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Andres Iniesta scored 4 minutes from time, at the Soccer City, Johannesburg: A sea of Oranje Supporters cried a river out. Every fan wearing the orange shirt did display an incredible amount of passion for the game. It was a relentless final and the Dutch had given it the old hammer and sink.
The Dutch talent on display at the 2010 World Cup was simply breathtaking – a testimony to the effectiveness of the Eredivisie as an arena for young talent to showcase their skills and produce entertaining football at its core.
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The club football in Holland is still relatively pristine and hasn’t been affected by the big money spenders in the Hoi Polloi soccer leagues. A sight every soccer fan loves to see is that of a young footballer making his mark at the biggest stage. The Eredivisie has always sported a great talent pool; however the current state sees an exodus of players leaving Netherlands for the big money leagues.
Ajax
Ajax
It’s not possible to look much further than Ajax when speaking of Dutch soccer. By far the most successful club in Holland, Ajax holds 32 Eredivisie titles along with 4 Champions League honours. Among other prestigious honors are 18 KNVB cups, 8 Johan Cruijff Shields, 2 International Cups, 2 UEFA Super cups, 1 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup and the right to keep the European Cup and to wear a multiple-winner badge.
If that is not enough, Ajax is the only club ever to keep the European Cup and accomplish the continental treble. The Amsterdam Arena, Ajaz’s home ground, is a footballing fortress and a nightmare for the visiting teams.
Ajax has produced legends and some of the men to take the pitch at the Amsterdam Arena can only be described as footballing geniuses. Johan Cruijff, Marco Van Basten, Frank Rijkaard, Dennis Bergkamp, Clarence Seedorf, Edgar Davies, Marc Overmars, Edwin Van Der Sar – to name an illustrious few. Ajax, today, no more has the same kind of impact on a European scale however, their national domination is unquestionable.
PSV Eindhoven:
PSV Eindhoven
Philips Sport Vereeniging, a name engraved in the Eredivisie history courtesy the 21 league titles. Better known as PSV or PSV Eindhoven, it is a legendary football club winning 9 KNBV cups, 9 Johan Crujiff shields, 1 European Cup and 1 UEFA Cup.
Over the years, PSV has established itself as a stepping stone for future world class players like Ruud Gullit, Romario, Ronaldo and Ruud Van Nisterlooy. The ‘boeren’ take pride in Eindhoven’s status of being a provincial city and their Brabantian heritage. With a capacity of just over 33000, the Phillips sport park puts forth a daunting task to conquer for any visiting team.
PSV have played in a European competition every year since 1974. Only Barcelona and Anderlecht have a longer streaks than the Dutch side. Most fans however, tend to remember PSV by the 30 million they received from Manchester United in exchange for the services of Ruud Van Nisterlooy.
Feyenoord:
Feyenoord
Folks from Rotterdam will tend to disagree on which is the most successful club in Netherland. A unanimous chant of Feyenoord is to be expected when the question pops up. With a little over 25 domestic titles, Feyenoord makes for a very well-reasoned argument, to be included in the top Dutch clubs.
The club’s anthem personifies the spirit of “Hand in Hand”. It is a people’s club and enjoys tremendous national support. The rivalry between Ajax and Feyenoord is fierce and one of the most anticipated ties. Feyenoord supporters are said to be one of the most loyal groups of supporters in the world, supporting the team during both good and bad times.
Nicknamed, Het Legioen, they can be found everywhere in The Netherlands and far across the Dutch borders. Squad number 12 is never given to a player, but is reserved for Het Legioen instead.
Other clubs which beg for mentions are FC Twente and AZ Alkmaar, have tasted success in the recent times. The Eredivisie thus makes for an interesting watch, featuring some legendary teams, fierce rivalries and exciting young talent.
