The Dutch are the best footballing nation to never win a World Cup. They’ve reached three finals and lost on all three occasions. Their most recent final appearance came in 2010 where they lost to Spain and they were arguably the team of the tournament four years later
Despite their illustrious past of Johan Cruyff, Ronald Koeman and Ruud Gulllit, the Netherlands have never managed to win the big one. Every time they looked like they could go all the way, something always seemed to go awry. Whether that be Cruyff’s decision not to play in 1978 after his family were kidnapped, or the penalty shootout loss to Argentina in the semi-final of 2014.
This year, the country has stable management in the form of Louis van Gaal. They are top of their Euro 2024 qualifying group and won their Nations League group containing Wales, Poland and Belgium. That means they’ll be competing for silverware next summer in the form of the Nations League, but there are high hopes they could go well in Qatar this month.
GROUP A BETTING: Netherlands 4/9, Senegal 9/2, Ecuador 11/2, Qatar 10/1.
There’s the emotional factor. Having been called out of retirement, this is likely to be 71-year-old Van Gaal’s final bow. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer, something he has had successful treatment for, and has said that this will be his last tournament. A bonafide Dutch legend, it would be fitting if he went out in a blaze of glory, and he has a squad packed full of talent that has somewhat flown under the radar.
The big names, Virgil van Dijk, Frenkie De Jong and Memphis Depay would stand out on any squad list. But perhaps their individual performances so far this season has seen the Dutch even been called ‘dark horses’ in some sectors. Their odds of 18/1 with Betfred certainty reflect that.
Van Dijk is still one of the world’s best defenders but has been part of a leaky Liverpool backline. De Jong took all the transfer headlines this summer before knuckling down at a Barcelona side that were knocked out of the Champions League group stages, and Memphis has played just two league games for the same team, having been hamstrung by injuries.
But part of Van Gaal’s magic with this Dutch team is to bring the best out of his underperforming stars. In his 3-4-1-2 formation, Jurrien Timber and Nathan Ake make up a perfectly balanced defence alongside Van Dijk, while Denzel Dumfries has continued his good international form on the right hand side.
TOURNAMENT ODDS: The Netherlands 18/1, Senegal 125/1, Ecuador 250/1, Qatar 500/1.
With Cody Gakpo, Steven Bergwjn and Wout Weghorst to work alongside Depay, van Gaal certainly has a whole host of different options to find solutions in games the Dutch need to win. It could be a potent mix especially when you consider the face they are in one of the easiest groups.
In Group A alongside the Dutch are Ecuador, Senegal and hosts Qatar. Current champions of Africa, Senegal will pose the biggest threat, with the likes of Eduoard Mendy, Sadio Mane and Ismalia Sarr making them one of the teams to watch, but the Dutch should have enough to come through that group as top dogs.
Ecuador finished fourth in South American qualifying, ahead of the likes of Chile and Colombia. They’ve not conceded in their last six matches, with four 0-0s and two 1-0 wins making up that quite remarkable, if a little boring, run.
NETHERLANDS STAGE OF ELIMINATION: Group Stage 5/1, Last 16 15/8, Quarter Final 9/4, Semi Final 5/1, Runner Up 10/1, Winners 12/1.
Then we come to the hosts Qatar. The weakest team on paper, they are ranked 50th in the FIFA world rankings. But they’ve paid millions of pounds to host this tournament and will be desperate to make it out of the group stage.
But this can be a special World Cup for the Netherlands. If they win that group as expected, they will face the runner-up of England’s group, which features Iran, USA or Wales. They’d be favourites for that clash and from there, it will be up to LVG to roll back the years, and give his nation the greatest parting gift imaginable.
Sun 20 Nov (4pm GMT): Qatar 12/5, Ecuador 5/4 (draw 21/10)
Mon 21 Nov (4pm): Senegal 9/2, Poland 8/13 (draw 11/4)
Fri 25 Nov (1pm): Qatar 13/5, Senegal 11/10 (draw 11/5)
Fri 25 Nov (4pm): Netherlands 8/13, Ecuador 9/2 (draw 11/4)
Tues 29 Nov (3pm): Ecuador 17/10, Senegal 17/10, (draw 21/10)
Tues 29 Nov (3pm): Qatar 9/1, Netherlands 2/7 (draw 9/2)
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject to Change
