World Cups, they made it to the 1974 FIFA World Cup in West Germany. They reached the final but lost 2–1 to the hosts. They reached the final again in the 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina. They lost 3–1 in extra time.

In the 1990 World Cup, the Netherlands did not win any games. In 1994, they lost to eventual champions Brazil in the quarter-finals. In 1998, they reached the semi-finals but lost to Brazil on penalties. They finished fourth.

In 2006, they lost to Portugal in the round of 16 in a very rough game. In 2010, they had a great run. They beat Brazil in the quarter-finals and Uruguay in the semi-finals. They reached their first World Cup final since 1978 but lost 1–0 to Spain in extra time.

In 2014, the Netherlands won their group, beating Spain 5–1. They reached the semi-finals but lost to Argentina on penalties. They then won the third-place match, beating hosts Brazil 3–0.

     Champions       Runners-up       Third place       Fourth place  

FIFA World Cup record Qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
Uruguay 1930 Did not enter Did not enter
Italy 1934 Round of 16 9th 1 0 0 1 2 3 Squad 2 2 0 0 9 4
France 1938 14th 1 0 0 1 0 3 Squad 2 1 1 0 5 1
Brazil 1950 Did not enter Did not enter
Switzerland 1954
Sweden 1958 Did not qualify 4 2 1 1 12 7
Chile 1962 3 0 2 1 4 7
England 1966 6 2 2 2 6 4
Mexico 1970 6 3 1 2 9 5
West Germany 1974 Runners-up 2nd 7 5 1 1 15 3 Squad 6 4 2 0 24 2
Argentina 1978 Runners-up 2nd 7 3 2 2 15 10 Squad 6 5 1 0 11 3
Spain 1982 Did not qualify 8 4 1 3 11 7
Mexico 1986 8 4 1 3 13 7
Italy 1990 Round of 16 15th 4 0 3 1 3 4 Squad 6 4 2 0 8 2
United States 1994 Quarter-finals 7th 5 3 0 2 8 6 Squad 10 6 3 1 29 9
France 1998 Fourth place 4th 7 3 3 1 13 7 Squad 8 6 1 1 26 4
South Korea Japan 2002 Did not qualify 10 6 2 2 30 9
Germany 2006 Round of 16 11th 4 2 1 1 3 2 Squad 12 10 2 0 27 3
South Africa 2010 Runners-up 2nd 7 6 0 1 12 6 Squad 8 8 0 0 17 2
Brazil 2014 Third place 3rd 7 5 2 0 15 4 Squad 10 9 1 0 34 5
Russia 2018 Did not qualify 10 6 1 3 21 12
Qatar 2022 Quarter-finals 5th 5 3 2 0 10 4 Squad 10 7 2 1 33 8
Total Runners-up 11/22 55 30 14 11 96 52 — 135 89 26 20 329 101

UEFA European Championship

UEFA European Championship record Qualifying record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
France 1960 Did not enter Did not enter
Spain 1964 Did not qualify 4 1 2 1 6 5
Italy 1968 6 2 1 3 11 11
Belgium 1972 6 3 1 2 18 6
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1976 Third place 3rd 2 1 0 1 4 5 Squad 8 6 0 2 21 9
Italy 1980 Group stage 5th 3 1 1 1 4 4 Squad 8 6 1 1 20 6
France 1984 Did not qualify 8 6 1 1 22 6
West Germany 1988 Champions 1st 5 4 0 1 8 3 Squad 8 6 2 0 15 1
Sweden 1992 Semi-finals 3rd 4 2 2 0 6 3 Squad 8 6 1 1 17 2
England 1996 Quarter-finals 8th 4 1 2 1 3 4 Squad 11 7 2 2 25 5
Belgium Netherlands 2000 Semi-finals 3rd 5 4 1 0 13 3 Squad Qualified as hosts
Portugal 2004 3rd 5 1 2 2 7 6 Squad 10 7 1 2 21 12
Austria Switzerland 2008 Quarter-finals 6th 4 3 0 1 10 4 Squad 12 8 2 2 15 5
Poland Ukraine 2012 Group stage 15th 3 0 0 3 2 5 Squad 10 9 0 1 37 8
France 2016 Did not qualify 10 4 1 5 17 14
Europe 2020 Round of 16 9th 4 3 0 1 8 4 Squad 8 6 1 1 24 7
Total 1 Title 10/16 38 20 8 11 65 41 — 112 73 15 24 261 88

Olympic Games

Olympic Games record
Year Round Pld W D L GF GA Squad
United Kingdom 1908 Bronze medal 2 1 0 1 2 4 Squad
Sweden 1912 Bronze medal 4 3 0 1 17 8 Squad
Belgium 1920 Bronze medal 4 2 0 2 9 10 Squad
France 1924 Fourth place 5 2 1 2 11 7 Squad
Netherlands 1928 Round of 16 1 0 0 1 0 2 Squad
Nazi Germany 1936 Did not enter
United Kingdom 1948 Round of 16 2 1 0 1 6 5 Squad
Finland 1952 Round of 16 1 0 0 1 1 5 Squad
Australia 1956 Did not enter
Italy 1960
Japan 1964
Mexico 1968
West Germany 1972
Canada 1976
Soviet Union 1980
United States 1984 Did not qualify
South Korea 1988
Since 1992 See Netherlands national under-21 football team
Total 7/17 23 9 1 9 46 41 —

Olympic Games has been an under-23 tournament since 1992 (with three players of over 23 years of age allowed in the squad).

UEFA Nations League

UEFA Nations League record
League phase Finals RK
Season LG Grp Pos Pld W D L GF GA P/R RK Year Round Pld W D L GF GA Squad
2018–19 A 1 1st 4 2 1 1 8 4 Same position 3rd Portugal 2019 Runners-up 2 1 0 1 3 2 Squad 2nd
2020–21 A 1 2nd 6 3 2 1 7 4 Same position 6th Italy 2021 Did not qualify 6th
2022–23 A 4 1st 6 5 1 0 14 6 Same position 1st Netherlands 2023 Fourth place 2 0 0 2 4 7 Squad 4th
2024–25 A 3 2nd 6 2 3 1 13 7 Same position 6th 2025 To be determined TBD
Total 16 10 4 2 29 14 N/A Total 4 1 0 3 7 9 — 2nd

Team Achievements

Major Competitions

Summary of Medals

Competition 1 2 3 Total
FIFA World Cup 0 3 1 4
Olympic Games 0 0 3 3
UEFA European Championship 1 0 1 2
UEFA Nations League 0 1 0 1
Total 1 4 5 10

Images for kids

  • Netherlands national football team logo

    The official badge of the Netherlands national football team.

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