Netherlands national team
Association: Koninklijke Nederlandse Voetbal Bond
First match: 1905
Nickname: Oranje
HONOURS:
World Cup
Appearances: 8 (First in 1934)
Best results: Finalist 1974 and 1978, semifinalist 1998.
European Championship
Appearances: 8 (First in 1976)
Best results: Winners 1988, semifinalists 1976, 1992, 2000 and 2004.
Olympics
Appearances: 7 (First in 1908)
Best results: Bronze medals in 1908, 1912 and 1920.
First match: 1905
Nickname: Oranje
HONOURS:
World Cup
Appearances: 8 (First in 1934)
Best results: Finalist 1974 and 1978, semifinalist 1998.
European Championship
Appearances: 8 (First in 1976)
Best results: Winners 1988, semifinalists 1976, 1992, 2000 and 2004.
Olympics
Appearances: 7 (First in 1908)
Best results: Bronze medals in 1908, 1912 and 1920.
My national team
Holland is one of the most famous, loved and respected national teams in the world. Although an early participant in the World Cup in 1934 and 1938 the Dutch national team came of age in the 1970s.
Total Football, the brainchild of coach Rinus Michels and perfectly executed by playmaker Johan Cruyff, was a free-flowing form of football that saw Holland reach the World Cup Finals in both 1974 and 1978, where they, to the general observer’s disappointment, lost both finals to the host nations Germany and Argentina. The most important players for Holland in the 1970s were Johan Cruyff, Willem van Hanegem, Johan Neeskens, Arie Haan and Ruud Krol.
European Champions in 1988
By the time of the European Championships in 1988 Michels had returned as coach and his side containing stars like Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullitt, Frank Rijkaard and Ronald Koeman won the tournament beating among others England, their bitter rivals West Germany and Russia before lifting the trophy.
Always pleasing to watch, the Dutch have nonetheless failed to win further major trophies, but many great players have since worn the distinctive orange shirt: Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Kluivert, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Rafael van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder to name a few.
Debut in 2005
Ryan Babel has been a youth-team member of all Dutch national sides and made a goalscoring debut for Holland against Romania in 2005, making him the fourth youngster goalscorer ever for Holland. The fast striker was in the Dutch squad for the 2006 World Cup but missed out on Euro 2008 through injury.
Along with the likes of Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder, Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben, Ryan is regarded as one of the young Dutch guns who carry the torch for Total Football, and who provide a strong sense of optimism that the future of the national team is a bright one.
Total Football, the brainchild of coach Rinus Michels and perfectly executed by playmaker Johan Cruyff, was a free-flowing form of football that saw Holland reach the World Cup Finals in both 1974 and 1978, where they, to the general observer’s disappointment, lost both finals to the host nations Germany and Argentina. The most important players for Holland in the 1970s were Johan Cruyff, Willem van Hanegem, Johan Neeskens, Arie Haan and Ruud Krol.
European Champions in 1988
By the time of the European Championships in 1988 Michels had returned as coach and his side containing stars like Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullitt, Frank Rijkaard and Ronald Koeman won the tournament beating among others England, their bitter rivals West Germany and Russia before lifting the trophy.
Always pleasing to watch, the Dutch have nonetheless failed to win further major trophies, but many great players have since worn the distinctive orange shirt: Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Kluivert, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Rafael van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder to name a few.
Debut in 2005
Ryan Babel has been a youth-team member of all Dutch national sides and made a goalscoring debut for Holland against Romania in 2005, making him the fourth youngster goalscorer ever for Holland. The fast striker was in the Dutch squad for the 2006 World Cup but missed out on Euro 2008 through injury.
Along with the likes of Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder, Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben, Ryan is regarded as one of the young Dutch guns who carry the torch for Total Football, and who provide a strong sense of optimism that the future of the national team is a bright one.
Appearances for Holland*
Caps: 33 Goals: 5 Won: 23 Draw: 6 Lost: 4
*Correct as of 11 June 2009
** Holland score shown first
| Date | Opponent | Competition | Score** | Goals | |
| 2005 | |||||
| 26 Mar 2005 | Romania (A) | WCQ | 2-0 |  |
|
| 30 Mar 2005 | Armenia (H) | WCQ | 2-0 | ||
| 12 Oct 2005 | Macedonia (H) | WCQ | 0-0 | ||
| 12 Nov 2005 | Italy | Friendly | 1-3 | |
|
| 2006 | |||||
| 27 May 2006 | Cameroon | Friendly | 1-0 | ||
| 01 Jun 2006 | Mexico (H) | Friendly | 2-1 | |
|
| 21 Jun 2006 | Argentina (GER) | WC | 0-0 | ||
| 02 Sep 2006 | Luxembourg (A) | ECQ | 1-0 | ||
| 06 Sep 2006 | Belarus (H) | ECQ | 3-0 | ||
| 07 Oct 2006 | Bulgaria (A) | ECQ | 1-1 | ||
| 11 Oct 2006 | Albania (H) | ECQ | 2-1 | ||
| 2007 | |||||
| 07 Feb 2007 | Russia | Friendly | 4-1 | |
|
| 24 Mar 2007 | Romania (H) | ECQ | 0-0 | ||
| 28 Mar 2007 | Slovenia (A) | ECQ | 1-0 | ||
| 22 Aug 2007 | Switzerland | Friendly | 3-1 | ||
| 08 Sep 2007 | Bulgaria (H) | ECQ | 2-0 | ||
| 12 Sep 2007 | Albania (A) | ECQ | 1-0 | ||
| 13 Oct 2007 | Romania (A) | ECQ | 0-1 | ||
| 17 Oct 2007 | Slovenia (H) | ECQ | 2-0 | ||
| 17 Nov 2007 | Luxembourg (H) | ECQ | 1-0 | ||
| 21 Nov 2007 | Belarus (A) | ECQ | 1-2 | ||
| 2008 | |||||
| 06 Feb 2008 | Croatia | Friendly | 3-0 | ||
| 26 Mar 2008 | Austria (A) | Friendly | 4-3 | ||
| 24 May 2008 | Ukraine (H) | Friendly | 3-0 | |
|
| 29 May 2008 | Denmark (H) | Friendly | 1-1 | ||
| 06 Sep 2008 | Australia (H) | Friendly | 1-2 | ||
| 11 Oct 2008 | Iceland (H) | WCQ | 2-0 | ||
| 15 Oct 2008 | Norway (A) | WCQ | 1-0 | ||
| 19 Nov 2008 | Sweden (H) | Friendly | 3-1 | ||
| 2009 | |||||
| 11 Feb 2009 | Tunisia (A) | Friendly | 1-1 | ||
| 1 Apr 2009 | Macedonia (H) | WCQ | 4-0 | ||
| 6 Jun 2009 | Iceland (A) | WCQ | 2-1 | ||
| 10 Jun 2009 | Norway (H) | WCQ | 2-0 |
*Correct as of 11 June 2009
** Holland score shown first
