Netherlands national football team facts for kids
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Nickname(s) | Oranje Holland Clockwork Orange The Flying Dutchmen |
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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) Memphis Depay (50) |
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Home stadium | Johan Cruyff Arena De Kuip Philips Stadion De Grolsch Veste |
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FIFA code | NED | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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FIFA ranking | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current | 14 ![]() |
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Highest | 1 (August 2011) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lowest | 36 (August 2017) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Elo ranking | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current | 5 ![]() |
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Highest | 1 (1978, 1988–1990, 1992, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2014) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lowest | 49 (October 1954) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First international | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() ![]() (Antwerp, Belgium; 30 April 1905) |
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Biggest win | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() ![]() (Eindhoven, Netherlands; 2 September 2011) |
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Biggest defeat | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() ![]() (Darlington, England; 21 December 1907) |
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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
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... The Netherlands national football team represents the Netherlands in international men's football games. It has been doing so since 1905. The team is managed by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB). This group is part of UEFA (Europe's football body) and FIFA (the world's football body).
The team is often called Het Nederlands Elftal (The Dutch Eleven) or Oranje. This nickname comes from the House of Orange-Nassau and their famous orange jerseys. People also sometimes call the team Holland. Their 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, but finished as runners-up each time. They have also played in eleven UEFA European Championships. They won the tournament in 1988. The team has also won bronze medals at three Olympic football tournaments in 1908, 1912, and 1920. The Netherlands has strong football rivalries with their neighbors Belgium and Germany. They also have a rivalry with Argentina.
Contents
History of Dutch Football
Early Days: 1905-1969
The Netherlands played its first international match on April 30, 1905, against Belgium in Antwerp. The game was tied 1–1 after 90 minutes. It went into extra time, and Eddy de Neve scored three more goals, making the final score 4–1 for the Netherlands.
In 1908, the Netherlands played in their first official tournament at 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 the bronze medal. They also won bronze medals at the 1912 and 1920 Olympic Games.

The team reached the semi-finals at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. They beat Romania and Ireland. In the semi-finals, they lost to Uruguay. They then lost to Sweden in the third-place play-off.
The Netherlands did not play in the first World Cup in 1930 because it was too expensive to travel to South America. They first appeared at 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 Summer Olympics and the 1952 Summer Olympics. They lost early in both tournaments.
Total Football and the First Golden Age: 1970s
In the 1970s, the team started using a new playing style called Total Football. This idea came from the Ajax club. It was led by star player Johan Cruyff and coach Rinus Michels. The Netherlands became much stronger and reached two World Cup finals in this decade.
In 1974, the Netherlands beat strong teams like Brazil and Argentina. They reached the World Cup final for the first time. However, they lost to West Germany 2–1 in the final in Munich. Johan Neeskens scored an early penalty for the Netherlands. But West Germany came back to win.
At the 1976 European Championship, the Netherlands reached their first European Championship. They lost to Czechoslovakia in extra time. They then won against Yugoslavia to finish in third place.
In 1978, the Netherlands qualified for the World Cup in Argentina. Johan Cruyff decided not to play. The team still had great players. They reached the final again, playing against Argentina. The Netherlands lost 3–1 in extra time.
Ups and Downs: 1980s to Early 2000s
The team struggled after the 1970s. They missed the 1982, 1984, and 1986 major tournaments. For example, in 1984, they missed out on the European Championship because Spain scored more goals in their qualifying games. In 1986, they lost to Belgium in a play-off for the World Cup.

But then, coach Rinus Michels returned for Euro 1988 in West Germany. After losing their first game, the Netherlands beat England 3–1 with a hat-trick from Marco van Basten. They also beat the Republic of Ireland. Van Basten scored a late goal against the host Germans to reach the final. The Netherlands won the final against the Soviet Union. Ruud Gullit scored with a header, and Van Basten scored with a famous volley. This was the team's first big tournament win!
The Netherlands was a favorite for the 1990 World Cup in Italy. But they only scored two goals in the group stage. They lost to West Germany 2–1 in a match remembered for a spitting incident between Frank Rijkaard and Rudi Völler.
The team reached the semi-finals of Euro 1992 in Sweden. They lost to Denmark in a penalty shootout. This was Van Basten's last major tournament because of an ankle injury.
Dick Advocaat became coach for the 1994 World Cup in the United States. Even without injured stars like Van Basten and Ruud Gullit, Dennis Bergkamp led the team. They reached the quarter-finals but lost 3–2 to Brazil.
Another Strong Era: 1996-2014

With Guus Hiddink as manager, the team played in Euro 1996. They lost to France in a penalty shootout in the quarter-finals. At the 1998 World Cup, with players like Dennis Bergkamp, Marc Overmars, and Patrick Kluivert, they reached the semi-finals. They lost to Brazil again, this time in a penalty shootout. They finished fourth after losing to Croatia.
The Netherlands co-hosted Euro 2000. 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.
Dick Advocaat returned as coach in 2002. They qualified for UEFA Euro 2004 and reached the semi-finals, losing to hosts Portugal.
Under new manager Marco van Basten, the Netherlands qualified for the 2006 World Cup. They lost 1–0 to Portugal in the second round. This game was very rough, with 16 yellow cards and 4 red cards. It was called "the Battle of Nuremberg".
The Netherlands qualified for UEFA Euro 2008. They were in a tough group with France, Italy, and Romania. They surprised everyone by beating world champions Italy 3–0 and France 4–1. They won their group but then lost to Russia 3–1 in the quarter-finals.
With new coach Bert van Marwijk, the Netherlands had a perfect record in their 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign. They won all eight games. In the World Cup, they beat Slovakia and then came back from 1–0 down to beat Brazil 2–1. Wesley Sneijder scored both goals. They then beat Uruguay 3–2 to reach their first World Cup final since 1978. In the final, they lost 1–0 to Spain in extra time. For a short time in 2011, the team was ranked number one in the world by FIFA.
For Euro 2012, the Netherlands were in another "Group of Death" with Germany, Portugal, and Denmark. They lost all three group matches, which was a first for them.
Louis van Gaal became manager for the second time. In the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, they won nine games and drew one. In the World Cup itself, they started by beating defending champions Spain 5–1. They finished first in their group. They then beat Mexico 2–1 in the round of 16. In the quarter-finals, they beat Costa Rica in a penalty shootout. Goalkeeper Tim Krul was brought on just for the shootout and saved two penalties.
In the semi-final against Argentina, the Netherlands lost in a penalty shootout. However, they won the third-place match against hosts Brazil 3–0. Van Gaal was praised for getting great results from a young team.
Recent Years: 2014-Present
After 2014, the team went through a tough period. They failed to qualify for the 2016 European Championship and the 2018 World Cup. This was the first time they missed a major tournament since 2002.
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 UEFA Euro 2020 (which was played in 2021 due to the pandemic). They played their group matches at home in Amsterdam. They won all three group games against Ukraine, Austria, and North Macedonia. However, they lost 2–0 to the Czech Republic in the round of 16.
Louis van Gaal returned for his third time as manager. He led the team to qualify for the 2022 World Cup. In the World Cup, they won their group. They beat the United States 3–1 in the round of 16. But they lost to eventual champions Argentina in the quarter-finals after a penalty shootout. This was Van Gaal's last tournament as coach.
At UEFA Euro 2024, the Netherlands made it out of their group. They beat Poland, drew with France, and lost to Austria. In the round of 16, they won 3–0 against Romania. In the quarter-final, they beat Turkey 2–1. This meant they reached the semi-finals for the first time since 2004. In the semi-final, they were eliminated by England after a late goal.
Team Look and Feel
Kits and Crest

The Netherlands national football team is famous for its bright orange shirts. Orange is the national color of the Netherlands. It comes from the House of Orange-Nassau. The team's away shirt is usually blue. The lion on the team's badge is the national animal of the Netherlands. It has been on the crest since 1907.
Nike has been the team's kit (uniform) provider since 1996. Before that, the team used Adidas and Lotto.
Team Rivalries
The Netherlands has a long-standing football rivalry with Germany. This rivalry started in 1974 when the Netherlands lost the World Cup final to West Germany. It is one of the most famous rivalries in international football.
They also have a rivalry with their other neighbor, Belgium. Games between them are called a Low Countries derby. They have played many matches against each other since 1905.
In recent years, the Netherlands has also developed a rivalry with Argentina. Their quarter-final match at the 2022 World Cup was very intense and became known as the Battle of Lusail.
A newer rivalry is growing with Spain. Matches like the 2010 and 2014 World Cup finals have made this rivalry stronger.
Home Stadiums
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 Netherlands 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, matches are held at Philips Stadion in Eindhoven and De Grolsch Veste in Enschede.
Recent Matches and Upcoming Games
The Netherlands team has been busy playing matches. In 2024, they had several games in the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League. They won against Bosnia and Herzegovina, drew with Germany and Hungary, and lost to Germany. They also won against Hungary and drew with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In 2025, they played quarter-final matches in the UEFA Nations League against Spain, drawing both games. They also started their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign with wins against Finland and Malta.
The team has more World Cup qualification matches scheduled for later in 2025. They will play against Poland, Lithuania, Malta, Finland, Poland again, and Lithuania again.
Team Staff
The team has a head coach and several assistant coaches. They also have coaches for goalkeepers and fitness. Other staff include a team manager, sports scientists, physiotherapists, doctors, masseurs, and analysts.
Position | Name |
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Head coach | ![]() |
Assistant coaches | ![]() ![]() |
Goalkeeping coach | ![]() |
Team manager | ![]() |
Players
Current Squad
Here are the players who were part of the squad for the recent 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches in June 2025.
The number of games played (caps) and goals scored are correct as of June 10, 2025.
No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
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1 | GK | Kjell Scherpen | 23 January 2000 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
13 | GK | Nick Olij | 1 August 1995 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
23 | GK | Mark Flekken | 13 June 1993 | 10 | 0 | ![]() |
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2 | DF | Lutsharel Geertruida | 18 July 2000 | 17 | 0 | ![]() |
3 | DF | Jan Paul van Hecke | 8 June 2000 | 5 | 0 | ![]() |
4 | DF | Virgil van Dijk (captain) | 8 July 1991 | 82 | 10 | ![]() |
5 | DF | Nathan Aké | 18 February 1995 | 54 | 5 | ![]() |
6 | DF | Stefan de Vrij | 5 February 1992 | 75 | 4 | ![]() |
12 | DF | Jeremie Frimpong | 10 December 2000 | 13 | 1 | ![]() |
15 | DF | Micky van de Ven | 19 April 2001 | 12 | 1 | ![]() |
16 | DF | Jorrel Hato | 7 March 2006 | 6 | 0 | ![]() |
22 | DF | Denzel Dumfries | 18 April 1996 | 65 | 10 | ![]() |
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7 | MF | Xavi Simons | 21 April 2003 | 28 | 5 | ![]() |
8 | MF | Ryan Gravenberch | 16 May 2002 | 20 | 1 | ![]() |
14 | MF | Tijjani Reijnders | 29 July 1998 | 23 | 4 | ![]() |
20 | MF | Mats Wieffer | 16 November 1999 | 14 | 1 | ![]() |
21 | MF | Frenkie de Jong | 12 May 1997 | 59 | 2 | ![]() |
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9 | FW | Wout Weghorst | 7 August 1992 | 45 | 14 | ![]() |
10 | FW | Memphis Depay | 13 February 1994 | 102 | 50 | ![]() |
11 | FW | Cody Gakpo | 7 May 1999 | 40 | 15 | ![]() |
17 | FW | Noa Lang | 17 June 1999 | 14 | 3 | ![]() |
18 | FW | Donyell Malen | 19 January 1999 | 43 | 11 | ![]() |
19 | FW | Justin Kluivert | 5 May 1999 | 7 | 0 | ![]() |
Player Records
Here are some of the top players in the history of the Netherlands national football team. Players in bold are still playing for the team.
Most Games Played
Rank | Player | Matches | Goals | Career |
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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 |
Memphis Depay | 102 | 50 | 2013–present | |
10 | Phillip Cocu | 101 | 10 | 1996–2006 |
Top Goalscorers
Rank | Player | Goals | Matches | Ratio | Career |
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1 | Robin van Persie | 50 | 102 | 0.49 | 2005–2017 |
Memphis Depay | 50 | 102 | 0.49 | 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 win:
- The Netherlands beat San Marino 11–0 in 2011.
- Biggest defeat:
- England beat the Netherlands 12–2 in 1907.
Tournament History
FIFA World Cup
The Netherlands first played in the World Cup in 1934 and 1938, but they lost their first matches both times.
After not qualifying for many years, they made it to the 1974 World Cup final in West Germany. They lost 2–1 to the host team. In the 1978 World Cup, they reached the final again but lost 3–1 to Argentina in extra time.
In the 1990 World Cup, the Netherlands didn't win any games. In 1994, they reached the quarter-finals but lost to Brazil. In 1998, they made it to the semi-finals but lost to Brazil again, this time in a penalty shootout. They finished fourth after losing to Croatia.
In 2006, they lost to Portugal in the round of 16 in a very tough game. In the 2010 World Cup, they had a great run. They won all their group games. They beat Slovakia, then came back to beat Brazil 2–1. They also beat Uruguay to reach their first World Cup final since 1978. In the final, they lost 1–0 to Spain in extra time.
In 2014, the Netherlands finished first in their group, even beating Spain 5–1. They reached the semi-finals but lost to Argentina in a penalty shootout. They then won the third-place match against hosts Brazil 3–0, earning a bronze medal.
The Netherlands did not qualify for the 2018 World Cup. However, they qualified for the 2022 World Cup. They won their group and beat the United States 3–1 in the round of 16. They then lost to Argentina in the quarter-finals after a penalty shootout.
Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place
FIFA World Cup record | Qualification record | ||||||||||||||||
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Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | ||
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Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||||
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Round of 16 | 9th | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Squad | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 4 | ||
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14th | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | Squad | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | |||
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Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||||
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Did not qualify | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 7 | ||||||||||
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3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 | |||||||||||
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6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | |||||||||||
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6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 5 | |||||||||||
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Runners-up | 2nd | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 3 | Squad | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 24 | 2 | ||
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Runners-up | 2nd | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 10 | Squad | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 3 | ||
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Did not qualify | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 7 | ||||||||||
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8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 7 | |||||||||||
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Round of 16 | 15th | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | Squad | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 2 | ||
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Quarter-finals | 7th | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 6 | Squad | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 29 | 9 | ||
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Fourth place | 4th | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 7 | Squad | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 26 | 4 | ||
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Did not qualify | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 30 | 9 | ||||||||||
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Round of 16 | 11th | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | Squad | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 27 | 3 | ||
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Runners-up | 2nd | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 6 | Squad | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 2 | ||
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Third place | 3rd | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 4 | Squad | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 5 | ||
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Did not qualify | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 21 | 12 | ||||||||||
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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 |
Netherlands' World Cup history | |
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First Match | ![]() ![]() (27 May 1934; Milan, Italy) |
Biggest Win | ![]() ![]() (20 June 1998; Marseille, France) |
Biggest Defeat | ![]() ![]() (5 June 1938; Le Havre, France) |
Best Result | Runners-up in 1974, 1978, 2010 |
Worst Result | Round of 16 in 1934, 1938, 1990, 2006 |
UEFA European Championship
UEFA European Championship record | Qualifying record | ||||||||||||||||
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Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | ||
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Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||||
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Did not qualify | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 | ||||||||||
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6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 11 | |||||||||||
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6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 6 | |||||||||||
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Third place | 3rd | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | Squad | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 21 | 9 | ||
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Group stage | 5th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | Squad | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 6 | ||
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Did not qualify | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 6 | ||||||||||
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Champions | 1st | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | Squad | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 1 | ||
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Semi-finals | 3rd | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 3 | Squad | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 2 | ||
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Quarter-finals | 8th | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | Squad | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 25 | 5 | ||
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Semi-finals | 3rd | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 3 | Squad | Qualified as hosts | |||||||
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3rd | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 6 | Squad | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 21 | 12 | |||
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Quarter-finals | 6th | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 4 | Squad | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 5 | ||
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Group stage | 15th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | Squad | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 37 | 8 | ||
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Did not qualify | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 17 | 14 | ||||||||||
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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 | |||||||||
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Year | Round | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad | |
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Bronze medal | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | Squad | |
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Bronze medal | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 8 | Squad | |
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Bronze medal | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 10 | Squad | |
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Fourth place | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 7 | Squad | |
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Round of 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | Squad | |
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Did not enter | ||||||||
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Round of 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | Squad | |
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Round of 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | Squad | |
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Did not enter | ||||||||
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Did not qualify | ||||||||
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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
The Netherlands has also competed in the UEFA Nations League. They finished as runners-up in the 2019 tournament. They also reached the semi-finals in 2023, finishing fourth.
FIFA World Ranking
The FIFA World Ranking shows how well national teams are doing compared to others. The Netherlands team has been ranked as high as number 1 in August 2011. Their lowest ranking was 36th in August 2017.
Worst Ranking Best Ranking Worst Mover Best Mover
Netherlands's FIFA world ranking | |||||||||||
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Rank | Year | Games played |
Won | Drawn | Lost | Best | Worst | ||||
Rank | Move | Rank | Move | ||||||||
7 | 1993 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ![]() |
16 | ![]() |
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6 | 1994 | 15 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ![]() |
11 | ![]() |
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6 | 1995 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 5 | ![]() |
17 | ![]() |
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9 | 1996 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 6 | ![]() |
13 | ![]() |
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22 | 1997 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ![]() |
22 | ![]() |
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11 | 1998 | 15 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 6 | ![]() |
25 | ![]() |
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19 | 1999 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 8 | ![]() |
19 | ![]() |
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8 | 2000 | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 8 | ![]() |
21 | ![]() |
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8 | 2001 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 7 | ![]() |
10 | ![]() |
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6 | 2002 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 6 | ![]() |
15 | ![]() |
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4 | 2003 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 4 | ![]() |
7 | ![]() |
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6 | 2004 | 17 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 4 | ![]() |
6 | ![]() |
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3 | 2005 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 2 | ![]() |
7 | ![]() |
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7 | 2006 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | ![]() |
6 | ![]() |
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9 | 2007 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 5 | ![]() |
9 | ![]() |
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3 | 2008 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 3 | ![]() |
10 | ![]() |
||
3 | 2009 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ![]() |
3 | ![]() |
||
2 | 2010 | 17 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ![]() |
4 | ![]() |
||
2 | 2011 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | ![]() |
2 | ![]() |
||
8 | 2012 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 2 | ![]() |
8 | ![]() |
||
9 | 2013 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 5 | ![]() |
9 | ![]() |
||
5 | 2014 | 17 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 3 | ![]() |
15 | ![]() |
||
14 | 2015 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 | ![]() |
16 | ![]() |
||
22 | 2016 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 14 | ![]() |
26 | ![]() |
||
20 | 2017 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 20 | ![]() |
36 | ![]() |
||
14 | 2018 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 14 | ![]() |
21 | ![]() |
||
14 | 2019 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 12 | ![]() |
16 | ![]() |
||
14 | 2020 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 13 | ![]() |
15 | ![]() |
||
10 | 2021 | 16 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 10 | ![]() |
16 | ![]() |
||
6 | 2023 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 6 | ![]() |
7 | ![]() |
Awards and Achievements
Major Competitions
Other Awards
- World Soccer Team of the Year: 1988
Summary of Medals
Competition | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
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 |
See also
In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de los Países Bajos para niños
- Netherlands national under-21 football team
- Netherlands national under-19 football team
- Netherlands national under-17 football team