Netherlands OVERVIEW 
Fewer countries have endured less World Cup Finals heartbreak than the Dutch. Runners up in successive World Cup finals in 1974 and 1978, a decade which was undoubtedly their greatest. Players such as Johan Cruyff and Johan Neeeskens wowed fans and tormented defenses with a style of football never before seen. While the 80's quitened down a little, the side of the 1990 World Cup including Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijcard and Marco Van Basten, Holland were expected to make a real challenge but suffered the agony of a second round defeat at the hands of eventual winners, Germany. The Netherlands have reached the World Cup Finals an impressive seven times but were left devestated after failing to make the 2002 World Cup, especially after losing on penalties at Euro 2000 in their homeland. They also lost at the semi-final stage of Euro 2004 to further dent confidence. However they still have a very talented squad with both youth (Arjen Robben, Rafael van der Vaart) and experience (Edgar Davids, Jaap Stam, and Ruud Van Nistelrooy) Holland should be good enough to make a real impression in the upcoming tournament.
Scroll down the page for world cup statistics of Netherlands and
background information on the country.
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Netherlands World Cup Statistics
Confederation: EuropePrevious World Cup Appearances: 1934, 1938, 1974, 1978, 1990, 1994, 1998 Best Finish: Runners-up (1974, 1978) Netherlands General Information
Capital City: AmsterdamCurrency: Euro Population: 16.2 million Official Languages: Dutch Country History and Background
Netherlands, The, a small country in northwestern Europe that faces the North Sea. It is the largest of the Low Countries, which also include Belgium and Luxembourg. The Netherlands is often called Holland, but Holland is really the name of only the northwestern part of the country. The Dutch have a saying that “God created the world, but the Dutch created Holland.” About half the land in The Netherlands lies at or below sea level. Much of this land has been reclaimed from the sea. The Dutch built dikes around swampy or flooded land and then pumped the water out. The pumping was originally done with windmills, but today electric pumps are used. The Netherlands has few natural resources, and its lands are poor for agriculture. However, the Dutch people have struggled against these obstacles and have made The Netherlands one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Foreign trade is the mainstay of the Dutch economy. Several major rivers of Europe flow through The Netherlands into the sea. These rivers and the country’s location on the North Sea have helped make it a great trading nation. The Netherlands is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. About 90 percent of its people live in cities. Amsterdam is the capital and largest city. The seat of government is in The Hague. Rotterdam is the major Dutch port and the country’s second largest city. Player to Watch
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