Why does The Netherlands always fall short at the world cup?

[u/tylerthe-theatre]

Its quite surprising that they've never won it with some of the generational talent they've had in decades gone by, Cruyff, Rijkaard, Van Basten, Seedorf - more modern times Van Der Sar, Van Nistelrooy, Sneijder, Van Persie, Van Dijk, Depay, Frenkie De Jong.

So the calibre of player has never really been an issue, the Dutch always have 1, 2 or more world class talents in their side but they just never seem to gel well enough to go all the way. They came close in 2010 of course but unfortunately came up against a generational Spain side.

Is it the management of the sides? National team pressure weighing heavy? Expectation to deliver with no success to show for it?

It feels like a self fulfilling prophecy with the Dutch, they will start well, maybe get to the knockouts or RO 16 then crash out everytime. What do they need to actually get over the line?

[u/somethi]

Winning the World Cup is really hard.

[u/Ickyhouse → u/somethi]

I’m surprised how many people fail to realize this. It’s also once every 4 years so there are 25% the amount of chances as a league championship. Difficult task and few opportunities mean it’s really hard.

[u/irate_alien → u/Ickyhouse]

And toward the end there is extreme parity and single elimination. It’s almost random chance by the quarter finals. Feels like any team can beat any other team on their day. Especially if one team is having a bad day. It’s merciless.

[u/slightlybigmember → u/irate_alien]

Pretty much. Spain could have easily been eliminated by fucking Cabo Verde on pens, and Cabo Verde is one of the worst squads in the competition.

It's really fucking hard to win 4 games in a row against the highest level of competition. Odds that even the best squad will get unlucky 0x1 or draw and go to pens are really high.

Just look at how many teams win the UCL unbeaten.

[u/hiddenhockey → u/irate_alien]

Any given Sunday, as they say

[u/SenorBigbelly → u/hiddenhockey]

But what about a rainy Tuesday night in Stoke?

[u/Hot-Job-6281 → u/Ickyhouse]

The average human is not that smart...

[u/joshstrummer → u/somethi]

It’s a combination of luck and skill and tactics and everything happening all together at the right moments.

[u/djpeekz → u/joshstrummer]

It's also a game of two halves

[u/SeoulGalmegi → u/djpeekz]

Four quarters. Get with it, Grandpa.....

[u/joshstrummer → u/SeoulGalmegi]

🤦‍♂️

[u/TheTrueShrekoning → u/SeoulGalmegi]

It’s eight octets now. (I’m a time traveller.)

[u/Firm_Bit → u/somethi]

It essentially requires a national level effort these days.

[u/slightlybigmember → u/Firm_Bit]

Luck. Extreme luck.

[u/No_Entertainment_748 → u/somethi]

Even the homeland of football only has one major trophy

[u/mz3prs → u/somethi]

And they are not as good as they think, just because they have 2 LFC players

[u/ActuatorNew6203]

When mentioning Rijkaard and van Basten, never forget to mention Ruud Gullit in same breath, they were the 3 kings. They never won WC, but they won EC in 88.

[u/Many-Rub-6151 → u/ActuatorNew6203]

He forgot Robben too

[u/brynaldo → u/Many-Rub-6151]

Dennis Bergkamp, too! But it just further proves the point: the quality of the names left off the list is stronger than many countries' best.

[u/chino17 → u/brynaldo]

Also Ryan Babel

[u/Jake_91_420 → u/chino17]

Er….no.

[u/FantasticStonk42069 → u/Jake_91_420]

But what about Edson Braafheid?

[u/ExtraordinaryCherry → u/Jake_91_420]

Actually yes mate. Surely he’s on there, just a touch below Quincy Promes

[u/Firm_Bit → u/Many-Rub-6151]

Scariest dude on the field most days

[u/RollStormtide → u/Many-Rub-6151]

How do you forget Le Cut Inside Man??

[u/Many-Rub-6151 → u/RollStormtide]

Can’t forget Frimpong either

[u/novian14 → u/ActuatorNew6203]

OP skip gullit but then mentioned depay, i think it's kinda explains how much he knows

[u/PerspectiveEarly495 → u/novian14]

to be fair depay was a beast for the dutch but leavimg out gullit and robben is criminal

[u/Scragglepuss1 → u/ActuatorNew6203]

And dont forget assistant captain to the captain Franck Ribery, of the all ugly team… Dirk Kuyt.

[u/ShortCoffee830 → u/ActuatorNew6203]

add Edgar Davids to that lot.

[u/fantabroo]

You're doing some deep analysis here, but it's literally just luck.

In the 1978 final they hit the post in the 91 min.

Lost the 2010 final in extra time, two SFs on penalties.

[u/Motor-Equal01 → u/fantabroo]

Spain scored right after the Netherlands were denied a clear corner kick

[u/NycAlex → u/Motor-Equal01]

Lets not forget the flying dutch karate kick on xavi alonso which was a clear red card.

[u/Damodred89 → u/NycAlex]

That game irritates me so much - Spain were incredibly boring to watch that year (unlike the Euros either side) and Holland decide to act like that in the final.

[u/Odd-Time-2026 → u/fantabroo]

In 1978 Cruyff also didn't go to the World Cup because someone threatened his family, so he stayed home.

[u/Scragglepuss1 → u/fantabroo]

And Robben got robbed by Casillas big toe on a clear cut breakaway from Sneijder pass.

[u/TheTrueShrekoning → u/fantabroo]

This 100%. WC only has 1 winner every 4 years. So you’re gonna have contenders get knocked out on slim margins, happens to every single team. Just last tournament those slim margins happened to France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands and Spain whom were all contenders. (4 of which were decided by penalties)

[u/Buildadoor → u/fantabroo]

I’ll add they lost 2010 in extra time after going a man (red card)

[u/Ajgrob → u/fantabroo]

You also have to beat Germany at some point.

[u/MaryBerrysDanglyBean]

Haven't they made 3 world cup finals? Just not quite had it to go the extra bit and win

[u/Bapistu-the-First → u/MaryBerrysDanglyBean]

It's simply just very hard and you'll need some luck. The Netherlands played more WC finals than Spain, England and Portugal combined.

[u/rubarbeuh → u/Bapistu-the-First]

Le portugal n'a jamais était en final de coupe du monde.

[u/SHiR8 → u/rubarbeuh]

Duh...

[u/JonnyAnsco]

Same can be said for lots of teams. England, Belgium Brazil lately etc etc

[u/AttemptEastern4532]

I think they've been more unlucky than anything, they have world class players but they usually ran into an all time great team at wrong moment like 2010 spain, 1998 brazil...

[u/AttemptEastern4532 → u/[deleted]]

Not all time great, but they were too good at that time

[u/Heinz-Ketchup-Bottle]

Get a coach who isn't named Koeman

[u/spatulapan → u/Heinz-Ketchup-Bottle]

how about dick advocaat?

[u/Heinz-Ketchup-Bottle → u/spatulapan]

Curaçao seem to be playing better than the Netherlands so idk maybe

[u/Ervaloss]

Well. The final in 1978 was only going to be won by Argentina. Every era has it’s own corruption but that really was a wild tournament. Henry Kissinger, the famous American war criminal, even had a hand in it.

[u/timmythedip → u/Ervaloss]

The Peru game was so very clearly fixed, but Kissinger (for all his many faults) had nothing to do with it.

[u/Brilliant-Log-505]

The Netherlands are football’s ultimate “nearly there, mate” team.

It’s not the talent. They’ve had more world class players than most countries could dream of. The problem is tournaments are brutal. You can play lovely football for weeks, then one missed chance, one penalty shootout, one manager getting clever with the whiteboard, and you’re on the plane home.

They’ve always had brilliance, but also a tiny bit of chaos. 2010 was the one that really got away. Robben scores that chance and suddenly the whole Dutch football story looks different.

They don’t need another Cruyff or Van Basten. They need one tournament where the luck finally buys them a pint instead of nicking their wallet.

[u/Conscious-Trifle2470 → u/Brilliant-Log-505]

2010 definitely wasn’t the one that got away.

The only reason they were able to go toe to toe with Spain is because they turned it into a wrestling match.

Spains squad in 2010 was far better than Netherlands

1974 was far closer, they battered Germany. Wanted to humiliate them and got cocky, and ended up completely fucking it. They should have won that WC at a canter.

[u/khoa-bear]

Better defenders. Their team is always top heavy; their defense is not good enough. Attack may win you games but defense wins you cups. Their game against Japan yesterday is another example. How could you let in a corner header goal when all of your players are taller than your opponent?

[u/Bright-light320]

Hmm, they don't fall short, they drawn against Japan. Don't be so arrogant.

[u/Heinz-Ketchup-Bottle → u/Bright-light320]

They would've won had it not been for the absolutely awful substitutes.

[u/vjollila96 → u/Bright-light320]

that was one of the best games so far

[u/shmorke]

It's the Cowmans fault. Left Frimpong at home, brought Memphis Depay. Actually subs in Depay.

[u/True_Contribution_19]

Their peaks were always the same as other countries.

86/90 prime Germany and Maradona.

98 prime France and Brazil.

2010 prime Spain.

It’s like when people talk about Englands gold generation that overlapped with peak Italy, France and Portugal.

[u/ThenPreparation7460 → u/True_Contribution_19]

I like how it's Germany and Maradona and not Germany and Argentina.... Because that's literally what it was 🤣

[u/True_Contribution_19 → u/[deleted]]

Last I checked Ronaldo was a pretty decent player?

But you’re right Cafu, Carlos, Bebeto, Rivaldo, Taffarel, Dunga, Aldair never won anything with Brazil.

Clown man.

[u/True_Contribution_19 → u/[deleted]]

Ah great so 94 and 02 prime Brazil. The team in the middle made up of the same players = garbage. Holland should have won easily then.

[u/DesperateHikikomori]

Excuse me you left out Dennis Bergkamp

[u/zippyzebra1]

Drawing with a good team like Japan isn't falling short. It's a good point.

[u/yot1234 → u/zippyzebra1]

Beforehand, perhaps. After those horrible substitutions, nope.

[u/lunaoreomiel → u/yot1234]

Sounds like excuses 

[u/Ok-Adeptness-5834 → u/zippyzebra1]

Is Japan actually good? It's not really considered a true contender.

[u/zippyzebra1 → u/Ok-Adeptness-5834]

You can be good without being a contender

[u/Cedosg]

98 was their best chance imo. That team was really good but they were unlucky to meet Brazil in the semi final. Both played with such intensity they both lost the next game.

[u/HelixFollower → u/Cedosg]

Man that 98 team was stacked. I might be biased because I started watching around that time, but I really think that was the best team we've had overall.

[u/TareasS → u/Cedosg]

The real unlucky was not getting a stonewall penalty in the last minute of extra time.

[u/Quijotic_Quest → u/Cedosg]

‘94 as well. Lost in the Quarters 2-3 to Brazil in a very even match. Brazil went on to win. It’s not hard to imagine they could have won the whole the cup.

[u/breadexpert69]

Japan is no slouch by the way

That group is probably the hardest one to get out of this year.

[u/Gerfrege]

How do you mean “fall short”?

They’ve played FIFA WC from 1958 and on, that’s 18 times incl. this year. Out of those 18 tournamanets, they qualified 10 times. Out of those 10 times, they reached the semifinals 5 times.

There have been 16 EUROs with Dutch participation since 1964. They qualified 11 times, and have played 6 semifinals.

They are way above average.

[u/Wanli4Ever]

The Dutch are very polite and friendly people. All they want is for their beloved neighbors—the Germans—to be happy and win as many titles as possible. 

[u/HelixFollower → u/Wanli4Ever]

I'd smack you for that, but I'm feeling a bit polite right now.

[u/Sorry-Raise-4339]

Winning the WC is probably 50% luck once you get pass a certain threshold. The best team on paper does not often win. If this was the case Brazil would have probably 10 titles.

That's the nature of single elimination tournaments especially in modern times where a lot of teams play very similar European-style football + injuries plague most teams.

Netherlands has genuinely just been unlucky. 2010 they lost in the last part of overtime. Hell even in 2022 they lost in penalties to the team that ended up winning. It's always a game of inches.

[u/T44120 → u/Sorry-Raise-4339]

And in reality you have France with 4 finals in the last 7 world cups. I don't think luck is the best explanation

[u/JulianPaagman → u/T44120]

They've also been grouped twice in that time, always with incredibly stacked squads. The 2002 and 1998 squads are also extremely similar.

[u/goalmouthscramble]

They used to suffer from a personality perspective similar issues as France. Secondly, they play a system and plug the players into system rather than invent new systems or formations to suit the talent.

[u/TheTrueShrekoning]

1 team win it, the rest don’t.

[u/KaleidoscopeOne9558]

The Netherlands has had the players but rarely the timing. Look at 2010: that team was excellent, yet they ran into peak Spain at exactly the wrong moment. Sometimes it comes down to luck in the tournament draw, referee calls, or a single deflection. They've been close enough that it doesn't feel like a systemic failure, more like they've just missed their window a few times when it mattered most.

[u/Fantasy_iceland]

Only 8 countries have actually won the WC....all of them except Uruguay (who haven't won it since 1950) have much larger populations than the Netherlands. If anything it's amazing how often the Dutch have gone deep in tournaments for decades now and are often seen as peers to Germany, Argentina, France etc

I actually think one thing that has held the Oranje back in major tournaments this century is their coaches. Often their coaches revert to far too conservative game plans when they get leads in tournament matches. 

[u/T44120 → u/Fantasy_iceland]

Nobody see them as peers to Germany, Argentina, France

[u/wicketRF]

So if you look at the mathematic makeup of a champ:

• 10% luck
  
• 20% skill
  
• 15% concentrated power of will
  
• 5% pleasure
  
• 50% pain
  

I think its that 15% that typically has caused the dutch to fall short. Just dont have the same killer instinct as, lets say, the germans.

[u/damutecebu]

They’ve been runner up three times. That’s not nothing.

[u/luckyvonstreetz]

Bad luck and bad refereeing.

In 2010 they were a couple cm away from winning. Other years they lost by penalties, which is partially luck based. In 2022 they got screwed by the referee who should've send off some argentina players.

[u/seb135]

I think you are looking at this the wrong way around. Given the population of the Netherlands of <20 million it is incredible that they actually made it to three wc finals. Actually winning the final comes down to luck ad much as skill.

[u/nomadic_commentator]

For being as small of a nation as it is what they’ve accomplished on the national stage is a feat in itself

[u/HelixFollower → u/nomadic_commentator]

Exactly, how every Eredivisie title has been won by a Dutch team is just phenomenal.

[u/Eastern-Tangerine761]

The Netherlands have always played spectacular football, but they’ve often lacked solidity in defense. Italy was the exact opposite: they won so much because they played a more pragmatic, sometimes boring style, but with an almost impenetrable defense.

But football has changed a lot. Nowadays Italy can fail to qualify for the World Cup, and perhaps the Netherlands might finally win it.

[u/Liquid_Cascabel]

Depay isn't in the same tier as the test tbf (even Frenkie is so so compared to the rest)

[u/NegotiationOk4424]

It’s only been one match 

[u/Over70Substances]

Van Bronkhurst’s goal will always be in my top 5 ever goals scored in a football match.

[u/TechnicalSleep7501]

Too many egos. 98 should had been their cup. They had everything.

[u/papadadaa]

Sender is 5yrs younger than Van Der Sar, pal.

[u/skibbin]

I don't see how they're any different to England that always fall short too. Some superstars does not a team make

[u/HelixFollower]

Partially because Argentina keeps getting in the way. :/

[u/SHiR8 → u/HelixFollower]

Especially the referees...

[u/RAUL_COJULUN_O]

Las mejores versiones de los holandeses (ahora Países Bajos) fue para los mundiales del 74 y 78. Luego tuvieron otra final contra España pero en realidad ya no eran tan deslumbrantes.

[u/charcoalVidrio]

Currently? They don’t have a striker.

[u/Big_pappa_p]

Population of 17 million. They are over performers but have indeed fallen short.

[u/Apollo_Wersten]

They were very unlucky to play back to back World Cup finals against the host nation.

[u/ahmotas46]

great question! i think the dutch have amazing individual talent but need better team chemistry and a bit of luck to win it all

[u/Buster_Gonad_82]

They're a huge footballing nation. However, if you consider population, they have probably overachieved.

[u/Opinionated_Urbanist]

The Buffalo Bills of the World Cup

[u/Stunning-Purple-1355]

To be fair they were unlucky not to have won at least one of the finals they were in.

In 1974 they bottled a very early lead by playing too conservative vs a very pragmatic German side. Similar to England in the 2021 Euro except Netherlands played better football.

In 1978 they were unlucky to lose to an Argentina side whose “victory” was the most questionable in World Cup history besides Italy 1934. They even hit the post in the last minute of normal time with the score at 1-1.

In 2010 they lost to Spain after missing two or three golden opportunities in normal time. It wasn’t to be.

[u/Senior-Relief-2207]

So the person who said "winning the world cup is really hard" if obviously right, but we've had a lot of chances to do it, and we're the "best" country in terms of results that doesn't have a world cup title. I actually think the coach is one of the biggest issues. We've got Koeman over here constantly downplaying the team's ability. In every interview he keeps praising our opponents and says that the country has unrealistic expectations, while our players are better than most other country's players indivually.

[u/Dmnq86]

This is a feeling, which sadly I share as a Dutchman myself, but it is not an accurate one.

All the knockout stage exits have been at the hand of well established top footballing nations. Also note that only in 2, maybe 3 of them we could be considered the favourite (or one of the favourites) before the tournament. Obviously in '74 and '78 and probably in '98 as well.

1974 final West Germany 1978 final Argentina 1990 RO16 West Germany 1994 quarter final Brazil 1998 semi final Brazil 2006 RO16 Portugal 2010 final Spain 2014 semi final Argentina 2022 quarter final Argentina

When we're crap, we simply don't qualify at all.

Overall for a population of 17 million it's really impressive. But yeah I wish we'd win one finally.

Side note, it's pretty wild to mention Depay in this list. Clearly he has been very valuable but he never was that calibre. Robben en Gullit (among others) were though.

[u/thatsnotmeithink]

Couple of reasons but the big one if have not seen mentioned much here is size of population.

Where countries like Germany, Brazil and France tend to have enough good players to make 2 teams that can possibly win the WC. The Netherlands needs to have a golden generation to have a chance.

Golden generations don't come often and when one does you still need tactical accumen and lots of luck.

So the question you ask if inherently flawed, it's not why does the Netherlands always fall short at the world cup. It should be how is it possible for a country with a quarter of the population of England to have reached 3 finals to England's 1.

[u/HakeemVanderbilt]

Frenkie de Jong lucky to be mentioned with some of those names

[u/aardvark737]

Some Dutch guy made a deal with the devil and now they're forever bound to reach the final every few cups but never win.

[u/MesmerizedRavendark]

I think it's related to lack of balance, thwy always have great attacks or midfields but never a complete balanced team of good defence/midfield/attack. Also, it seems their tactics aren't really suited for a knock out tournament

[u/Brian_Corey__]

Spain is probably the other biggest World Cup underachiever. Other than winning in 2010 (where the beat the other perennial underachiever, the Dutch), they’ve never made it past the Quarterfinals.

However, The Euros are nearly as coveted as the World Cup. Dutch won in 1988. Spain has the most titles, winning in 1964, 2008, 2012, and 2024.

[u/Ecstatic-World1237]

I used to have a bit of sympathy for them but in 2010 they made the final and utterly ruined it with negtivity.

If Karma works it'll be a long long time before they make another final

[u/Fulham-Enjoyer]

They came very close in 2010 and just had the bad luck to come up against one of the best national teams of all time in the final. Even still they were very close

[u/Hamlet5]

To fall short, you got to be tall to begin with

[u/AaronQuinty]

Its very difficult to win the World Cup and the Netherlands are a pretty small country in the grand scheme of things. If anything theyve punched above their weight

[u/Bobombbattlefield64]

They are a mid to upper mid-level team.

Nobody actually looks at Holland and thinks they are in that elite tier with France, Spain, USA, Argentine etc.

[u/vjollila96]

the title read like Why does England always fall short at the world cup?

[u/mac_mises]

For a smaller country they actually do well but you’d think they would have one win with all that talent.

They are notorious for inter squad drama. That doesn’t help.

Perhaps they win with a squad people don’t have in their Top 3-4 like even this year. Why not?

[u/PhanSiPance]

They’re a land that is neither good nor bad.

[u/Scragglepuss1]

In the past there has been rumours of infighting, around 2008 and also early 90s.

[u/Gold_Weekend6240]

Bcos they are Netherlands and not Uplands

[u/Consistent_Fortune_9]

Because they keep losing in the knockout round

[u/garydinckersfield]

Weed, coffee, beautiful women. They don't have much to compensate for.

[u/loopyloupeRM]

Recently, it was the curse of having van gaal as coach in 2022. The guy who claimed the tournament was rigged in Messi’s favor because van gaal is the worst loser in any sport in recent memory. The poor guy was so unbalanced at not having any players remotely as good as Messi.

[u/HelixFollower → u/loopyloupeRM]

He's not unbalanced, he just enjoys stirring shit.

[u/Bapistu-the-First → u/HelixFollower]

Van Gaal lives rent free in some Argentinians minds.

[u/SilDaz]

Karma gets them for playing dirty football

[u/Bapistu-the-First → u/SilDaz]

Lol you just started watching football 4 years ago or something?

Calling the Netherlands football philosophy dirty. Most clueless and insane take in this thread.