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Netherlands National Football Team

Head coach: Marco van Basten
Captain: Edwin van der Sar
Top scorer: Patrick Kluivert
FIFA ranking: 9

The Netherlands national football team is the national football team of the Netherlands and is controlled by the Royal Netherlands Football Association. It has won the 1988 European Football Championship (Euro 88), and has reached two consecutive World Cup finals in 1974 and 1978 but lost both finals to their respective host nations, West Germany and Argentina. At the peak of its success in the 1970s, the team was famous for its mastery of Total Football and was nicknamed "Clockwork Orange" for its precision passing.

At Euro 96, after drawing 0-0 with Scotland and beating Switzerland 2-0, they faced the hosts England in the pool A decider, with both teams on 4 points. After 62 minutes, with Scotland beating Switzerland 1-0, The Netherlands were 4-0 down and looked like finishing third behind Scotland on goal difference and going out of the tournament, but Patrick Kluivert converted a Dennis Bergkamp assist and scored in the 78th minute to see the Dutch finish second on goals scored. They then played France in the quarter-finals, drawing 0-0 and being eliminated 5-4 on penalties.

In 1998 FIFA World Cup, Netherlands, whose team included Marc Overmars, Phillip Cocu, Edgar Davids, Frank de Boer, Ronald de Boer and Patrick Kluivert, met Argentina in the quarterfinal, a rematch of the 1978 final. Near the end of regular time, after an unsuccessful dive to draw a penalty, Argentinian Ariel Ortega head-butted Edwin van der Sar[2]. Ortega was sent off and the Netherlands won 2-1 after a Bergkamp goal in the 89th minute. Bergkamp's goal was famous because of its quality--he touched down a 60 yard pass from Frank de Boer then reverse-flicked it inside Roberto Ayala and finally volleyed it past the Argentine goalkeeper. In the semi-final, the Netherlands took Brazil to a penalty shootout after a late Kluivert goal tied the match 1-1, but Brazil won the shootout 4-2 and advanced to the final. Netherlands lost the 3rd place match 2-1 to upstart Croatia.

Netherlands co-hosted Euro 2000 with Belgium and were one of the favourites coming into the tournament. Getting all three wins in the group stage, including a win over reigning World Cup champions France, they then crushed Yugoslavia 6-1 in the quarter-finals, with Kluivert getting a hat-trick. In the semi-finals, their opponents Italy went down to ten men in the first half and the Netherlands were awarded two Penalty kicks but failed to convert either chance. Italian goalkeeper Francesco Toldo made two saves in the shootout (in addition to his penalty save in regulation time) to eliminate the Netherlands. Coach Frank Rijkaard was widely criticized by the press as the Dutch had squandered several chances to kill the game and he resigned, with Louis van Gaal taking over. Dennis Bergkamp retired from the national team after Euro 2000, having failed to score during the tournament.

Netherlands Team
No.	NAME	POS	Height	Weight	Age
1	Henk Timmer	G	5-11	181	35
16	Maarten Stekelenburg	G	5-11	172	24
2	Mario Melchiot	D	6-2	163	30
3	Johnny Heitinga	D	5-11	159	23
4	Joris Mathijsen	D	5-11	159	27
5	Wilfred Bouma	D	5-10	183	29
5	Tim De Cler	D	6-0	154	28
6	Giovanni Van Bronckhorst	D	5-10	165	32
12	Kew Jaliens	D	6-1	163	28
6	Demy De Zeeuw	M	5-9	157	24
7	Rafael Van der Vaart	M	5-9	154	24
8	Denny Landzaat	M	5-8	137	31
10	Wesley Sneijder	M	5-7	148	23
13	Nigel De Jong	M	5-9	159	22
14	Orlando Engelaar	M	5-8	157	27
9	Dirk Kuyt	S	6-0	170	26
11	Andwele Slory	S	5-7	130	24
15	Romeo Castelen	S	5-7	143	24
17	Klaas-Jan Huntelaar	S	6-0	172	23
18	Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink	S	6-2	187	28
18	Danny Koevermans	S	5-11	170	28

Group G
	GP	W	D	L	GS	GA	GD	P
Romania	7	5	2	0	14	4	10	17
Bulgaria	7	4	3	0	11	4	7	15
Netherlands	6	4	2	0	8	2	6	14
Albania	7	2	3	2	8	6	2	9
Belarus	7	2	1	4	10	15	-5	7
Slovenia	7	1	1	5	5	12	-7	4
Luxembourg	7	0	0	7	1	14	-13	0