Netherlands national football team records and statistics

This page details Netherlands national football team records; the most capped players, the players with the most goals, Netherlands' match record by opponent and decade.

As of 20 November 2018

Team records

Tournament records

See also: Netherlands at the FIFA World Cup

• The Netherlands used all 23 players during the 2014 World Cup, making it the first team in World Cup history to ever use all of its squad players.
• World Cup Appearances: 10 (most recent in 2014)
• Most successful World Cup appearance: Runners-Up (1974, 1978, 2010)
• European Championship Appearances: 9 (most recent in 2012)
• Most successful European Championship appearance: Winners (1988)
• Summer Olympics Appearances: 8 (most recent in 2008)
• Most successful Olympics appearance: Third Place (1908, 1912, 1920)

Honours

• FIFA World Cup runners-up: 3

1974, 1978, 2010

• UEFA European Championship winners: 1

1988

• UEFA Nations League runners-up: 1

2019

• Olympic bronze medals: 3

1908, 1912, 1920

Match records

Firsts

• First match: Belgium 1 – 4 Netherlands (Antwerp, Belgium; 30 April 1905)
• First World Cup finals match: Switzerland 3 – 2 Netherlands (Milan, Italy; 27 May 1934)
• First European Championship finals match: Netherlands 1 – 3 Czechoslovakia (Zagreb, Yugoslavia; 16 June 1976)

Record results

• Biggest win:
  • Netherlands 11 – 0 San Marino (Eindhoven, Netherlands; 2 September 2011)
• Biggest loss:
  • England AM. 12 – 2 Netherlands (Darlington, England; 21 December 1907)

Rankings

FIFA

• Highest FIFA Rank: 1 (August 2011)
• Lowest FIFA Rank: 32 (April 2017)
• FIFA Team of the Year First place: 1

2000

• FIFA Team of the Year Third place: 3

2005, 2008, 2009

Elo

• Highest Elo ranking: 1
  (June 1978, June 1988 – June 1990, June–September 1992, June 2002, June–September 2003, October 2005, June 2008, July 2010, June 2014)
• Lowest Elo Ranking: 56 (October 1954)

Head to head records

As of 19 November 2019''

• Draws include Penalty shoot-outs

  Positive Record   Neutral Record   Negative Record

Opponent	P	W	D*	L	GF	GA	GD	%W	%D	%L
Albania	4	4	0	0	7	1	+6	100%	0%	0%
Andorra	6	6	0	0	21	0	+21	100%	0%	0%
Argentina	9	4	4	1	13	6	+7	44.44%	44.44%	11.11%
Armenia	2	2	0	0	3	0	+3	100%	0%	0%
Australia	4	1	2	1	5	5	0	25%	50%	25%
Austria	19	9	4	6	36	24	+12	47.36%	21.05%	31.57%
Belarus	10	8	0	2	23	6	+17	80%	0%	20%
Belgium	127	55	31	41	280	220	+60	43.30%	24.40%	32.28%
Brazil	12	4	5	3	18	15	+3	33.33%	41.66%	25%
Bulgaria	12	5	2	5	20	17	+3	41.66%	16.66%	41.66%
Cameroon	3	2	1	0	3	1	+2	66.66%	33.33%	0%
Canada	1	1	0	0	3	0	+3	100%	0%	0%
Chile	2	1	1	0	4	2	+2	50%	50%	0%
China	2	2	0	0	4	0	+4	100%	0%	0%
Colombia	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0%	100%	0%
Costa Rica	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0%	100%	0%
Croatia	2	1	0	1	4	2	+2	50%	0%	50%
Curaçao	3	2	1	0	16	1	+15	66.66%	33.33%	0%
Cyprus	9	9	0	0	34	1	+33	100%	0%	0%
Czech Republic	20	5	4	11	22	33	−11	25%	20%	55%
Denmark	31	12	10	9	59	43	+16	38.70%	32.25%	29.03%
East Germany	9	6	1	2	17	10	+7	66.66%	11.11%	22.22%
Ecuador	2	1	1	0	2	1	+1	50%	50%	0%
Egypt	2	0	1	1	1	2	−1	0%	50%	50%
England	22	7	9	6	29	31	−2	31.81%	40.90%	27.27%
Estonia	6	5	1	0	23	4	+19	83.33%	16.66%	0%
Faroe Islands	1	1	0	0	3	0	+3	100%	0%	0%
Finland	14	11	2	1	43	14	29	78.57%	14.28%	9.09%
France	28	11	4	13	56	47	+19	44%	14.28%	46.42%
Germany	44	12	16	16	75	84	−9	27.27%	36.36%	36.36%
Ghana	3	2	1	0	5	1	+4	66.66%	33.33%	0%
Greece	9	7	1	1	20	3	+17	77.77%	11.11%	11.11%
Hungary	17	10	2	5	51	29	+22	58.82%	11.76%	29.41%
Indonesia	2	2	0	0	12	2	+10	100%	0%	0%
Iceland	12	9	1	2	33	7	+26	81.81%	9.09%	18.18%
Iran	1	1	0	0	3	0	+3	100%	0%	0%
Israel	4	4	0	0	6	1	+5	100%	0%	0%
Ivory Coast	2	2	0	0	7	1	+6	100%	0%	0%
Italy	21	3	9	9	21	28	−7	14.28%	42.85%	42.85%
Japan	3	2	1	0	6	2	+4	66.66%	33.33%	00
Kazakhstan	2	2	0	0	5	2	+3	100%	0%	0%
Latvia	3	3	0	0	11	0	+11	100%	0%	0%
Liechtenstein	1	1	0	0	3	0	+3	100%	0%	0%
Luxembourg	18	15	1	2	67	14	+53	83.33%	5.55%	11.11%
North Macedonia	4	2	2	0	8	3	+5	50%	50%	0%
Malta	6	6	0	0	28	0	+28	100%	0%	0%
Mexico	9	4	1	4	15	16	-1	50%	12.50%	37.50%
Moldova	4	4	0	0	9	1	+8	100%	0%	0%
Morocco	3	2	0	1	5	4	+1	66.66%	0%	33.33%
Nigeria	1	1	0	0	5	1	+4	100%	0%	0%
Northern Ireland	8	4	3	1	17	5	+12	50%	37.50%	12.50%
Norway	20	9	6	5	44	27	+17	45%	30%	25%
Paraguay	2	1	1	0	5	1	+4	50%	50%	0%
Peru	4	3	1	0	7	1	+6	75%	25%	0%
Poland	15	6	6	3	21	16	+5	40%	40%	20%
Portugal	14	2	4	8	10	16	−6	14.28%	28.57%	57.14%
Republic of Ireland	20	9	4	7	35	27	+8	45%	20%	35%
Romania	14	10	3	1	29	3	+26	71.42%	21.42%	7.14%
Russia	10	4	3	3	14	9	+5	40%	30%	30%
Saar	2	2	0	0	5	3	+2	100%	0%	0%
San Marino	6	6	0	0	39	0	+39	100%	0%	0%
Saudi Arabia	1	1	0	0	2	1	+1	100%	0%	0%
Scotland	19	9	4	6	26	15	+11	47.36%	21.05%	31.57%
Serbia and Montenegro	10	6	1	3	18	12	+6	60%	10%	30%
Slovakia	3	2	1	0	5	2	+3	66.66%	33.33%	0%
Slovenia	2	2	0	0	3	0	+3	100%	0%	0%
South Africa	2	2	0	0	4	1	+3	100%	0%	0%
South Korea	2	2	0	0	7	0	+7	100%	0%	0%
Spain	12	6	1	5	18	17	+1	50%	8.33%	41.66%
Suriname	1	1	0	0	4	3	+1	100%	0%	0%
Sweden	25	11	6	8	47	48	−1	44%	24%	32%
Switzerland	33	15	3	15	68	61	+7	45.45%	9.09%	45.45%
Thailand	1	1	0	0	3	1	+2	100%	0%	0%
Tunisia	3	1	2	0	7	3	+4	33.33%	66.66%	0%
Turkey	12	5	4	3	13	9	+4	41.66%	33.33%	25%
Ukraine	2	1	1	0	4	1	+3	50%	50%	0%
Uruguay	6	2	1	3	7	9	−2	33.33%	16.66%	50%
United States	5	4	0	1	10	5	+5	80%	0%	20%
Wales	8	8	0	0	24	5	+19	100%	0%	0%
Total	794	404	176	214	1,640	985	+655	50.88%	22.16%	26.95%

Achievements

Major tournaments

The bronze medalists of the 1912 Summer Olympics

• FIFA World Cup:
  • Runners-up (3): 1974, 1978, 2010
  • Third place (1): 2014
  • Fourth place (1): 1998
• UEFA European Championship:
  • Winners (1): 1988
  • Third place (1): 1976
  • Semi-finals (3): 1992, 2000, 2004
• UEFA Nations League:
  • Runners-up (1): 2019
• Olympic football tournament:

• Bronze medal/Third place (3): 1908, 1912, 1920
• Fourth Place (1): 1924

Friendly tournaments

• Olympic Football Consolation Tournament
  • Winners: 1928
• 75th Anniversary FIFA Cup
  • Runners-up: 1979
• World Champions' Gold Cup
  • Fourth Place: 1980
• Copa Confraternidad
  • Runners-up: 2011

Player records

  Still active players are highlighted

Most-capped players

Wesley Sneijder is the most capped player in the history of Netherlands with 134 caps.

#	Player	National career	Matches	Goals	Minutes	Total career
1.	Wesley Sneijder	2003–2018	134	31	9,811	2002–2019
2.	Edwin van der Sar	1995–2008	130	0	11,463	1990–2011
3.	Frank de Boer	1990–2004	112	13	9,271	1988–2005
4.	Rafael van der Vaart	2001–2013	109	25	6,938	2000–2018
5.	Giovanni van Bronckhorst	1996–2010	106	6	8,215	1993–2010
6.	Dirk Kuyt	2004–2014	104	24	6,875	1998–2017
7.	Robin van Persie	2005–2017	102	50	7,317	2001–2019
8.	Phillip Cocu	1996–2006	101	10	8,001	1988–2006
9.	Arjen Robben	2003–2017	96	37	7,394	2000–2019
10.	John Heitinga	2004–2013	87	7	7,031	2001–2016
10.	Clarence Seedorf	1994–2008	87	11	5,982	1992–2014

Last updated: 13 August 2019
Source: voetbalstats.nl (in Dutch)

Top goalscorers

Striker Robin van Persie is the top scorer in the history of Netherlands with 50 goals.

#	Player	National career	Goals	Matches	Average	Minutes	Total career
1.	Robin van Persie	2005–2017	50	102	0.49	7,317	2001–2019
2.	Klaas-Jan Huntelaar	2006–2015	42	76	0.55	4,399	2002–
3.	Patrick Kluivert	1994–2004	40	79	0.51	5,816	1994–2008
4.	Dennis Bergkamp	1990–2000	37	79	0.47	6,339	1986–2006
5.	Arjen Robben	2003–2017	37	96	0.39	7,394	2000–2019
6.	Faas Wilkes	1946–1961	35	38	0.92	3,450	1940–1964
7.	Ruud van Nistelrooy	1998–2011	35	70	0.50	4,543	1993–2012
8.	Abe Lenstra	1940–1959	33	47	0.70	4,260	1935–1963
9.	Johan Cruyff	1966–1977	33	48	0.69	4,282	1964–1984
10.	Wesley Sneijder	2003–2018	31	134	0.23	9,811	2002–2019

Last updated: 13 August 2019
Source: voetbalstats.nl (in Dutch)

Hat-tricks

See also: List of Netherlands national football team hat-tricks

Robin van Persie scored four goals for the Dutch national side during their 11–0 win over minnows San Marino on 2 September 2011. He scored three goals in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Hungary on 11 October 2013.

#	Player	National career	Matches	Hat-tricks	Total career
1.	Mannes Francken	1906–1914	22	3	1906–1914
	Beb Bakhuys	1928–1937	23	3	1925–1939
	John Bosman	1986–1997	30	3	1983–2002
	Faas Wilkes	1946–1961	38	3	1945–1964
5.	Noud van Melis	1950–1957	13	2	1950–1957
	Wim Lagendaal	1930–1935	15	2	1930–1935
	Tonny van de Linden	1957–1963	24	2	1957–1963
	Rob Rensenbrink	1968–1979	46	2	1965–1982
	Marco van Basten	1983–1992	58	2	1981–1995
	Patrick Kluivert	1994–2004	79	2	1994–2008
	Robin van Persie	2005–2017	102	2	2001–2019
12.	23 other players			1

Age records

• Oldest player to make debut: Sander Boschker 39 years and 256 days vs Ghana, 2 July 2010
• Youngest player to make debut: Jan van Breda Kolff 17 years and 74 days vs Belgium, 2 April 1911 RSSSF
• Oldest player to score: Abe Lenstra 38 years and 143 days [1] Belgium, 19 April 1959
• Youngest player to score: Jan van Breda Kolff 17 years and 74 days vs Belgium, 2 April 1911

Progression of the Netherlands association football goalscoring record

This is a progressive list of association footballers who have held or co-held the record for international goals for the Netherlands national football team.

For the early decades, records of players appearances and goals were often considered unreliable. RSSSF and IFFHS have spent much effort trying to produce definitive lists of full international matches, and corresponding data on players' international caps and goals. Using this data, the following records can be retrospectively produced. Note that, at the time, these records may not have been recognised.

Player	Goals	Date	Opponent	Score	Notes
Eddy de Neve	4	30 April 1905	Belgium	4–1	De Neve scored four times in this game
Eddy de Neve	5	15 May 1905	Belgium	4–0
Edu Snethlage	6	25 October 1908	Sweden	5–3	Snethlage scored twice in this game
Edu Snethlage	7	21 March 1909	Belgium	4–1
Edu Snethlage	10	25 April 1909	Belgium	4–1	Snethlage scored three times in this game
Mannes Francken	11	24 March 1912	Germany	5–5	Francken scored twice in this game
Mannes Francken	14	28 April 1912	Belgium	4–3	Francken scored three times in this game
Mannes Francken	16	17 November 1912	Germany	3–2	Francken scored twice in this game
Mannes Francken	17	9 March 1913	Belgium	3–3
Wim Tap	17	26 April 1931	Germany	1–1
Beb Bakhuys	17	12 May 1935	Belgium	2–0
Beb Bakhuys	18	3 November 1935	Denmark	3–0
Beb Bakhuys	19	8 December 1935	Republic of Ireland	5–3
Beb Bakhuys	22	12 January 1936	France	6–1	Bakhuys scored three times in this game
Beb Bakhuys	25	29 March 1936	Belgium	8–0	Bakhuys scored three times in this game
Beb Bakhuys	26	3 May 1936	Belgium	1–1
Beb Bakhuys	27	1 November 1936	Norway	3–3
Beb Bakhuys	28	7 March 1937	Switzerland	2–1
Abe Lenstra	28	13 April 1958	Belgium	7–2	Lenstra scored twice in this game
Faas Wilkes	28	23 April 1958	Netherlands Antilles	8–1	Wilkes scored twice in this game
Abe Lenstra	30	23 April 1958	Netherlands Antilles	8–1	Lenstra scored twice in this game
Abe Lenstra	32	15 October 1958	Denmark	5–1	Lenstra scored twice in this game
Abe Lenstra	33	19 April 1959	Belgium	2–2
Faas Wilkes	34	4 November 1959	Norway	7–1	Wilkes scored twice in this game
Faas Wilkes	35	19 April 1961	Mexico	1–2
Dennis Bergkamp	35	29 June 1998	Yugoslavia	2–1
Dennis Bergkamp	36	4 July 1998	Argentina	2–1
Dennis Bergkamp	37	9 October 1999	Brazil	2–2
Patrick Kluivert	37	30 April 2003	Portugal	1–1
Patrick Kluivert	38	7 June 2003	Belarus	2–0
Patrick Kluivert	39	6 September 2003	Australia	3–1
Patrick Kluivert	40	11 October 2003	Moldova	5–0
Robin van Persie	41	11 October 2013	Hungary	8–1	Van Persie scored three times in this game
Robin van Persie	42	17 May 2014	Ecuador	1–1
Robin van Persie	43	31 May 2014	Ghana	1–0
Robin van Persie	45	13 June 2014	Spain	5–1	Van Persie scored twice in this game
Robin van Persie	46	18 June 2014	Australia	3–2
Robin van Persie	47	12 July 2014	Brazil	3–0
Robin van Persie	48	10 October 2014	Kazakhstan	3–1
Robin van Persie	49	16 November 2014	Latvia	6–0
Robin van Persie	50	2015-20-13	Czech Republic	2–3

References