Having star players in good form and a healthy slice of luck have been the main factors behind the Netherlands' progression to the World Cup semifinals, according to former Dutch midfielder Ruud Gullit.
The 47-year-old Gullit, who won the 1988 European Championship, said Monday that playmaker Wesley Sneijder and winger Arjen Robben have been inspirational and will play a crucial role in Tuesday's semifinal against Uruguay in Cape Town.
"We've played well and we've had a little bit of luck on our side,'' Gullit said, adding that Robben was "a vital player.''
The Netherlands benefited from an own goal in its opening group-stage win against Denmark, while Brazil midfielder Felipe Melo deflected the ball into his own net from Sneijder's cross to draw the Dutch level in their 2-1 quarterfinal win.
The Netherlands has never won the World Cup despite reaching the final in 1974 and '78 when the Dutch ``total football'' style was in full flow. Both those finals were lost against the host nation - West Germany and then Argentina.
"Everybody expects now this is the moment,'' Gullit said. "We have been in the final twice, but the difference in this tournament is that at last we won't play against the host.
"It's a great opportunity for this team to make it to the final, but first they have to play against Uruguay and that's also a difficult task.''
The Netherlands' 1988 European triumph is still the country's only major international honor, with Dutch teams regularly appearing to spend more time fighting among themselves than fulfilling their potential on the pitch.
Even at this tournament, a rift seemed to open up in the camp when stories surfaced in the Dutch media about Robin van Persie's anger at being substituted instead of Sneijder in the round of 16 match against Slovakia.
Sneijder went on to score the second Dutch goal in a 2-1 victory, but coach Bert van Marwijk was forced to call a team meeting to clear the air.
Gullit said the consequences of infighting and bickering are often overstated or misguided.
"I don't think it has much to do with that,'' Gullit said. "In '88, we also had an argument with the federation and sometimes you use these arguments to bond - they give you a common enemy.
"It's not just the harmony that's important (this time), we have also had luck on our side at key moments.''
