5 greatest Dutch footballers of all time

The Netherlands are one of the strongest footballing nations in the world, and have won one European Championship till date. They have also finished runners-up in World Cup on three occasions.

The Dutch are well-known for the flair and flamboyance in their game, and are usually a delight to watch. Needless to say, they have produced some extraordinary players throughout the decades. Clubs like Ajax Amsterdam, PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord have nurtured young talents who have gone on to become world-famous because of their football skills.

We would now take a look at the top 5 greatest Dutch footballers of all time:

#5 Dennis Bergkamp

Bergkamp was football royalty, and had an exquisite first touch and exemplary technique. He was a good dribbler and a powerful shooter, and could play both as the main striker and the support striker. He was among the greatest footballers in the world in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and had a great career with English club Arsenal.

Bergkamp rose to prominence while playing for Ajax Amsterdam, and played for them from 1986 to 1993. He also scored 122 goals in 237 matches for them. Arsenal signed him in 1995, and he formed a great striking partnership with Thierry Henry at the London-based club. Bergkamp won 3 Premier League titles with Arsenal and they also finished runners-up in the UEFA Champions League in 2006.

Bergkamp enthralled football lovers all over the world with his subtle touches, incisive passes and probing shots. He also scored some memorable goals from free-kicks. He scored 234 goals from 736 matches in his club career and finished runner-up in Ballon d’Or in 1993.

Bergkamp also had a successful career with the national team and was a part of the Dutch teams, which lost in the semifinals of Euro 1992, World Cup 1998 and Euro 2000. He had Patrick Kluivert as his striking partner during the majority of his stint with the Netherlands, and scored 37 goals from 79 matches for them.

#4 Frank Rijkaard

Rijkaard was a sweeper with consummate ball-skills and a powerful physique. His match-reading was exceptional, and commitment was second to none. He was an asset for any team he was a part of, and had a brilliant career with the likes of Ajax and AC Milan.

Rijkaard came through the youth ranks of Ajax, and played for the senior team from 1980 to 1987. He then joined AC Milan in 1988, and went on to spend 6 memorable seasons there. He won 2 European Cups and 2 Serie A titles under the tutelage of Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello at Milan, and also found compatriots Marco Van Basten and Ruud Gullit as his allies there. He also scored the only goal in the 1990-91 European Cup final against Benfica.

He could play both as a sweeper and a defensive midfielder. It was a pity that he sometimes pushed Ronald Koeman, another legendary Dutch sweeper, to the bench while playing for the national team, when the reality was that Koeman could walk into any other national team at that time.

Rijkaard won the Euro 1988 with the Dutch national team. However, he was not very successful at World Cups, and was sent off in the Netherlands’ 1-2 loss to West Germany in the 1990 World Cup. He scored 83 goals in 473 matches in his club career and 10 goals from 73 matches for the national team.

#3 Ruud Gullit

Gullit was a midfield general with a strong physique and enviable work rate. He was a good passer and header too. Gullit rose to prominence while playing for PSV Eindhoven and attained legendary status while playing for AC Milan. He won 3 European Cups and 3 Serie A titles with Milan, and remained one of the key members of their squad.

Gullit played for Milan from 1987 to 1994. He joined Chelsea in 1995, and spent a few seasons with the London-based club. Gullit ended his illustrious club career with 126 goals in 380 matches, and also won the Ballon d’or in 1987.

Gullit was very successful with the Dutch national team as well, and won the European Championships with them in 1988. He scored a memorable goal in that tournament, and was one of the best players in that tournament. However, he was not nearly as successful in the World Cups, as the Dutch could not win the biggest tournament in football. Gullit scored 17 goals from 66 international appearances.

#2 Marco van Basten

Van Basten was among the best footballers in the world during his prime. However, it remains a pity that his prime did not last long. He had a lot of injuries which shortened his career. Still, he would comfortably feature among the greatest Dutch players of all time by virtue of his legendary performances as a footballer.

Van Basten gained prominence while playing for Ajax Amsterdam, but became a legend while playing for AC Milan. He was one of the stars of the great Milan side of the late 1980s and early 1990s, which won a lot of silverwares. Van Basten enthralled spectators with his acrobatic volleys and opportunistic strikes. He also won three Ballon d’Ors, two European Cups and three Serie A titles while playing for Milan.

Basten was very successful for his national team too, and won the European Championship with the Netherlands in 1988, scoring in the final against USSR in that tournament. He finished with a tally of 277 goals from 373 matches in his club career and 24 goals from 58 matches for his national team.

#1 Johan Cruyff

Johan Cruyff, the Dutch Genius, remains the greatest Dutch footballer of all time. His shooting, passing and dribbling skills were of the highest quality.

He was the focal point of the famous ‘total football’ system designed by Dutch coach Rinus Michels. Later on in his life, Cruyff implemented this football philosophy successfully in FC Barcelona.

Cruyff began his career in Ajax Amsterdam in 1964 and played for them till 1973 before making a move to Barcelona. He won 3 European Cups and 6 Eredivisies with Ajax and also collected 3 Ballon d’Or trophies in those incredible 9 years. Cruyff scored 190 goals in 240 matches for Ajax during that period.

Cruyff won the LaLiga with Barcelona too and left his indelible mark as a player in the 5 years he spent there. He moved to the United States in 1978 and spent a couple of seasons there. Cruyff came back to Ajax in 1981 and won the Eredivisie again.

Cruyff played in only 48 matches for the Dutch National side and scored 33 goals. He led the brilliant Dutch side in the 1974 World Cup and finished runner-up after having lost to West Germany in the final. He was adjudged the best player of the tournament and won the prestigious Golden Ball.

Edited by Sudeshna Banerjee