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The Netherlands are on the rise once again.
Legendary manager Louis van Gaal left the national side following a successful 2014 World Cup campaign to join Manchester United, leaving the squad in a turbulent period of transition. Several players like Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder and Nigel de Jong were reaching the end of their careers.
They didn't qualify for the 2016 Euros and the 2018 World Cup, in one of the worst phases in the team's history. The Dutch didn't have enough young players to take over from their ageing stars, leaving managers with a sub-standard squad that quickly fell behind the likes of France and Portugal.
Ajax Amsterdam's recent resurgence has helped the Netherlands massively, with youngsters like Matthijs de Ligt, Frenkie de Jong and Donny van de Beek providing the national team's spine. Older stars like Virgil van Dijk and Memphis Depay have also started flourishing.
The Premier League has seen its fair share of Dutch superstars. Van Dijk is arguably the best centre back in the world right now. Georginio Wijnaldum is an underrated gem, and players like Nathan Ake and Patrick van Aanholt will be very familiar to viewers by now.
But who would finish among the Premier League's top 5 Dutch players of all time?
5. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink - Leeds United and Chelsea
One of football's journeymen, Hasselbaink represented 10 different football clubs in his career. In the Premier League, he is best known for his spell at Chelsea in the early 2000's.
Not many fans knew who the towering striker was until he joined Leeds in 1997. He won the English top flight's Golden Boot in the year 1999, before briefly leaving the country for Atletico Madrid. Chelsea soon broke the bank and signed him for a club record £15 million in 2000 after an incredible goalscoring season in Spain.
Although he never won the league title, Hasselbaink had an enormous impact in the 4 seasons he spent at Chelsea. He won a second Golden Boot in 2001, and went toe-to-toe with Thierry Henry at his peak. Despite the high-profile arrivals of Adrian Mutu and Hernan Crespo, Hasselbaink remained Chelsea's go-to goalscorer.
He eventually left Chelsea and had stints at Charlton Athletic, Middlesborough and Cardiff City before retiring.
4. Ruud van Nistelrooy - Manchester United
Van Nistelrooy was an absolute goalscoring phenomenon in his Manchester United days. His performances at PSV Eindhoven caught the eye of Sir Alex Ferguson, who bought him in 2001 for a British record transfer fee of £19 million. Developing a reputation as one of the most lethal strikers in the world, van Nistelrooy scored an astounding 150 goals in just 219 games for the Red Devils.
In his very first season, he set a record by scoring in 10 consecutive league games, a streak that extended into his second year at the club. He was the driving force behind United's Premier League title in 2003 and had a brilliant record in Champions League, a title which he never won.
He eventually had a falling-out with Ferguson and Cristiano Ronaldo, which lead to a transfer to Real Madrid in the summer of 2006. His exit may not have been ideal, but van Nistelrooy will always be remembered as one of the greatest strikers to have played in England thanks to his incredible record.
3. Robin van Persie - Arsenal and Manchester United
One of the greatest strikers of his generation, Robin van Persie is also the Netherlands national team's highest goalscorer. Signed by Arsenal from Feyenoord in 2004 for a bargain £2.75 million, van Persie spent 8 wonderful seasons in North London, scoring 132 goals in all competitions for the Gunners.
Renowned for his ball control, attacking sense, positioning, finishing, and aerial abilites, van Persie was the ultimate all-round forward. He only won one major title at Arsenal (the 2005 FA Cup), which led to one of the most controversial Premier League transfers ever.
After scoring a brilliant 30 league goals in his final season at the Emirates, van Persie moved to Manchester United in the summer of 2012 for £22.5 million in search of a league title. He was 29 at the time, and his transfer fee raised a few eyebrows.
But the "Flying Dutchman" went on to erase any doubts over his talents, scoring 26 goals to help United reclaim the title from Manchester City. He sealed the league in typical van Persie fashion with an outrageous hattrick against Aston Villa.
He eventually moved on to Fenerbahce before returning to Feyenoord and announcing his retirement earlier this year.
2. Edwin van der Saar - Fulham and Manchester United
Not many players can move to Manchester United at the age of 34 and then go on to become one of the club's greatest ever goalkeepers. Van der Saar had already become a household name at Ajax and Juventus, before he introduced himself to the Premier League with Fulham. United and Ferguson had struggled to settle on one goalkeeper ever since Peter Schmeichel had left, and van der Saar proved to be the solution.
The Dutchman was pretty much the first choice until David De Gea arrived in 2011. He spent 6 seasons at Old Trafford, and won 4 Premier League titles as United reasserted their dominance over Jose Mourinho's Chelsea.
During the 2008/09 season, van der Saar set a league record by not conceding a goal for 1311 minutes. He also helped win the 2008 Champions League by saving Nicolas Anelka's penalty in Moscow.
He eventually retired in 2011, with his final game being the UCL final defeat to Barcelona.
1. Dennis Bergkamp - Arsenal
One of the most magical forwards in the world during his playing days, Bergkamp graced the Premier League for 11 seasons with Arsenal, winning 3 league titles. Graduating from Ajax's famed production line, he sealed a high-profile move to Inter Milan in '93, during a difficult period in the Serie A club's history.
Amidst a takeover by Italian businessman Massimo Moratti, Bergkamp left Inter to join Arsenal. He struggled to adapt in England initially, but Arsene Wenger's appointment in '96 changed both his fortunes and the club's. The Dutchman was an integral component during Wenger's initial success years, helping Arsenal break Manchester United's dominance and win the league in 1998.
He scored 120 goals for the club in total, some of which are considered among the most iconic Premier League goals. Schooled in Total Football at Ajax, Bergkamp helped Wenger implement his trademark, free-flowing football at Highbury. He eventually retired in 2006 after a star-studded testimonial at the Emirates.
Honourable mentions
Jaap Stam - Manchester United
Jaap Stam was one of the world's best ball-playing centre backs at his peak in 90's. After winning the Eredivisie title with PSV Eindhoven, he joined Manchester United in 1998 for £10.6 million, making him the most expensive defender in the world.
He spent 3 seasons at the club, and won 3 Premier League titles. His last year was marred by injuries and Ferguson sold him to Lazio following allegations Stam had made in his autobiography.
Even though his stint in England was brief, Stam will go down as one of United's greatest ever defenders.
Virgil van Dijk - Southampton and Liverpool
What hasn't been said about Virgil van Dijk in the last couple of years? Liverpool's notoriety for signing Southampton players led several fans to rule his £75 million transfer as a huge mistake, but he's proven to be anything but that.
At the age of 28, van Dijk leads Liverpool with a maturity far beyond his years. He's brought a calm stability to a backline besieged by chaos, helping the Reds lift a record 6th Champions League title last season.
It'll be hard to speak of van Dijk in the same terms as these other Dutch legends if he doesn't win the league title, but Liverpool's 14 point lead at the top means that probably won't be the case.
