Next up in the Top Ten Past Heroes series we take a look at one of the most talented international teams in the world – Holland. For all their skill and World class talent, Holland have only ever won one big tournament (Euro 1988). Ever time a World Cup roles around the Dutch are near the top of the list of favorites, yet they consistently disappoint. Going into this summers World Cup, Holland will be seen again as one of the favorites. Her is our list of Top 10 Past Heroes.
JOHAN CRUYFF
Career Clubs: 1964-73 Ajax, 1973-78 Barcelona, 1979-80 LA Aztecs, 1980-81 Washington Diplomats, 1981 Levante, 1981-83 Ajax, 1983-84 Feyenoord.
Cruyff made 48 appearances for the Dutch, scoring 33 goals. He was the recipient of the Ballon d’or on three occasions, 1971, 1973 and 1974. Cruyff was the first Dutch player to be sent-off while on International duty, receiving a year suspension from the Dutch Federation. In 1974 Cruyff led the Dutch team to the runners-up spot in the World Cup. The Dutch had taken the lead without a W. German player even touching the ball, however W. Germany came back to win the game 2-1.
Cruyff retired from International football in 1977, he missed the ’78 World Cup Finals in doing so. Only recently has he stated the reason for his early retirement and missing the ’78 Finals. The reason’s were because there was a kidnap plot on his family the year before and he refused to put his family at risk.
After retiring from the game completely he had a successful coaching spell at both Ajax and Barcelona.
MARCO VAN BASTEN
Career Clubs: 1982-87 Ajax, 1987-93 AC Milan.
Van Basten made 58 appearances for the Dutch, scoring 24 goals. He is another player who was the recipient of the Ballon d’or in ’88, ’89 and ’92. Van Basten was part of the 1990 World Cup Finals squad but they exited the tournament in the second round. Van Basten scored 5 goals as the Dutch won the 1988 Euro Cup, beating the U.S.S.R in the final, of his 5 goals three came against England.
Van Basten announced his retirement in 1995 after battling an ankle injury for two years, having had several operations to rectify the problem, he was only 29 when he first picked up the injury cutting short a wonderful players career.
After retirement he managed the Dutch national side for 4 years 2004-08.
RUUD GULLIT
Career Clubs: 1979-82 HFC Haarlem, 1982-85 Feyenoord, 1985-87 PSV, 1987-93 AC Milan, 1993-94 Sampdoria, 1994 AC Milan, 1994-95 Sampdoria, 1995-98 Chelsea.
Guillit made 66 appearances for the Dutch, scoring 17 goals. Guillit played in only one World Cup Finals 1990, but the Germans beat them in the second round, gaining revenge on the Dutch after they were beaten in the Euro 88 finals which the Dutch went on to win. Guillit was an outstanding roving midfielder. But in 1993, then manager Dick Advocaat played Guillit as a winger, Guillit was unhappy not to playing in his usual central role and a public row ensued. Shortly before the 1994 World Cup finals, Guillit walked out of a pre-training camp, leading to the end of his international career.
After retiring Guillit had managerial stints at Chelsea, Newcastle, Feyenoord and most recently LA Galaxy.
FRANK RIJKAARD
Career Clubs: 1980-87 Ajax, 1987-88 Sportig SP, 1987-88 Real Zaragoza loanee, 1988-93 AC Milan, 1993-95 Ajax.
Rijkaard played 73 times for the Dutch, scoring 10 goals. He made his debut in 1981. He was an integral part of the successful Dutch side to win Euro 88. In the 1990 World Cup Finals he was involved in a disgusting spitting incident involving Germany’s Rudi Voeller, both men were sent off, it was the only blot on an otherwise brilliant international career. Rijkaard made his final international appearance at the’94 finals, when the Dutch were defeated in the quarter-finals against eventual winners Brazil on a scoreline of 3-2.
JOHAN NEESKEN
Career Clubs: 1968-70 RCH, 1970-74 Ajax, 1974-79 Barcelona, 1979-84 New York Cosmos, 1984-85 FC Groningen, 1985 Minnesota Strikers, 1985 Fort Lauderdale Sun, 1986-87 Amateur League, 1987-90 FC Baar, 1990-91 FC Zug.
Neeskens played 49 times for the Dutch, scoring 17 goals. He played in two World Cup Finals ’74 and ’78 where he ended up on the losing team in two consecutive Finals. He scored after 2 mins from the spot in the ’74 Final against W. Germany, only for the Germans to score two winning the trophy 2-1. In the ’78 Final the Dutch were beaten once more, this time by Argentina 3-1. He played his last game in 1981 against France.
After retiring from football in 1991,he took up coaching and was assistant coach for the Dutch from 1995-2000 and assistant coach of Australia from 2005-06.
RONALD KOEMAN
Career Clubs: 1980-83 Groningen, 1983-86 Ajax, 1986-89 PSV, 1989-95 Barcelona, 1995-97 Feyenoord.
Koeman played 78 times for the Dutch, scoring 14 goals. He played in two World Cup Finals ’90 and ’94. He scored 193 league goals in his career the most by a defender so far. He was deadly from dead ball situations,he had both power and accuracy for both penalties and free-kicks. One of the Dutch’s unsung heroes in their Euro ’88 success.
He currently manages AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch League.
DENNIS BERGKAMP
Career Clubs: 1986-93 Ajax, 1993-95 Inter Milan, 1995-2006 Arsenal.
Bergkamp played 79 times for the Dutch, scoring 37 goals. Bergkamp missed the 2002 World Cup Finals, because of his fear of flying (aviophobia). However he did play in the ’94 and ’98 Finals. He scored one goal in the ’94 Finals in a 3-2 defeat to Brazil. In the ’98 Finals he scored three goals, his most memorable goal coming against Argentina to send his side into the Semi-Finals. He announced his retirement after Euro 2000, knowing the next Finals in 2002 were in Japan and South Korea, and he couldn’t travel due to his phobia.
He is currently taking his coaching badges in London.
PATRICK KLUIVERT
Career Clubs:1994-97 Ajax, 1997-98 AC Milan, 1998-2004 Barcelona, 2004-05 Newcastle United, 2005-06 Valencia, 2006-07 PSV, 2007-08 Lille.
Kluivert played 79 times for the Dutch, scoring a Dutch international record of 40 goals. Kluivert was a tall man but had a brilliant touch for a man his size. In the ’98 World Cup Finals, he was sent off against Belgium, but made amends when scoring the equaliser against Brazil on his return from suspension in the Semi-Finals, only to lose on the dreaded penalty shoot-out.
He currently is coaching strikers in Europe.
JOHNNY REP
Career Clubs: 1971-75 Ajax, 1975-77 Valencia, 1977-79 SC Bastia, 1979-83 Saint Etienne, 1983-84 PEC Zwolle, 1984-86 Feyenoord, 1986-87 FC Haarlem.
Rep played 42 times for the Dutch, scoring 12 goals. He currently holds the record for most World Cup Finals goals fort the Dutch with 7 scored. He played in the ’74 and ’78 World Cup Finals only to be beaten in both Finals. He played as an inside forward in both Finals.
After retiring he coached at a lower level than what his talents were used to on the field.
EDWIN VAN DER SAR
Career Clubs: 1988-99 Ajax, 1999-2001 Juventus, 2001-05 Fulham, 2005-present Manchester United.
Van Der Sar holds the record for most appearances for the Dutch with 130 caps. He made his debut in 1995 against Belarus. He played in the 2004 World Cup Finals, before the Group match against the Ivory Coast he had kept 9 clean sheets. In 2008, Van Der Sar came to the Dutch’s rescue when both their keepers were injured, so he came out of retirement for two World Cup 2010 qualifiers, keeping two clean sheets, before retiring once again
He is currently Manchester United’s first choice keeper.
