Netherlands Football Team

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Netherlands Soccer Team General Information
Country - Holland/Netherlands
Capital City - Amsterdam
Continent - Europe
Manager - Marco van Basten
Captain - Philip Cocu

Netherlands Soccer Team History
Founded 1889
Affiliated 1904

WC participations 7 (1934, 1938, 1974, 1978, 1990, 1994, 1998)
WC honours Runners-up (1974, 1978)
Continental Titles European champions (1988)

World Cup Record:
Year Host Performance
1930 Uruguay -
1934 Italy First Round (last 16)
1938 France First Round (last 16)
1950 Brazil -
1954 Switzerland -
1958 Sweden -
1962 Chile -
1966 England -
1970 Mexico -
1974 West Germany Runners up
1978 Argentina Runners up
1982 Spain -
1986 Mexico -
1990 Italy Second round
1994 U.S.A. Quarter finals
1998 France Fourth place
2002 S.Korea/Japan -
2006 Germany in Group C with Argentina, Cote d’Ivoire, Serbia and
Montenegro

NETHERLANDS Football Team for 2006 FIFA World Cup

Coach:
Marco van Basten

Goalkeepers:
Edwin Van der Sar, Henk Timmer, Maarten Stekelenburg.

Defenders:
Kew Jaliens, Khalid Boulahrouz, Joris Mathijsen, Giovanni Van Bronckhorst, Jan Kromkamp, Andre Ooijer, John Heitinga, Tim De Cler.

Midfielders:
Denny Landzaat, Rafael Van der Vaart, Hedwiges Maduro, Mark Van Bommel, Wesley Sneijder.

Forwards:
Dirk Kuyt, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Arjen Robben, Robin Van Persie, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Ryan Babel.

Netherlands Statistics in Group C with Argentina, Cote d’Ivoire, Serbia and Montenegro

The team is known as 'Oranje'

Jersey No. Name of the Player
1 Edwin Van der Sar
2 Kew Jaliens
3 Khalid Boulahrouz
4 Joris Mathijsen
5 Giovanni Van Bronckhorst
6 Denny Landzaat
7 Dirk Kuyt
8 Phillip Cocu
9 Ruud van Nistelrooy
10 Rafael Van der Vaart
11 Arjen Robben
12 Jan Kromkamp
13 Andre Ooijer
14 John Heitinga
15 Tim De Cler
16 Hedwiges Maduro
17 Robin Van Persie
18 Mark Van Bommel
19 Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink
20 Wesley Sneijder
21 Ryan Babel
22 Henk Timmer
23 Maarten Stekelenburg

Netherlands Soccer Team is playing in Group C along with Argentina, Cote d'Ivoire and Serbia and Montenegro. Netherlands has participated in the World cup seven times. The golden era for the Dutch team was in the 1970s. The Dutch team is nicknamed the Oranje.

The Oranje finished fourth at France 98 and failed to qualify for 2002 South Korea/Japan finals. They were defeated in the qualifying Group 2 by Portugal and the Republic of Ireland. It was a big blow for them.

Under coach Rinus Michels, Netherlands Soccer Team finished runners-up in the 1974 FIFA World Cup. The Dutch team made it to the finals again in 1978 where they lost 3-1 to Argentina and became the first back-to-back runners-up. The team also won the 1988 European Championship. They reached the last four at France 98.

In July 2004, Marco van Basten was appointed coach in place of Dick Advocaat. After joining Basten rejuvenated the new side and this helped the team in passing through the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The Netherlands Soccer team came at the top of their group with 10 victories and two draws.

In the first match of their Germany 2006 qualifying campaign, the Oranje defeated the Czech Republic 2-0 in Amsterdam on 8 September 2004. They again defeated the Czechs 2-0 in Prague on 8 October, 2005.

Star players to watch from the Dutch team are Edwin Van Der Sar, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Marl van Bommel, Jan Kromkamp and Ryan Babel. The Dutch unit is highly impressive this time and the fans are hopeful that their team will come out with flying colours.