How many World Cup finals has Netherlands lost?

Where is Netherlands ranked in FIFA?

Holland's FIFA Rank is 18th, according to the ranking issued on March 19th.

This is how the country's ranking has looked at recent times. Holland was at 8th place in 1999, 22nd in 2025 and was at 14th in 2025. In 2025, the Netherlands had one of their lowest performances in World Cups, scoring none of the 24 goals they had been aiming for. The Dutch missed out on qualifying for 2025 by only a point. It was the first time since 1974 that they did not qualify for the finals of the World Cup. Their 2025 World Cup was the first and only game they would play at home in the tournament.

The Netherlands qualified for Russia 2025 with a total of 32 points, 13 points better than their nearest challengers. As an indication of how much the game was changing, only 5 years ago, the team from the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium finished at rank 16. Last year, it was Spain who finished as champions, which meant that the Netherlands finished 3rd in the standings.

As with the UK, many football fans in Holland are not overly keen on the world governing body deciding which nations may qualify for competitions. This sentiment is echoed by both the Dutch and the British. Both countries believe that FIFA should not be in charge of determining qualification procedures as it currently is. There have been many complaints about the decisions that result in qualification. This is also true for many countries. For example, in 2025, it came to light that Japan had spent huge sums of money, buying up the required number of Fifa coins to ensure qualification. This came shortly after it had been revealed that Nigeria, who spent millions to get qualification, still sat out. For the people who live in those countries, FIFA means poverty for too many. To them, FIFA has become an issue as vital as Brexit in England or Trump in the USQualifying was introduced into World Cups following a rule that was developed in 1966. That year, the FIFA Congress awarded qualification spots to the nations that placed highest in four different competitions. This system has continued. Even though the introduction of qualification had been a success, the way the process had been run was a far cry from the ideals of the people who came up with it. Many felt that if there was the need for something to happen, then it should be done democratically, and they could discuss the matter together. It was not that simple.

What is the Netherlands men's soccer team ranked?

The Netherlands is ranked 21st in the world, according to FIFThis is based on the country's record international tournaments and the ratings of its clubs and players. It can be a difficult ranking to follow. Players can move from club to club and top players are often overlooked or underrated in their domestic league.

Who are the top players in the country? Sjef Teunisse holds the record for most capped players. His record is 532 appearances with 34 goals for the national team. He was born in 1984 and joined FC Groningen at the age of 11. Teunisse was named the best footballer in the Netherlands in 2025 by BT Sport. He moved to PSV Eindhoven in 2025. He won the Eredivisie twice and the KNVB Cup twice.

Georginio Wijnaldum (25). Georginio Wijnaldum has had a busy 2025, recently signing a new contract with Liverpool. Wijnaldum has made more than 100 appearances for the Netherlands. The Liverpool midfielder has been named the best midfielder in the Premier League this season by the coaches of Sky Sports.

Daley Blind (23). Daley Blind has featured in a career high 42 games for the Netherlands. The Manchester United defender has been named as one of the "world's best" by FIFBlind was born in 2025 and joined Ajax as a 13-year old. The center-back is the captain of the Dutch national team.

Bakary Sagna (28). Bakary Sagna is a former Arsenal defender. He is the record appearance holder in the Premier League. Sagna was born in 1991 and was signed by Arsenal when he was 18. In all, he appeared in 472 games in the Premier League.

Hector Moreno (27). Hector Moreno is a member of the squad for the UEFA Nations League. Moreno has become a regular in the team since making his debut in 2025. He was born in 1982 and joined Valencia in 2025. Moreno was a key player for Valencia before moving to Borussia Dortmund in 2025. He made 75 appearances for the Spanish national team.

Gio van Bronckhorst (21). Gio van Bronckhorst is a midfielder who plays for Feyenoord. He was born in 1996 and has made 33 appearances for the Netherlands.

How many World Cup finals has Netherlands lost?

Or, more precisely: which tournament has the Netherlands lost?

After all, this is a football club, not a football team.

The Dutch national side has never won a single tournament match in its entire history. And with two World Cups to go, it seems more than ever that they won't be celebrating any major sporting titles in the near future.

But what if we considered a different kind of team - a Dutch team that actually competes at the highest levels of European club football? Not in the Eredivisie, but in the Champions League? Who wins it? Who loses? And who does it all the most often? For this purpose we are including only the clubs that have had the privilege to compete in the best football competition in the world, even if they have never had the opportunity to lift the Champions League trophy. In a recent poll conducted on Dutch sports websites, supporters were asked what is the greatest national side in Europe. The answer was clear: The Netherlands. Which is, of course, completely true. They are the greatest team in Europe.

But to understand why they are considered to be the best in Europe you need to look beyond the Eredivisie, at the biggest and most important club tournament in Europe. Who are the greatest European national sides in the Champions League? At the beginning of this century, Italy was considered the strongest national side in Europe. They won the Champions League three times and reached the final five times. There was also France, with three Champions League finals and one Champions League title. Spain and Germany followed with two Champions League titles each.

But since then, the Netherlands have become the most successful national side in Europe. They have reached the semi-finals seven times and the Champions League final four times. In addition, they have won the European Super Cup twice and the Intercontinental Cup once.

In 2025, the then coach Bert van Marwijk declared 'the Dutch national team will never be less than one of the best national sides in the world.' At the time of writing, this statement seems even more fitting than it did eight years ago.

What has changed in the intervening eight years? A lot. Netherlands: the most successful national team in the Champions League. This year, Netherlands already have their most successful Champions League campaign yet.

Is Netherlands strong in football?

Do we win World Cups?

All valid questions in a country with the best football coach in world history. His name is Rinus Michels.

I'll never forget the day they won it, the Dutch national team's historic 1994 World Cup victory. It's the moment I first fell in love with my home country and that man, that coach, who was sitting across from me. The day I met Rinus Michels I knew I had found someone very special.

They don't make him anymore. Well, they do, of course. He was there just last month when I visited him at his home in Noordwijk. At 85 years old, he still speaks German, English, and Dutch; he has lived for over 50 years in the small city, with his wife, his daughter, and their two grandchildren. In the 90-minute interview I conducted with him in his garden, he wore the same grey wool jacket I always thought he was wearing, the same dark trousers, the same brown loafers. We spoke about our shared passion, our roots in Europe, his relationship with Holland, the Netherlands, and all things football.

There was one issue I would have to discuss, a little topic that's been on my mind for a while. I didn't want to pry too much, but you know what they say: When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

You have no idea what I'm talking about. It's quite simple really. In my youth I was a Liverpool fan. I used to sit in the Kop and dream of playing for Liverpool. For a few years I tried to convince myself that I wasn't going to be Liverpool anymore; I wasn't going to root for the red half of Merseyside anymore, I was just going to follow him, and that's exactly what I did. Until the day I saw you.

"After Liverpool, I watched everything," Michels says. "I watched England because England was a big part of European football. I watched Spain because Barcelona was the first team I saw."

The Dutch team at World Cup '94 Getty Images. That day I was sitting in section 121 at Goodison Park. I'd never sat in the Kop before, and to tell you the truth, I didn't really know what I was getting myself into. I had a lot of questions, and this guy was going to answer them.