FIFA Ranking: 8
Odds: 12-1
Previous tournaments:
The Netherlands have been runners-up at three World Cups, coming close to being crowned world champions but missing out on each occasion. They were ahead against West Germany in the 1974 final in Munich before losing 2-1 and four years later took hosts Argentina to extra time in the final in Buenos Aires before going down 3-1. They also reached the final in Johannesburg in 2010 where Spain defeated them 1-0 in extra time. Qatar will mark the 11th time the Dutch have competed at the finals. After finishing third in Brazil in 2014, they did not qualify for the last tournament in Russia.
How they qualified:
The qualification campaign began bleakly with a 4-2 loss in Turkey but by the time Louis van Gaal returned as coach in August last year the Dutch had six points out of a possible nine. Van Gaal’s reign started with a draw away in Norway, followed by a 6-1 thrashing of the Turks that catapulted the Dutch into the group lead. They could have made sure of top spot in Group G had they held on to a 2-0 lead away in Montenegro but were held to a 2-2 draw, meaning it all depended on their last match at home to Norway which they won 2-0.
Form guide:
The Netherlands are unbeaten under veteran coach Van Gaal and since their surprise elimination at the last European Championship by the Czech Republic cost Frank de Boer his job. They finished top of their World Cup qualifying group and then also their Nations League group, easily seeing off highly ranked neighbours Belgium, and will host next year’s four-team Nations League finals tournament. Their record since Van Gaal’s return to the post is 11 victories in 15 matches with four draws, scoring 41 goals in the process.
World Cup nearly men
The Netherlands have legitimate hopes of turning their status as World Cup nearly men into champions as they take a 15-match unbeaten run into the Qatar finals and pin their hopes on the wily ways of veteran coach Louis van Gaal.
The Dutch have been runners-up three times and, although they missed out on the last tournament in Russia four years ago, are one of the form teams going into 2022 finals, with high hopes of turning silver onto gold.
They have been paired with hosts Qatar, Ecuador and Senegal in Group A and kick off their campaign against the African side in Doha on Nov. 21.
The Netherlands topped their World Cup qualifying group and then finished first in their Nations League group as the return of Van Gaal breathed new life into their fortunes.
Bellicose, belligerent and pompous, he has fallen on his face in the past, like at Barcelona and Manchester United, but there is no disputing his success with the Dutch national team.
This is his third spell in charge after the Dutch FA quickly turned to him to take over when they were eliminated by the Czech Republic at the last European Championship.
They have not lost since, renewing confidence in the team after the barren patch that followed Van Gaal’s previous spell when they finished third at the 2014 finals in Brazil.
There he proved himself innovative and intuitive, shocking the Dutch football community by ditching the sacrosanct 4-3-3 approach in favour of using wingbacks.
There was an outcry when he first suggested it, in a nation besotted by tactics and formations and deeply convinced about the ‘Dutch way’ of playing attacking football.
But Van Gaal ignored the detractors and was proved right as he took his side through to the semi-finals.
He is set to do it again, even if there has been little time to work on the ‘new’ system with the current crop of players. This time the chorus of disapproval has been muted such is the credit Van Gaal has amassed.
