Last Time Out: Netherlands at the 2014 World Cup.

Netherlands are back in the World Cup Finals after missing on the 2018 edition in Russia, so I thought I’d look back on the last time they competed at a World Cup and how they did in Brazil.

The Flying Dutchmen started the tournament in a 2010 World Cup Final rematch against Spain and no-one thought it would be so one-sided. Spain went ahead in the game after a penalty scored by Xabi Alonso part way through the first half. 

That is where the game turned, Robin Van Persie scored to equalise two minutes before half time. Second half goals by Van Persie, Stefan de Vrij and a double by Arjen Robben set the Clockwork Orange up for a great tournament.

The second game looked simple on paper, but Netherlands needed help from in-form Van Persie and Robben to win 3-2 against a heart strong Australia side.

The final group game saw two goals in the last 15 minutes against Chile to confirm a perfect group stage for Netherlands and meant they topped group B and would play Mexico in the last 16.

In this game, the experienced players came through in the last few minutes of the game. After 87 minutes, Holland looked like they were heading out until Wesley Sneijder equalised and in the fourth minute of added time, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored a penalty to send them through to play Costa Rica.

Netherlands reached the semi-finals for the second consecutive tournament, after overcoming Costa Rica in a penalty shoot-out following a 0–0 draw at the end of extra time, with goalkeeper Tim Krul having been substituted on for the shoot-out and saving two penalties.

The semi-final and Argentina awaited. Netherlands was looking to make it two World Cup Finals in a row, but they couldn’t replicate the penalty shootout form they had in the game before and lost 4-2 in the shootout.

A 3-0 victory against Brazil secured third place, the first for the Dutch team in their history. Goals by Van Persie, Daley Blind and Georginio Wijnaldum helped mend the hearts that had been broken three days before.