History of the Netherlands national football team
| Nickname(s) | Oranje Holland Clockwork Orange The Flying Dutchmen La Naranja Mecanica |
|---|---|
| Association | Koninklijke Nederlandse Voetbalbond (KNVB) |
| Confederation | UEFA (Europe) |
| Most caps | Wesley Sneijder (133) |
| Top scorer | Robin van Persie (50)
Previous top scorers
|
| Home stadium | De Kuip (51,117) Amsterdam Arena (53,052) Philips Stadion (36,000) Previous home stadiums
|
| FIFA ranking | |
| Highest | 1 (August 2011 – September 2011) |
| Lowest | 25 (May 1998) |
| First international | |
| Belgium 1–4 Netherlands (Antwerp, Belgium; 30 April 1905) | |
| World Cup | |
| Appearances | 11 (first in 1934) |
| Best result | Runners-up (1974, 1978 and 2010) |
| European Championship | |
| Appearances | 11 (first in 1976) |
| Best result | Winners (1988) |
The history of the Netherlands national football team began when the Netherlands played their first international match on 30 April 1905 in Antwerp against Belgium. The game went into extra time, in which the Dutch scored three times, making the score 4–1 for the Dutch side, winning the Coupe Vanden Abeele.
The Netherlands national football team made its first appearance at the FIFA World Cup in 1934, Italy. The Dutch hold the record for playing the most World Cup finals without ever winning the tournament. They finished second in the 1974, 1978 and 2010 World Cups, losing to West Germany, Argentina and Spain respectively. Oranje reached third place in 2014. They won the UEFA European Championship in 1988.