FIFA ranking: 8

How they qualified: UEFA qualifying group G winners

2018 World Cup performance: Did not qualify

Previous World Cup appearances: 10

Best result: Runners-up (1974, 1978, 2010)

 

Background

The Netherlands are back at a World Cup after missing out on the tournament in 2018 and they will be hoping to make up for lost time after a disappointing absence from Russia following a silver medal in 2010 and bronze in 2014. The Oranje qualified for Qatar with relative ease, winning their qualifying group after a shaky start when they lost 4-2 against Turkey in the opening round. Today’s Netherlands squad might not feature world beaters of the past Dutch squads such as Marco van Basten, Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Kluivert or Johan Cruyff, but in Virgil van Dijk they have arguably the best centre-back in the world, paired with a highly experienced coach in Louis van Gaal. The Netherlands were tipped to be the big comeback kings of Euro 2020 but they exited the tournament in the round of 16 after a surprise loss to the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands fans will be hoping there won’t be a repeat of that during their return to the big stage this winter.

 

The Coach – Louis van Gaal

Louis van Gaal is back leading the Netherlands in his third spell as boss, after guiding the Dutch in 2000-01 and 2012-14. The now 71-year-old boss will be one of the most decorated coaches at the 2022 World Cup, having collected seven league titles, four domestic cups, one Champions League trophy, and two UEFA Super Cups during a managerial career with Ajax, Barcelona, AZ, Bayern Munich, and Manchester United. Van Gaal first took over as coach of the national team in 2000 but following a disastrous qualifying campaign for the 2002 World Cup, which ended in the Netherlands missing out on the tournament for the first time since 1986, the Dutchman resigned in January 2002.

A second spell at the helm of the Oranjes proved to be much more successful, with the Dutch qualifying for the 2014 World Cup and going all the way to the semi-finals where they fell short against Argentina, but they ultimately managed to beat Brazil on home soil to clinch bronze. Following a less-than-successful spell at Manchester United, it looked like van Gaal will retire from management, announcing this in January 2017, but he quickly reiterated that this was only a ‘sabbatical’. However, this sabbatical turned into full retirement in 2019, following which the now 71-year-old was convinced by the Dutch FA to return for his third and final spell and lead the Netherlands to glory in Qatar.

 

Key Player – Virgil van Dijk

Today’s Netherlands squad does not boast the attacking talent of previous tournaments, with Barcelona forward Memphis Depay perhaps the only player capable of scoring regularly. This means that the Dutch will rely on their defensive quality, with captain Virgil van Dijk crucial to this. The Liverpool centre-back missed out on Euro 2020 due to injury, meaning he will be making his major international tournament debut at the age of 31.

The Dutchman is equally crucial for his country as he is for his club, perhaps even more so, with the lack of world-class replacements in the Dutch squad. Van Gaal prefers to play with a three at the back, meaning that van Dijk is the general in defence, who can also play precise diagonal balls forward, a quality that makes him perfect for such a system. With young defenders such as Matthijs de Ligt, Jurrien Timber and Sven Botman waiting in the wings of the Dutch squad, van Dijk also plays a key role as a leader and teacher, with the 2022 World Cup perhaps the last World Cup where he can lead his nation to a meaningful finish.

 

Predicted Line-up

 

World Cup Chances

The Netherlands are not considered one of the immediate favourites to lift the World Cup trophy this winter, but again they were not the favourites in 2010 or 2014 when they finished second and third respectively, and they will be going into the Qatar World Cup as one of the most in-form teams, last tasting defeat in June of last year in the round of 16 of Euro 2020. The Dutch can always surprise opponents and with an experienced coach such as Louis van Gaal back to lead them, they will certainly be the dark horses in Qatar.

While the Netherlands team is stacked in the centre-back position, with experienced heads van Dijk and de Vrij complemented with up-and-coming stars Matthijs de Ligt and Jurrien Timber, and potential future world beaters Frenkie de Jong and Ryan Gravenberch in midfield, they truly lack a reliable goalkeeper and a finisher beyond Depay. Long gone are the days of van der Sar and Robin van Persie, and with the added tournament-ending injury to midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum, the Dutch will have to come up with a miracle to lift their first-ever World Cup this winter.