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They might have been late bloomers in international football, but ever since the 1970s, Netherlands have produced some of the most gifted footballers the world has ever seen, even though they have never won the World Cup. Back-to-back World Cup Finals in 1974 and 1978 firmly established themselves as one of the finest footballing nations that the World Cup has ever seen.
Of the 19 FIFA World Cups to have been held so far, they have only participated in nine of them and 2014 will mark only their 10th appearance at the World Cup. As a result of this, some of the nation’s best players miss out while compiling the side’s greatest World Cup XI. Way back in the 1950’s, the likes of Faas Wilkes, Cor van der Hart, Coen Moulijn and Abe Lenstsra delighted Dutch and football fans alike with some of their football, but since the national team never qualified for a World Cup in the 40’s, 50’s or 60’s they all miss out.
More recently, the likes of Frank Rijkaard, Marco Van Basten and Ruud Gullit were also unlucky enough to be in era where the World Cup always eluded the Dutch. Although the trio brought the Oranje their first international triumph, they only ever had a brief stint at the World Cup and not enough to leave an impact. So, here is the Netherland’s Greatest FIFA World Cup XI in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Goalkeeper: Edwin van der Sar
Arguably the easiest selection of the XI, Edwin van der Sar is the only Dutch keeper to have played in three World Cups and is the national side’s most capped player. Tall, agile and possessing lightning quick reflexes, Van der Sar is one among the elite list of goalkeepers with no flaws in his game.
Soon after he rose to prominence in the Champions League winning Ajax side of 1995, he made his debut for the national team and was the man between the posts for the next 13 years. A shot-stopper par excellence, Van der Sar is also renowned for his distribution and is calm and composed demeanour which spread to his back line.
Defenders: Wim Suubier – Ronald Koeman – Frank de Boer – Ruud Krol
The Dutch defence has never been the most resolute, but their natural born attacking tendency has given birth to some fabulous full backs over the years. One of the most talented and successful of his generation is right back Wim Suubier. To call him a right back would be a disrespect to his role in the side, for he owned the right flank in the 1974 and 1978 World Cup. Unlike his contemporaries, Suubier didn’t have an air of caution surrounding his game. Instead he paved the way for the modern attacking full back, with his constant forward runs and an innate ability to assist in attack. Unfortunately for the Netherlands, after 1978, they have never had a right back like him.
Aggression, aerial ability and agility are three things you would look for in a centre half. Ronald Koeman had none of them. He was slow, had the agility of a truck, but still was one of the best centre backs of his generation. Why? His positional awareness, passing range and his dead-ball ability meant that he was able to overcome his inherent handicaps and play as a sweeper in defence. Not only was he a key member of two European Cup winning teams in PSV and Barcelona, but he also played in two World Cups, where he was the side’s standout defender.
What is a defender likely to be remembered for? A crucial last-ditch tackle? A clearance off the goal-line? A heroic block from a ferocious goal-bound shot? Although Frank De Boer did most of that, he isn’t remembered for any of that. He will always go down in history as the player who provided a pin-point 60-yard ball to Dennis Bergkamp who scored the last-minute goal to knock Argentina out in the quarter-finals of the 1998 World Cup. While that pass alone would have been enough to guarantee his spot, given the lack of quality centre backs in the Dutch ranks, he did so much more than not. Not only does is the record-holder for most Dutch caps as an outfielder, he time and again demonstrated his ability to read the game and time his tackles, and that is why he takes his place in central defence alongside Koeman.
Arguably the finest defender Netherlands has ever produced, Ruud Krol takes his place as the left back in this side. If his tenacious tackling and lung-bursting forward runs characterized his early career, his positional and spatial awareness and his passing prowess characterized his later years. During the 1974 and 1978 Word Cup, he was one the side’s most complete threats. Whether it was sliding into a perfectly timed tackle or providing a precise through ball for the forward, Krol did it all. If there was such a thing as an elegant hard man, then Krol was exactly that.
Central Midfielders: Johan Neeskens – Wilem van Hanegem
All of their exploits in the 1974 World Cup, including Total Football and everything that went with it wouldn’t have been possible without this player. His first name was Johan, but his last name wasn’t Cryuff, rather Neeskens. Johan Neeskens was Holland’s one-man engine room, the man without whom Total football might have just been a dream. While there have been players who played the role he did before, it was Neeskens who gave birth to the modern box-to-box midfielder.
A tireless runner and an aggressive presser, he was the heartbeat of the Total football that Ajax and Holland became famous for. Tackling, intercepting, passing, dribbling or finishing, you name it, Neeskens could do it. So it is little surprise to see him regarded by many, as one of Holland’s greatest players of all-time.
Alongside the energetic Neeskens was his polar opposite Willem van Hanegem, nicknamed De Kromme (The Crooked). Physically robust, strong but lacking any real pace, Hanegem was the yin to Neesken’s yan. If Neeskens relied on pace, Hanegem relied on his power, if Neeskens relied on his temperament, Hanegem relied on his technique. Criminally underrated everywhere outside of Holland, Willem van Hanegem is often regarded as the second-best Dutch footballer of all time, behind only Cruyff. Every bit of his flawless technique, excellent close control and precise passing was on display in his solitary World Cup appearance in 1974. Not only was he technically astute, he was also a highly capable defender, who wasn’t afraid to tackle and get stuck in to his opponents.
Attacking Midfielders: Wesley Sneijder – Johan Cruyff – Rob Rensenbrick
If this was solely a list of the greatest Dutch XI or the greatest forwards or midfielders that the country has ever produced, Wesley Sneijder wouldn’t be near the top of that list. But, since this isn’t and is an XI that is primarily based on World Cup performances, there are few who can boast of a better record than Sneijder.
Playing in only his second World Cup in 2010, Sneijder finished the tournament as the top scorer with five goals, claimed the Silver Ball and also made it to the All-Star Team. His individual displays were one of the main reasons why the Netherlands got anywhere near the Final of the World Cup. With Brazil just around the corner, Sneijder will be looking to become his country’s most prolific scorer in World Cups and maybe this time etch his name onto the record books by helping Holland claim their maiden World Cup title.
Johan Cruyff was without a doubt, the Netherland’s greatest player and takes his place in this three-man attacking midfield. In terms of talent, technique and temperament, there is no doubt that Cruyff was Europe’s greatest attacking player of all-time. Whether it was pulling the strings from the wings, or more centrally as an attacking midfielder, scoring goals for fun as a striker or creating as a second striker, Cruyff was every manager’s dream. Capable of playing anywhere in attack and still make a sizeable contribution to the team, he deserves every accolade he gets.
On the left side of the attacking trio is probably the calmest player to ever put on the Oranje jersey. Rob Rensenbrick isn’t a name that isn’t immediately recognized the world over. But ask anyone who has seen the 1974 and 1978 World Cup and they would tell you that Rensenbrick was one of the side’s key attacking weapons. Whether it was keeping his cool from the penalty spot, or gliding past his man as if he wasn’t there, Rensenbrick was every full back’s worst nightmare come true. His technical ability meant that he could conduct the attack from anywhere, but mostly played on the left, where he made utmost use of his lethal left foot, to both score and create, in equal amounts.
Striker: Dennis Bergkamp
When it comes to first-class forwards, the Netherlands have been blessed with some truly wonderful players over the years. But, when it comes to the World Cup, few have bedazzled the opposition better than Dennis Bergkamp. His last-minute winner against Argentina aside, Bergkamp has done plenty of things on the biggest stage of them all, to take his place amongst this truly World class XI.
Subs: Jan van Beveren, Giovanni Van Bronkhorst, Frank Riijkard, Ruud Gullit, Johnny Rep, Marco Van Basten, Patrick Kluivert
