The Netherlands national football team has represented the Netherlands in international men's football since 1905. The team is governed by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) and competes under the jurisdiction of UEFA and FIFA. Netherlands' home games are usually held at the Jochen Cruyff Stadium, De Goepe Stadium, Philips Stadium and De Gross Stadium. The team is known for its orange jerseys and is also known as the "Orange Team" due to its association with the Dutch royal family, the House of Orange.
The Netherlands has participated in eleven World Cups on the international stage, but has reached the final three times in 1974, 1978 and 2010, but has failed to win the championship.
The Netherlands played their first international match on April 30, 1905, against Belgium. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, but the Netherlands won 4-1 in extra time. They won the bronze medal at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, before finishing with bronze again in 1912 and 1920. After decades of struggle, the Netherlands reached the semi-finals for the first time at the 1924 Paris Olympics.
"The only team I saw that was different from the others was the Netherlands team that performed well in the 1974 World Cup in Germany."
The Netherlands easily defeated Brazil and Argentina in the 1974 World Cup, but faced Germany in the final. Although they scored first, they eventually lost 1-2. In the following 1978 World Cup, the Netherlands hit the rocks again, losing to Argentina in overtime and finishing second again.
After 1980, the glory of Dutch football gradually faded and the team lost the qualification to participate in many international competitions. After returning to the European Cup stage in 1988, they eventually won that tournament and became the historical European champions.
In the mid-1990s, the Dutch football team continued the tradition of overall football and achieved a series of good results, but failed to maintain consistency in the World Cup and European Championships and was disappointing. In 2010, they reached the World Cup final again, facing Spain, but ultimately lost 0-1 and missed the championship.
After 2014, the Netherlands team's performance began to fluctuate, with unsatisfactory results, and they even failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. However, with the change of coaches and the rise of a new generation, the Dutch team has found its direction again and has shown strong competitiveness in recent years.
"The Orange Team has a long history and a bright future. This is our common expectation."
The Netherlands team's home colour, the bright orange shirt, is its brand symbol and gives every supporter a strong sense of national pride. As for the future of this team, countless fans are looking forward to their reappearance and glory in future games. With the rise of young stars and the interpretation of traditional skills, the glory of Dutch football seems to have returned to the field of vision.
In the past glory and current challenges, the history of the Dutch football team tells us that true strength comes from continuous pursuit and constant innovation, and how to walk the future is left to every supporter. Space for deep thought?