The Netherlands are considered one of the best National Teams in soccer history. The names of the famous Oranje speak for themselves: Johan Cruyff, Johan Neeskens, Marco van Basten, Dennis Bergkamp, Ruud Gullit, Ronald Koeman, Arjen Robben or Patrick Kluivert.
The Dutch squad are not only admired for their results, but especially by the way they've played in different periods of time. Cruyff led 'The Clockwork Orange', Marco van Basten gave them the UEFA Euro in 1988 and Dennis Bergkamp delivered unforgettable masterpieces in France 1998.
However, one of the biggest questions around the Netherlands is how many times they have won the World Cup. Continue reading to find out which were their best performances in tournament history and if they've ever hoisted the trophy.
How many times have the Netherlands been in the World Cup?
The Netherlands have been in eleven World Cups: 1934, 1938, 1974, 1978, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2022. Furthermore, they've appeared in the final three times: Germany 1974, Argentina 1978 and South Africa 2010.
There have been other spectacular versions of the Netherlands in World Cup history. For example, in France 1998, they were the favorites to win the title after amazing performances by Dennis Bergkamp, Frank de Boer, Phillip Cocu, Edgar Davids and Patrick Kluivert. However, the Netherlands were eliminated in a thrilling penalty shootout by Brazil after an epic match in Marseille.
Have the Netherlands ever won the World Cup?
Though they've had extraordinary teams and have reached the final three times, the Netherlands have never won the World Cup. In 1974, Johan Cruyff led a magnificent squad which displayed a brilliant style of play, but fell short in the title game 2-1 against the hosts: West Germany.
Four years later, without Johan Cruyff, that core made a new charge and reached the final only to lose again with the host nation: Argentina. That tournament represented the end of the greatest generation in the history of the Netherlands.
In South Africa 2010, the Netherlands had a remarkable performance with names such as Arjen Robben, Robin van Persie and Wesley Sneijder. With Louis van Gaal as coach, the team survived the knockout stages by beating Slovakia, Brazil and Uruguay. Then, in an epic final which went to extra time, Spain took the title with Andres Iniesta's goal in Johannesburg.
Enjoy all the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup matches from the United States through FuboTV. Click here and to take advantage of their 7-day free trial offer.
