5 golden generations who never won the World Cup

#2 The Netherlands (the 1970s)

Holland is the strongest footballing nation to never win a World Cup

Proponents of "Total Football", led by legend Johan Cryuff and coach Rinus Michels, the Dutch national team mesmerized the entire World by their outstanding brand of beautiful football.

The golden generation included players like Johny Rep, Rob Rensenbrink, Ruud Krol, Wim Suurbier, Willem Van Hanegem, Wim Jansen, Arie Haan, Jan Van Beveran, Jan Jongbloed, Johann Neskeens.

The team was built around Johan Cruyff and most of the team members were part of a great Ajax team, which was the trailblazer of "total football" and won 3 UEFA European Cups consecutively.

This great team reached back-to-back World Cup finals in 1974 and in 1978, only to lose to West Germany and Argentina respectively by the skin of their teeth.

The fluid style of football of this generation fascinated Carlos Alberto, the captain of the Brazilian team that won the 1970 FIFA World Cup, so much that he conceded "The only team I've seen that did things differently was Holland at the 1974 World Cup in Germany. Since then everything looks more or less the same to me... Their 'carousel' style of play was amazing to watch and marvelous for the game."