This is a record of the Netherlands at the FIFA World Cup. The Netherlands entered qualification for 19 of the 22 FIFA World Cup tournaments to date, qualifying 11 times. They have a record of 3 World Cup final appearances (as of 2022) without winning the tournament.
After appearing in two consecutive World Cup finals in 1974 and 1978, the team had their biggest World Cup streak in the 1990s, reaching three straight tournaments. In 1990, two years after the European Championship at the UEFA Euro 1988, the Dutch went out in the Round of 16, defeated by West Germany. In 1994 Netherlands was eliminated by Brazil in the quarter-finals, and in 1998 lost to Brazil in the semi-finals and Croatia in the third-place play-off. Netherlands returned in 2006, being eliminated by Portugal in the Round of 16, a game known as the Battle of Nuremberg. In 2010 the team reached their third World Cup final, this time losing to Spain. The Dutch avenged this loss during the first match of the following 2014 World Cup, routing the Spanish 5–1, and eventually going on to their first third-place finish. After missing the 2018 World Cup, they returned in 2022, being eliminated in the quarter-final stage. The Dutch have never lost a World Cup match in regular time by more than one goal, and have not lost a match since the 2010 final, their 2014 and 2022 campaigns both ending in defeat by way of penalty shoot-out and both by Argentina.
Record at the FIFA World Cup
Champions Runners-up Third place
By match
Record by opponent
Participations
Italy 1934
France 1938
West Germany 1974
Round 2
Final
Argentina 1978
Round 2
Final
Italy 1990
Round of 16
United States 1994
Group stage
Knockout stage
- Round of 16
- Quarter-finals
France 1998
Group stage
Knockout stage
- Round of 16
- Quarterfinals
- Semifinal
- Third place match
Germany 2006
Group stage
Knockout stage
- Round of 16
South Africa 2010
Group stage
Knockout stage
- Round of 16
- Quarter-finals
- Semi-final
- Final
Brazil 2014
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. The team avenged their 2010 loss to Spain by defeating the defending champions with a stunning 5–1 victory in their opening game. They went on to achieve their first third place in any World Cup.
Group stage
- Group winner advance to play runner-up of Group A in the round of 16
- Group runner-up advance to play winner of Group A in the round of 16
Knockout stage
- Round of 16
- Quarter-final
- Semi final
- Third place match
Qatar 2022
Group stage
Knockout stage
- Round of 16
- Quarter-finals
Record players
Top goalscorers
See also
- Netherlands at the UEFA European Championship
References
External links
- KVNB official site (in Dutch)
- FIFA Official Ranking of all Participants at Finals 1930–2002. FIFA Match Results for all Stages 1930–2002
- FIFA official site
