- 2 months ago
Oranje forever! Join us as we pick our all-time starting eleven for the Netherlands national side, featuring some of the most legendary footballers to ever grace the beautiful game! From Total Football icons to modern-day defensive rocks, this lineup has it all. Plus, we rapid-fire through the must-watch Dutch players heading into the 2026 World Cup. Do you agree with our selections?
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00:05Welcome to the FIFA World Cup on WatchMojo, and today we're picking an all-time starting
00:11XI for the Netherlands national side.
00:14Be sure to stick around for the full line-up, because at the end of the video, we'll rapid
00:18fire through the very best players to watch out for in the 2026 tournament specifically.
00:31Goalkeeper, Edwin van der Sar.
00:34No list of the greatest goalkeepers of the 1990s and 2000s would be complete without a mention
00:40for Edwin van der Sar.
00:50Although international trophies eluded him and those who represented the Netherlands
00:55during his peak years, he has quite a collection of medals at club level.
01:00Multiple domestic titles for Ajax and Manchester United are joined by Champions League wins
01:06for both.
01:07Van der Sar was as composed as they come, had elite-level distribution to kickstart attacks,
01:13and rarely made costly errors.
01:15He spent nearly two decades at his competitive peak, retiring at 40, while still operating
01:21as a world-class shot-stopper.
01:24Right-back.
01:25Wim Zubier.
01:25As an important member of the Dutch total football era, Wim Zubier brought stamina, tactical intelligence,
01:33and dynamism to the table.
01:34He was equally potent in defense and offense, offering his coaches the perfect wing-back,
01:40a prototype for how the position would evolve as the 20th century came to a close.
01:45He won seven Eredivisie titles with Ajax as well as three consecutive European Cups from 1971
01:52to 1973.
01:54At international level, although he never claimed the trophy itself, he did appear in two
02:00World Cup finals back-to-back in 1974 and 1978, narrowly missing out on meddling at the
02:07last hurdle.
02:08Centre-back.
02:10Jav Stam.
02:11Considered one of the most dominant centre-backs of his era, Jav Stam was a linchpin in defense
02:17at club and international level.
02:28In 1999, he was part of a treble-winning Manchester United side that took home the Premier League,
02:35Champions League, and FA Cup trophies.
02:37Throughout his career, Stam was regarded as a leader who had physicality and technical
02:43genius in equal measure.
02:47For the Netherlands national team, he earned 67 caps and was consistently reliable in high-stakes
02:55match-ups, with him now being held up as one of the finest defenders to ever play the
02:59game.
03:00Centre-back.
03:01Virgil van Dijk.
03:02While Virgil van Dijk's story has not yet been fully told, his career trajectory has
03:08seen him steadily rise through the ranks at every level.
03:18Though some might consider him a late bloomer, given that he only truly came into his own
03:23in his mid-twenties, his impact ever since has been incredible.
03:32Virgil van Dijk.
03:33Moving to Liverpool in 2018, he was an instant hit, solidifying their defense with a level
03:39of well-roundedness that saw him take part in a period of huge success for the club.
03:51He is already worthy of recognition as one of the finest defenders of his era, but leading
03:57the Netherlands to World Cup glory would truly shoot his legacy into the stratosphere.
04:02Left-back.
04:03Giovanni van Bronkost.
04:05Though he often played in midfield, Giovanni van Bronkost moved to left-back on a permanent
04:10basis as he aged.
04:12He earned 106 caps for the Netherlands national team and played for his country in three FIFA
04:18World Cups, reaching the final in 2010.
04:21When it comes to memorable moments, who can forget that frankly insane goal he scored against
04:26Uruguay in that tournament's semi-finals.
04:29Van Bronkost brought technical genius, leadership and a decent goal-scoring record to proceedings.
04:36The fact that he averaged a goal every eight matches at club level in competitive matches
04:41is certainly not too shabby, considering everything else he had to offer.
04:53Center midfield, Ronald Koeman.
04:56Sure, he was renowned for playing in the heart of defense, but for our purposes, we'll be
05:01using Ronald Koeman as a center midfielder, where he was also known to excel.
05:12The reason?
05:14Well, despite being an excellent defender, Koeman was an incredibly offensively-minded player,
05:19scoring 192 goals in 532 appearances at club level.
05:24As a defender, he brought poise, calm and excellent ball-playing skills to the table.
05:29His talent as a free-kick specialist also introduced a totally different level of threat, making him one of the
05:36most complete players of his generation.
05:39Domestic and European titles at PSV, Barcelona and Ajax are capped off by an international trophy at Euro 1988.
05:48Center midfield, Johan Neskens.
05:51When it came to the golden generation of Dutch football back in the 1970s, they had a truly remarkable midfield
05:58general at the center of it all.
06:07If you had to describe Johan Neskens in one word, it would undoubtedly be relentless.
06:20As part of that legendary Ajax side that won three European cups in a row, Neskens wasn't always the player
06:27getting all of the plaudits.
06:28It's pretty hard to be when you're sharing the field with Johan Cruyff, but Neskens' role was undeniably crucial.
06:35He was the embodiment of the type of work rate that defined the iconic Dutch total football approach of his
06:41era.
06:42Center attacking midfield, Ruud Hullitz.
06:44You could find physical strength and creative flair in perfect balance within the skills and attributes of the mighty Ruud
06:51Hullitz.
06:52He took home the Ballon d'Or in 1987 after a season that saw him establish himself as one of
06:58the premier talents of his era.
07:06Winning gold at the Euros in 1988 would have been the career high point for most.
07:12Immediately after, Hullitz went on to play a huge part in the all-time great AC Milan side that won
07:18back-to-back European cups in 1989 and 1990.
07:27He was Dutch tactical sophistication in its purest form and the fact that he also had world-class athleticism made
07:35him near unstoppable on his best days.
07:38Right winger Arjen Robben
07:40When it comes to the greatest wingers of the 21st century, Arjen Robben is undeniably going to play a big
07:47part in any conversation.
07:53While being one of the most one-footed players around, just because defenders knew that Robben was going to cut
07:59in onto his left foot on the right wing, it didn't make it any easier to stop.
08:09With Bayern Munich, he won a Champions League and eight Bundesliga trophies, two Premier League titles with Chelsea and a
08:17La Liga medal with Real Madrid.
08:19He didn't win a major tournament internationally, but he was a major force for the Netherlands during his 96 caps.
08:34Left winger Johan Cruyff
08:36There are few people who would argue against Johan Cruyff being considered the single greatest Dutch footballer of all time.
08:50He was the centre point of the legendary Total Football era, the creative channel through which everything flowed.
08:57His three Ballon d'Or wins are only the tip of the iceberg.
09:01He was the key player in Ajax's three consecutive European Cup wins in the early 70s while also winning eight
09:09league titles.
09:10He opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a composed finish after latching onto Johnny Rhett's fine past.
09:16He also transitioned to Spanish football with Barcelona, becoming a transformative figure as a player and later as a manager
09:24for the club.
09:25Cruyff reshaped football philosophy globally, making him one of the sport's greatest ever players, easily one of the best players
09:33to ever lace up boots.
09:35Stryker Marco van Basten
09:48When you consider just how short his career ended up being, the fact that he did so much was incredible.
09:55For Ajax, he scored a staggering 128 goals in 133 games, winning multiple trophies before truly finding his peak form
10:04at AC Milan.
10:05In Italy, he became an even bigger force of nature.
10:17Two European Cups, three Serie A's, and a European Championship internationally left van Basten with a truly huge collection.
10:26Unfortunately, an ankle injury would derail him at age 28, and he would retire from the sport two years later
10:34after fighting an unsuccessful recovery battle.
10:37By then, thankfully, his legacy was already secured.
10:48Subs bench, Stanley Menzo, confident ball-playing goalkeeper and pioneer of sweeper-keeper play.
10:56Ruud Kroll, elegant total football defender and Ajax's defensive leader.
11:03Frank Reichard, dominant midfield enforcer and world-class tactical anchor.
11:09Frank de Boer, composed ball-playing defender and leader of Ajax's golden era.
11:20Mario Melchiott, energetic and versatile fullback with relentless competitive edge.
11:26Clarence Seydorff, four-time Champions League winner and complete midfield orchestrator.
11:32Right and left, oh, he's gone for goal! Fabulous strike from Clarence Seydorff!
11:38Wesley Snyder, creative playmaker and architect of interhistoric treble.
11:48Dennis Bergkamp, stylish forward with arguably the greatest first touch in history.
12:00Robin van Persie, technically gifted goalscorer who scored 144 Premier League goals.
12:18So, those are the greatest of all time, but how about right now?
12:22Who are the players you need to know before World Cup 2026 kicks off in America, Mexico and
12:28Canada.
12:29Tijani Reinders
12:37Although proving himself to be more and more of an elite figure at club level, international
12:42success will no doubt be front and centre in Tijani Reinders' mind this year.
12:47His senior debut for the Netherlands came in 2023, and ever since, he has been growing in stature.
12:53Ronald Koeman has no shortage of very dependable midfielders, but Reinders has a chance to make
12:59his starting point his own for many years to come.
13:03Frankie de Jong
13:07After a disappointing few years for the Netherlands in major tournaments, the current generation
13:12will be expected to come of age at the 2026 World Cup. With 64 camps under his belt, Frankie de
13:20Jong
13:20will be pointed to as a leader in the centre of midfield. Dictating the rhythm of his Dutch offence will
13:33be the key
13:34assignments, and based on his form over the last few years, he should be more than up to the task.
13:45Virgil van Dijk
13:50Virgil van Dijk
13:52The rock in the heart of the Netherlands defence will be its captain, Virgil van Dijk.
13:56Though no outright announcement has been made, it has been hinted that this might be his last tournament appearance for
14:03his nation.
14:12Sure, his legacy as one of the finest defenders of his era is already set in stone, but leading his
14:18country to World Cup glory would elevate it to a whole different level.
14:29Memphis Depay
14:36Though he certainly has his critics over the years, you can't really argue with the stats when it comes to
14:41Memphis Depay.
14:49As the Netherlands all-time top goalscorer with 55 goals, the assignment for him will be simple. Score goals!
14:57He will come under intense scrutiny if he turns in underwhelming performances, but Depay's ability to show in key moments
15:04is unquestionable at this point.
15:06Goals win games, and Depay is as dependable as they come.
15:17Ryan Hravenberg
15:27At 24 years old, Ryan Hravenberg could well be in position to have a major breakthrough tournament if all goes
15:34well.
15:35He was included in the last World Cup squad as a youngster, but this time around, he has the opportunity
15:41to play a far more crucial role.
15:44This campaign will be something of an audition for his future as a key member of this Dutch rebuild.
15:50While it certainly won't be his final World Cup, it could well be the most pivotal of his career when
15:56all is said and done.
15:57But how do you predict the Netherlands will do in the 2026 World Cup? Let us know in the comments
16:04below!
16:04Outro
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