Each day between May 10 and the day before the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup on June 11, FoxSoccer.com analyst Jamie Trecker will preview each of the 32 teams playing in South Africa and tell you everything you need to know about each nation represented at the world's greatest sporting event.
Country: Netherlands
Nickname: “Oranje” (“Orange”)
Important note: Although the country is the Netherlands, and FIFA will designate them as such, the fans call their team Holland.
The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy, a modern, bustling industrialized society and a charter member of both NATO and the EU. A leader in electronics (Phillips), fuel (Royal Dutch Shell) and liquor (Heineken), the Netherlands are considered by some to be the world's first capitalist society, with a legacy of trade stretching back centuries and the continent's first active stock exchange.
Historically linked with the other "low countries," Belgium and Luxembourg, the Netherlands gained prosperity in the 18th century through the port of Amsterdam and the success of the Dutch East India Trading Company. The country is often referred to as “Holland,” and the team has worn the name on their national team jerseys. Sticklers will note, however, that the name is at best ambiguous and at worst incorrect as “Holland” is actually a region inside the Netherlands.
Largely an artificial country -- the land on which the Netherlands sits was reclaimed painstakingly by the country's vast series of dykes and dams -- the nation has the world's ninth largest economy and is one of the most densely populated. Famed for its windmills, tulip bulbs (speculation in which caused one of the more famous economic disasters in history) and clogs, the Netherlands is a picturesque place.
The House of Orange has been in power since 1814. Queen Beatrix (who celebrated her silver jubilee in 2005) wields little political power domestically, but retains a large say in international policies.
The Dutch are considered to be among the most tolerant people on the planet, reflected in their laissez-faire attitude towards prostitution and "soft" drugs in major cities such as Amsterdam.
There is one wee hiccup awaiting the Dutch at the World Cup: they have deep historic ties to South Africa ... and not all of them are good. It's going to be interesting to see how this team is greeted by the locals. If they get support, they'll be playing de-facto home games. If not, it could get ugly.
PAST WORLD CUP SUCCESS: The Netherlands has reached the World Cup finals a total of ten times, and are considered the best team never to have won the Cup. In 1974 and again in 1978, the Netherlands finished in second place, losing in the finals to West Germany and Argentina (both were the host country), respectively. After an exit in the semifinals in 1998, the Netherlands failed to qualify for 2002's World Cup. In 2006, Portugal ejected them in the knockout round in what is widely considered to be one of the ugliest Cup games ever played, with 16 cards shown and four ejections. Holland is also a three-time bronze medalist in the Olympic Games (1908, 1912, 1920).
REGIONAL SUCCESS: European champions in 1988, and have made to either the quarters or semis in every European Championship staged since.
LEAGUE OVERVIEW: The Eredivisie was once one of Europe's top leagues, consistently contributing major teams such as Ajax Amsterdam, Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven to the Champions League and UEFA Cup. Today, it's a bit faded as England, Italy, Spain and Germany have taken their best players. Ajax is a four-time winner of the European Cup, with PSV and Feyenoord also boasting one title apiece.
MANAGER: Bert van Marwijk. He's got a lot of club experience in Holland -- and one not-so-great tenure in Germany with Borussia Dortmund -- but he's well-respected and seems to be a calming influence on a side that has often been torn apart by dissent.
KEY PLAYERS: A lot of talent here. Mark van Bommel (Bayern) was critical for Bayern during their run to the European Cup final, and he's going to be the steady influence here as well. One of his opponents in that final, Wesley Sneijder, is no slouch either. And while we're talking about magicians, how about Arjen Robben, who single-handedly got Bayern into the finals? Robin van Persie (Arsenal) has returned from a bad injury and looks healthy and deadly. The only hiccup? In the net, where they sorely miss Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United), who retired from international competition. Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax) is his replacement, and he's not anywhere near van der Sar's level.
FIFA RANKINGS: 4th. Highest was 2nd (last year) and lowest was 25th (1998)
FIRST ROUND OPPONENTS: Cameroon, Denmark, Japan.
HEAD TO HEAD AGAINST CAMEROON: Two friendlies, one win, one draw, all on Dutch soil. Most recent was a 1-0 win in Rotterdam in 2006; in 1998 in Arnhem the two played to a scoreless draw.
HEAD TO HEAD AGAINST DENMARK: They play each other all the time, going all the way back to 1914. Overall, they're 11-10-6 against the Danes. Key games: The Danes beat Holland on kicks in 1992 en route to the European title. In 2000, Holland got revenge in the group stage, 3-0. Most of their meetings are friendly, with the most recent exhibition in 2008, when the sides drew 1-1 in Eindhoven.
HEAD TO HEAD AGAINST JAPAN: The Japanese have never beaten Holland at any level of competition. While the women's teams play fairly frequently, the men have met just twice at the senior level, if you're counting the Olympic games. (And technically, that's an Under-23 tournament.) Most recently, Japan dropped a friendly last year in Enschede 3-0 to the Dutch. At the Beijing Olympics, the Dutch ran out 1-0.
HOW THEY QUALIFIED: Cakewalk. They didn't lose a single game and finished perfect in Group E. They weren't with slouches, either. Scotland and Norway were in the group.
PERCENTAGE CHANCE TO PROGRESS: 100%
TO WATCH: Nigel de Jong had a mediocre season at Manchester City; we'll see if he can put it together here. Also keep in mind winger Eljero Elia (Hamburg), a rising star. Basically, as long as these guys don't get into a kicking contest with another team, they can roar right past 'em.
ROSTER
Goalkeepers: Sander Boschker (Twente), Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax), Michel Vorm (Utrecht).
Defenders: Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart), Edson Braafheid (Celtic), John Heitinga (Everton), Joris Mathijsen (Hamburg), Andre Ooijer (PSV Eindhoven), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax)
Midfielders: Ibrahim Afellay (PSV Eindhoven), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Demy de Zeeuw (Ajax), Stijn Schaars (AZ Alkmaar), Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan), Mark van Bommel (Bayern Munich), Rafael van der Vaart (Real Madrid)
Forwards: Ryan Babel (Liverpool), Eljero Elia (Hamburg), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (AC Milan), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich), Robin van Persie (Arsenal)
TOMORROW'S TEAM: Germany
