Dutch footballer of the year press classification 1979-1994

The problem is he has only 2.5 years in this time period. Of those he was mightily influential in 1981-82 (overturning a 6 points deficit for Ajax in the table to a 5 point lead) and 1983-84 (against the big teams too, and teams abroad), but you can also easily argue 1982-83 was below his standard despite his obvious all-round class and quality.

I think it is not a too bad list - you can see they have informed themselves with some also having the age like JH de Bruijn to have seen them all - although I'd do orderings on multiple places different. Danny Blind is indeed a strong subjective pick with objective arguments going for him (however, I'd wonder whether he would be equally good today, also looking at his son - though I like his style Daley has his occasional gaffes, and Ajax missed him enormously recently, but is also not the most athletic player; on the other hand Daley has had his strong games vs pacey players as Mbappe and Sterling as well on the left back position; there have been big games against big opponents where he was quite good).

Other potential #1 picks are for me: Rijkaard, Litmanen or Nilis but that is my personal (informed) opinion. Maybe also Van Basten in the mix on peak form for a few years, at least he has his major European trophy as team captain with winning goal in the final. It also depends on whether national team performances count too, but for MvB doesn't make enormous difference (1988 and to a lesser extent 1992 when France Football rated him as the best performer of his team - see that euro 1992 thread - happened as Milan player). I'm not sure whether Elf Voetbal has really taken that into account. Luc Nilis is only #22 here but I think he has a good case to be #1 too, in my perception and thoughts.

Strange to me looks placing Vaart below Robben, although there isn't a seismic gap between the two (#61 vs #74). As an Eredivisie player VdVaart was better, especially as a teenager. He was dynamic, enthusiastic, captain, could put a foot in, creative, had good/great performances in the Champions League - pretty much the only one to get genuinely compared to Cruijff and where it also didn't look totally ridiculous in my eyes. To an extent it is also a reflection of the club they played for (with the benefit of playing CL football) but Vd Vaart made his NT debut two years earlier and at a younger age. On the other hand Robben was as 16 years old immediately the best player and driving force behind Groningen, in the last two years he got to play CL too, and he pretty much helped Kezman to an ESM team of the year selection (with a number of assists and pre-assists).

See also this list of FFT in 2001:
http://listsoffootball.blogspot.com/2012/10/four-four-two-top-100-talents-2001.html

And this full article of 10 years later, 2011:
https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport...e-up-to-truth-behind-ajax-decline-150265.html

 

One who also looks low-ish to me is Sami Hyypia (#207). I know @PDG1978 rated the very modest Hyypia among the better defenders of his time too. I think he can be around 70 places higher. Tentatively between 100-150.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sami_Hyypiä#Willem_II

Maybe I'll run them all down later.

 

After looking thoroughly, I can make 100 comments, but my main commentary would be this:

I think the options for #1 are Blind, Rijkaard, Litmanen and Nilis. Nilis was a skilled and creative footballer (like so many of his '64-'70 generation), very influential for the results and he has also his games against the Barcelona's and Bayern Munich's of this world. He won footballer of the year, topscorer honors when the competition was heavy and his own team not so good overall. National team performances might count against him (with some exceptions like the 'famous' play-off matches against Ireland in '97 where he made the difference in both legs).

Reiziger at #18 and Van Aerle at #24 looks quite high. Compared to someone like Van Tiggelen or Van Bronckhorst. The heavy Ajax representation is understandable given the results, the many international records they set and they were unbeaten in the CL and league in 1995. Frank de Boer at #2 also looks high although I would have him in the top 10 still (the team captain was injured at euro 1996 and it showed).

Sami Hyypia looks low, as does Sneijder (in particular his excellent 2003-04 and 2006-07 seasons), if you start to factor in international performances and national team displays (resulting in an ESM selection after the play-offs vs Scotland). Around that time he was quite often (one of) the best/crucial player of the national team (if that can be established), said also international commentators regularly. Van Persie ahead of him is because of the UEFA Cup and his decisive assists in the semi final?

There is a risk I end up with 100 comments (Cillessen at his physical peak 122 spots higher as the very talented Stekelenburg? Not sure about this) but all in all it is a fairly good attempt and comprehensive list.

 

This will take a while to complete but I'll post here the complete team VI made (click link) recently based on statistical data. Some selections will be surprising, especially at the back, other less so.

In part this is because statistics for historical tournaments are not advanced enough for defensive players. While it is always a problem to what extent a team performance and semi-randomized outcome can be individualized, they are more informative for offensive players. It's for example illustrative that the single game record of duels won (23 duels won) at a World Cup since 1966 is shared by Pelé, Maradona and Cruijff.

They have only looked at the period from 1970 onward, which is an understandable choice. Although they don't have complete data for the European Championships of 1976 campaign ('group of death'), this is considered too as we'll see.


Introduction:

What is based on statistics the best national team since the World Cup of 1974 and the European Championships of 1980? Helped by historical data we went searching for an answer to this question.

Like to debate about the sport? Introduce then a team that is according to you the best ever. Regardless of your choices they will not agree with you and strike a blow for this one player that cannot be left behind. That is also what Johan Cruijff discovered at the turn of the millennium when he tried to give a pretty comprehensive overview of the best 56 practitioners of the century. The eternal number 14 settled for a system with a goalkeeper (Van der Sar), three defenders (Gullit, Rijkaard, Krol), two midfielders (Neeskens, Van Hanegem) and five attackers (Van Basten, Wilkes, Cruijff, Lenstra and Keizer). That is an impressive collection of names, but the history of the national team learns that an accumulation of talent is not a guarantee of success. Think just back to euro 1976, the 1990 World Cup, euro 1996 and the failed qualification campaign of 2002.

Therefore we chose this time for an alternative method to pick the best national team. The first premise is here to go for the best team and not for the eleven best individuals. That might appear an artificial distinction, but is not true. In contrary to the team of Cruijff we picked four defenders. In front of this stands a ball-winner, a linkman who can keep the ball in the team, and a playmaker. Just like in the attack a scoring striker is coupled to two wing player who are selected at their faculty to take on opponents and create chances. This means the team consists of a combination of creative minds and water carriers.

The second premise is that we collected the team based on tournaments played by Oranje since 1974 (european championships since 1980). With this we don't want or try to give the suggestion that those are also really objectively the best. The selection criteria - and the numbers we looked at for each position and role - are made by ourselves. Per position we will explain which numbers got priority and why.

The third premise is that we select the best performing players rather than the most talented players. This has especially consequences for the stars of the team that became champion in 1988. Because of the 1990 World Cup, 1992 euro and 1994 World Cup (all closely lost against the eventual winner) the average statistics of Hans van Breukelen, Frank Rijkaard, Ronald Koeman, Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten are brought down. With this they are at a disadvantage compared to the internationals active in the 1970s or the second half of the 1990s.

Thereby is the best national team ever (since 1974) that we will present not elevated above any discussion. That was also not the intention. We want to encourage a new dialogue by looking with a modern prism to the common history. Even if it is to place a few internationals on an elevation that got the short end of the deal in the originated narrative about Orange.

@PDG1978

 

Jan Jongbloed (25 november 1940, Amsterdam)

Jan Jongbloed stands in the collective memory as one of the main culprits for the lost final against West Germany in 1974. Why did he not bother to attempt a dive towards the penalty of Paul Breitner? That soft roller of Gerd Müller was savable surely? With the younger Jan van Beveren those finals of 1974 and 1978 could have seen a very different outcome. That Jongbloed was a fine footballer, was a nice bonus. He just came up short in the most important part of his business: saving balls.

At least, that is the story that got constructed at hindsight. The numbers of Jongbloed show a different story. He kept the zero in seven of the twelve games he guarded at final tournaments, and made 26 saves in those matches. Maybe more important for a goalkeeper: Jongbloed did not make a single mistake leading to a shot of the opponent. Even though it is extremely difficult to judge the closing entry on the numbers, they don't give a direct reason to presume Jongbloed was out of his depth in the teams of 1974 and 1978.

Indeed, purely on statistics Jongbloed can measure himself with later excellent Oranje goalkeepers as Hans van Breukelen and Edwin van der Sar. That is primarily located in the consistency. Whereas Jongbloed kept a clean sheet in over half of his games, did Van Breukelen and Van der Sar live through final tournaments that made their numbers less flourishing. Like Van der Sar standing between the posts at the european championships of 1996 and 2004 where the defensive organization had their weak spots. For Van Breukelen there was diminished glory to attain at the tournaments of 1990 and 1992.

Does this make Jongbloed the ideal goalkeeper for the best Oranje team of all-time? That is food for discussion. The honest story is that the data about historic tournaments are not quite advanced enough to develop far reaching conclusions about goalkeepers. The sample is also relatively small. Jongbloed had to save 35 shots in total in tournaments. That is a bit too little to make a good verdict about his qualities. What we can establish, is that Jongbloed was not as inept as he became in the imaging. His place in the team is above all a correction of this.

----------------------------

He had 9 goals against in these tournaments. Of those nine goals, two were a penalty and one an own goal by Krol. Was maybe unlucky here.

When he in 1974 was first choice goalkeeper (in 1978 he was reserve goalkeeper), aged 33, he had a 80% save percentage; just behind Leao, Maier and Hellstrom who were on 85%.

 

Michael Reiziger (3 may 1973, Amstelveen)

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/michael-reiziger/nationalmannschaft/spieler/4375

To select the best full-backs we gave an elevation to two attributes: successful tackles and successful passes to the last third of the field. With this we hope to get forward the full-backs who are both defending and attacking of additional value for the ideal eleven. At the right Michael Reiziger surfaces numerically. On the left it is Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

Numerically viewed, Reiziger is probably the most overlooked Oranje international of the past 50 years. He is with a distance the player with the most duels won, and made in 14 games at final tournaments only eleven fouls (0.80 per 90 minutes). Additionally comes that Reiziger notes 2.9 successful tackles per match and reaches more than nine times a team mate in the last part of the field. Everything considered, Reiziger doesn't only register better statistics than the other right-backs, but also marginally edges colleague Van Bronckhorst defensively (tackles, interceptions) and offensively (passes to the final third).

Reiziger applies his role as right-back above all soberly. Despite his education as midfielder he doesn't go up front all the time. With Frank de Boer as pushing-up defender and often a midfielder next to him as left back, Reiziger has to stay behind the ball in service of the team. With his speed and dueling strength he has the capacity to defend large spaces, what is crucial for enabling adventurous football. In ball possession Reiziger keeps it simple. At the most occasions he chooses for a play-in-pass on the ground directed to one of the midfielders of attackers. That doesn't look especially spectacular, but that is how a full-back has his value for the team.

The pretty thing of Reiziger is here that he played his numbers together at four different tournaments. Between 1996 and 2004 he was often the default right-back of Oranje. In this whole period Reiziger reached a constantly high level, with which he has deserved his place in this team.

------------------------------------------

Duel winners

Michael Reiziger (14 games) 124 duels, 90 wins (72.6%)
Wim Jansen (16 games) 165/101 (61.2%)
Nigel de Jong (17 games) 108/65 (60.2%)
Jaap Stam (16 games) 126/75 (59.5%)
Frank de Boer (20 games) 173/102 (59.0%)
Johan Neeskens (13 games) 148/85 (57.4%)
Ruud Krol (19 games) 205/117 (57.1%)
Mark van Bommel (12 games) 149/85 (57.1%)
Philip Cocu (24 games) 215/122 (56.7%)
Edgar Davids (18 games) 268/152 (56.7%)
Johan Cruijff (8 games) 137/77 (56.2%)

* Only players with 100 or more personal duels since 1974 are included.

23 - On this day in 1974, Johan Cruyff won 23 personal duels vs Sweden, a joint-record in WC history (1966-now) with Pele & Maradona. Show. https://t.co/yZ76dfbaQu

— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) June 19, 2017

(as also confirmed in the French OPTA book about the World Cup)

Most yellow cards at european championships and World Cups since 1974

1. Zambrotta - 9
2. Ballack - 8
2. Costinha - 8
2. Hagi - 8
2. Karagounis - 8
2. Van Bronckhorst - 8
7. Cannavaro - 7
7. Mascherano - 7
7. Cristiano Ronaldo - 7
7. Schweinsteiger - 7
7. Wouters - 7

 

Giovanni van Bronckhorst (5 february 1975, Rotterdam)

The image of Giovanni van Bronckhorst as international is forever tied to two moments. The first takes place against Italy at the European Championships of 2008. In the 31th minute the then 33-years old left-back saves a ball from the line, and then turns on for a long sprint forward. Rafael van der Vaart sends him to an adventure, and after a drive with the ball Van Bronckhorst finds Dirk Kuijt at the second post with an early cross. He places the ball ready with his head so that Wesley Sneijder can finish the counter and beat Buffon. That Van Bronckhorst later scored a goal himself is almost forgotten.
The second moment he enjoys two years later in the semi final against Uruguay. He breaks open the match after shooting from 30 meters and finding the top corner, not for the first time in his career. Both goals tell something about the qualities of the left back: he combines perseverance and insight with an excellent striking and passing technique.

Just as with many teams is the position of left back also at Oranje a problem child. The solution lays often in moving a player there who comes better to his right in the axis. That is how it goes in the seventies with Ruud Krol and later on regularly with Frank de Boer or even Daley Blind. At final tournaments even amendments with Philip Cocu and Dirk Kuijt gains form to occupy this position.

Van Bronckhorst is for a long time also not a left-back, but invents himself thanks to Frank Rijkaard. Rijkaard is not only the first national team coach who attributes a starting place to him at euro 2000 as left back, but also the coach where he enjoys a good period at Barcelona.

Behind Ronaldinho he learns to play in service of the team. He doesn't go to the byline all the time, but selectively picks his moments. That is how Van Bronckhorst can function with a winger (Robben), a midfielder (Sneijder or Van der Vaart) or a lop sided striker (Kuijt) in front of him. That is where this position was in need of: a player who is reliable defensively and can tune himself in for attacks.

Van Bronckhorst offers this combination of qualities. In his 21 final tournament games he delivers 86 successful passes to the opponents penalty area, notes per game 7 successful passes to the final third of the pitch, and comes to 55 tackles won. On his flank Oranje rarely meets problems. The untouchable Andrei Arshavin comes at euro 2008 from the other wing, and before the winning goal of Spain he was already hurt and taken off. Only for the elimination against Portugal of the 2006 World Cup we can blame Gio his game; decorated with a red card after two yellow cautions.

-----------------

World Cup matches with the most cards:

1. Cameroon vs Germany 2002 - 16
1. Portugal vs Netherlands 2006 - 16
3. Netherlands vs Spain 2010 - 14
4. Senegal vs Uruguay 2002 - 12
5. Mexico vs United States 2002 - 11

Most fouls at the 2006 World Cup (64 games):

1. Germany vs Argentina - 55
[...]
61. Portugal vs Netherlands - 25
62. Poland vs Ecuador - 24
63. Trinidad & Tobago vs Sweden - 19
64. Japan vs Brazil - 15

Teams with most cards at one tournament:

1. Argentina 1998 - 26
2. Netherlands 2010 - 24
2. Portugal 2006 - 24

Team with the most fouls at one tournament (since 1982):

Argentina 1990 - 177 fouls

Teams with the most fouls at one World Cup match (since 1982):

Mexico vs Paraguay 1986 - 46 fouls
Cameroon vs Colombia 1990 - 40 fouls

Footballers with the most (registered) fouls at tournaments (since 1982):

1. Manuel Amoros 1986 - 27 fouls
2. Claudio Gentile 1982 - 24 fouls
2. Edgar Davids 1998 - 24 fouls
4. Victor Munoz 1984 - 23 fouls
5. Javier Aguirre 1986 - 22 fouls
5. Andrzej Buncol 1982 - 22 fouls

 

Wim Rijsbergen (18 january 1952, Leiden)

The most competitive teams in the history of Oranje coupled in the center of defense a sober player to a player who leaned on his building qualities. Think about Wim Rijsbergen with sweeper Arie Haan, Jaap Stam with Frank de Boer, or Joris Mathijssen with John Heitinga. Maybe the winning team of 1988 is the exception to the rule. In this with Frank Rijkaard and Ronald Koeman two former midfielders stood in the center. Even so there was superficially a division of labor. Rijkaard effaced himself away as front stopper, so that Koeman could distribute the game as libero.
Because of this natural division it would be illogical to select two central defenders in this ideal team who rely on their footballing qualities. Of course it is tempting to field the intrinsic best footballers, but in a good defense there is a need for a type that can equate himself away.
To find the best man marker that the Netherlands teams ever had at final tournaments, we prioritized the contribution to the team result. Or specifically: defenders with which Oranje saw not too many shots and goals against.

In this category reveals itself a clear winner: Wim Rijsbergen, before the 1974 World Cup primarily a right back by trade. In the eleven EC and WC games he played, Oranje saw only five goals against . Opponents rarely got dangerous anyway with him between the lines. They didn't come further than 7.7 attempts per 90 minutes, a remarkably low number. In the current five top leagues Manchester City is the only team that can present numbers like him. In the context of his time it is even more notable. Teams were in the seventies less organized defensively and attackers shot from all angles and distances on target, whereupon the total number of goal attempts was higher as they are now. Rijsbergen took care of defensive numbers that literally were unheard of in this period.

At the hand of Rijsbergen an alternative Oranje history is out there to construct. What if the then Feyenoord defender didn't fall out of the 1976 semi final against Czechoslovakia? Or interesting: what if Rijsbergen did not get injured during the 1978 World Cup, or received a knock from Gerd Müller before half-time in the 1974 final? Just before the equalizer in the third group match against Scotland - the first goal conceded that tournament - he gets injured. Rijsbergen tried to solve it to play the offside trap, but the great Kenny Dalglish strikes nevertheless. After the substitution Oranje goes down with 3-2, just as in the games afterwards (from Austria to Argentina) the defense did not turn out to be waterproof. Possibly with Wim Rijsbergen instead of the young Ernie Brandts it would have been different. Fitness and durability is unfortunately a recurring topic of interest.

-------------------------------------------

This is already the third player who is not in VI's original top 50 of 2018 (Jongbloed, Reiziger, Rijsbergen). But make no worries, the remaining names were all in their top 50 list. To be continued the next days.

The five goals against includes a penalty (outside his fault), an own goal and a set piece situation.

 

Arie Haan (16 november 1948, Finsterwolde)

Next to the solidity of Wim Rijsbergen there is centrally at the back a want for a player who can put the defenders and attackers in front of him into position. The classic task of a sweeper who connects defense and midfield.
Based on data it appears that no one did this so well as Arie Haan. He notes at final tournaments 5 passes per match to the opponents penalty area, creates 1.5 clear-chances per match and ranks moreover high on defensive statistics as interceptions (37 in 16 matches) and tackles (62 in 16 games).
In the the current modern football there is no central defender who even approaches the numbers of Haan. In the past number of Champions League seasons Leonardo Bonucci has overall come the closest. The Italian routine of Juventus (and briefly Milan) comes to 2.5 passes per game to the opponents penalty area and 0.5 created chances.

For a part this is because of full-backs evolving in their role of pushing up defender. For a part it is also connected to evolving defensive organizations, making it harder for a defender to appear dominant. For a part this is also however a sign of Haan's good faculties, who played 13 international finals in his career.

The role of Haan as emergency sweeper originates accidentally in the run up to the 1974 tournament. He is until this moment midfielder, but national team manager Rinus Michels and captain Johan Cruijff make the case to try him on a new place in a test match against Saestum. Because of a high number of injuries there are diminished options for the central defensive spots. Hence Oranje decides to try it with Haan. Without this piece in the puzzle maybe the so called 'Total Football' - attacking with all and defending with all - had never taken place. Also from this angle the place of Haan in our team is deserved.

Yet it would be wrong to not mention Ronald Koeman. During the euro 1988 until the World Cup of 1994 it was him who followed the footsteps of Haan as constructor and builder in defense. With Berry van Aerle and Adri van Tiggelen as full-backs who didn't always rely on their quality with the ball that was not a superfluous luxury. However, in accordance with the spirit of the times Koeman already filled in the task more soberly than Haan. That makes his statistics a bit less imposing, but for the team it got the desired results and Koeman was overall reliable and consistent. Given that Koeman had most often the ball of all Oranje players, he merits credit for this. But approaching the numbers of Haan? For a change in the football sport, probably no central defender will do that again.

------------------------

Note: Haan also played okay/good as a midfielder at 1978 and 1980. He had the highest chances created per game of all players in 1978 (and those goals vs Italy and Germany ofc).

 

Johan Cruijff (25 april 1947, Amsterdam)

"With his genial insight - a word we don't use often - he stood often at exactly the right place to intercept a pass of the opponent."

Of all internationals in this team Cruijff played the least amount of games at final tournaments. Nonetheless there is otherwise little doubt about his place in the team. As it happened at the 1974 World Cup he was unrivaled. He was the footballer with the most successful dribbles (48% more as the 2nd best in the tournament), the most created chances, and the most chances from open play (25% as the next best). He won possession of the ball 7 times per game, the most of his own team. That Cruijff also scored three goals, assisted three goals and won two penalties for others, was in a way a nice bonus.

The statistics of Cruijff are completely unlike a centre-forward. He is the pivot of the team's game by wandering through the entire field, by which team mates can pop up at the tip of the attack. In the first three group games he has always more than 90 contacts with the ball. Even though the play has now in 2020 become a fair deal faster, these type of numbers are even for a 'false nine' as Lionel Messi a rarity. Roberto Firmino for a strong Liverpool with hard working and threatening forwards as help? He came the entire previous season only three times above the 70 touches with the ball. Cruijff did well above this in six of his seven World Cup matches.

So are the statistics of Cruijff of general world class level. His 5.1 created chances per game - the vast majority from open play - are in the modern game approached by nobody. The 4.9 successful dribbles per game? Only social media cannons Neymar and Messi are in this zone.

In this sense Cruijff might be typified as the first modern footballer at the grand stage. He cannot be condensed to one position, can play himself free while being marked, has 'eyes in his back' and sees openings the most players cannot think of. In ever decreasing spaces and time the types like Cruijff would only become more valuable with the progression of time.

Wesley Sneijder (9 june 1984, Utrecht)

The record international cannot go missing in this best Oranje team. In different roles the Utrechter had his value at final tournaments. In 2006 the 'Andrea Pirlo role' is delivered to him in front of the defense. Two years later there is a semi-free role for him from the left. His best tournament he possibly lives through in 2010 as 'number 10' with Nigel de Jong and Mark van Bommel in his back, with a piercing involvement in 9 of the 12 goals scored. At the subsequent World Cup is Sneijder a very serviceable link from deep, effacing himself away for Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie. In total he played 25 final tournament games (23 starts), where he is good for 8 open play goals and 6 assists.

The most important reason for his place is however his capacity to get the ball to places where goals can be scored. In his 25 games he sends a highly respectable 240 passes to threatening places. Per 90 minutes he gives 6.5 passes to the opponents penalty area, what is a high percentage of the 66.9 touches he has on average. Put differently: one in ten of the touches results with a pass in the 16 meters area. That is very pleasant for the players ahead of him, as in particular Robben has enjoyed often in Oranje. It is no accident that both carry over to make this team.

To place the pass-statistics over 25 games into context: they are comparable to excellent players as Miralem Pjanic and Dani Parejo at their best. That immediately points to the role Sneijder will have in this team. He is good at set-piece situations, playable under pressure, and capable of suddenly fastening the play. That are qualities not too many footballers possess in any given generation, even less so in combination with his true ambidexterity.

Bert van Marwijk called Sneijder 'maybe the best number 10 the national team ever had in my lifetime', and the numbers serve him right in this case. Because other midfielders who have been this consistent in reaching team-mates around the penalty area, we don't find back. Even the other good picks Willem van Hanegem, Gerald Vanenburg and Ronald de Boer don't quite get here. That is why there is not too much doubt about Sneijder his place in this side.

 

Edgar Davids (13 march 1973, Paramaribo)

Every midfield needs a player who in manager's lingo "guards the balance". A footballer who doesn't seek the spotlight himself, but does the dirty work for the creative players. One pit-bull who bites off when the opponent is threatening to become dangerous. It's an Edgar Davids type or ideally Edgar Davids himself.

To place the qualities of Davids into context it is nice to place his statistics next to the current Oranje. During 18 ECs and WCs he shows 122 wins of the ball and 51 tackles won. He couples that to a pass accuracy of 90%. Per 90 minutes that are 7.3 wins of the ball. It's a number where in the current team only Atalanta's Marten de Roon gets near (7.1). Even De Roon however doesn't approach anywhere the three successful tackles Davids registers per full game completed (1.9). Other current internationals are further removed from this.

Partly because of these specific qualities is the national team defensively solid on the field. Just missing out for 1994, at euro 1996 the left footer loses after the Scotland match his starting place and gets into conflict with national coach Guus Hiddink. Two years later he appears to be the missing link in midfield with Ronald de Boer and Wim Jonk. Just as at euro 2000 with Philip Cocu he lessens the job of Bergkamp somewhat behind focal point Patrick Kluivert. Four years later Davids has his value as extra pair of lungs behind young left winger Arjen Robben, not too different from what he did behind the relaxing and free minded Ronaldinho at Barcelona.

That Davids is for a decade security on midfield, for every national team coach (Hiddink, Rijkaard, Van Gaal, Advocaat), is down to his capacity to remove himself for the glory of others. Every Wesley Sneijder or Johan Cruijff needs a footballer as Davids behind him.

Arjen Robben (23 january 1984, Bedum)

From a good winger you expect three things: individual actions, goals and assist. Or expressed in the statistics underneath: successful dribbles, shots and created chances. Arjen Robben is at all these things of the outside category. Per ninety minutes he registers 3.4 successful dribbles, 3 shots and 2.5 clear chances.

During his national team career the gradient moves. At euro 2004 he is a winger. Beating the direct opponent with an acceleration and delivering a cross. His personal high point this tournament was the match against Czech Republic in which he delivered two assists. At the 2010 World Cup he manifests himself different. There he is the target-oriented right winger who just back from injury makes crucial goals against Slovakia and Uruguay. Four years later Robben connects both worlds from a more central position. In the Group of Death he scores three times, after which he brings team mates on the rails with dribbles and created chances. Robben was in 2014 involved at almost half of all shots on target, and responsible for almost half of all successful individual actions of his team.

Not rarely opponents use the emergency brake to stop Robben. In the 24 games the left footed dribbler played at final tournaments he wins a whopping 40 free kicks in the final third of the field. This was very valuable for the team against opponents as Czech Republic, Brazil and Spain. Add to this his seven non-penalty goals and eight assists and his place in the team is beyond doubt.

 

And the last two (not enormously surprising) names:

Dennis Bergkamp (10 may 1969, Amsterdam)

Beforehand is this probably the most hazardous choice for this team. At center forward we chose namely not for Robin van Persie, his predecessor Patrick Kluivert or euro 1988 hero Marco van Basten. All fine choices for this but instead of them we get Dennis Bergkamp to this prominent place. At the indicators especially important for a striker - getting to promising positions, creating goals, creating chances and involvement in goals - the born Amsterdammer trumps all his competitors.

With ten goals [no penalties] is Bergkamp the player who has scored most often at final tournaments. Besides this he also delivered eight assists, although he is equaled here by Arjen Robben. The former star of Ajax, Internazionale and Arsenal fits perfectly into the profile of an all-round number nine. He scores with ease against the big boys himself and is capable to brings team mates into position against the big teams. Per ninety minutes Bergkamp delivers 0.3 open play assists and 0.4 open play goals. Which is especially good looking because he isn't always used the main striker. At the beginning of his career he plays often around Van Basten, later on behind Patrick Kluivert.

At the terrific statistics of Bergkamp this has no negative influence. With 3.6 shots and 2.5 created chances he is per game directly involved at 6 goal attempts. In the past Champions League season only five players reach that sort of territory: Lionel Messi, Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo, Hakim Ziyech and Nabil Fekir. In the collective memory is Bergkamp maybe not unanimously ranked among the very greatest of his country, but in terms of all the data he definitely goes into this category.

Rob Rensenbrink (3 july 1947, Amsterdam)

For the place of second winger on the opposite side of Arjen Robben there is surprisingly little choice. In the years of Robben plays Oranje often with a forward (Kuijt, Van Persie) or midfielders (Van der Vaart, Sneijder, Afellay) from the opposite flank. In a statistical profile that looks for players standing out in successful dribbles, shots and created chances they don't pop up.

Since in 1988 there were no wingers, four candidates remain with sufficient playing minutes: Marc Overmars, Bryan Roy, Johnny Rep and Rob Rensenbrink. At final tournaments Rensenbrink shows the best numbers of this quartet. He scores with more ease than Overmars and Roy and contributes more as team player than Rep, even though the last one has scored the most World Cup goals.

Rensenbrink has scored six goals - four from the penalty spot - in fifteen tournament games, and adds five assists to that. Per ninety minutes he is directly involved in 0.7 goals, which are good numbers for a wing player. Certainly in a team where another player - Cruijff - was the big star. 'Cruijff had sometimes the tendency to move towards me', Rensenbrink would say later himself. 'He wanted to start his move on the left, and then I had to make room for him.' By accommodating each other to this, Rensenbrink was a valuable force in the team of 1974, until the final where he started injured and was replaced at half time.

Four years later Rensenbrink showed he could represent a team without Cruijff. With five goals, timely slaloms through opposing defenses, clever through balls, and clean long cross passes he was one of the stand out players of the 1978 World Cup.

This appearance as leading actor in 1978 makes sure he has captured his place in the team, because the target orientation is striking. Per 90 minutes he has six ball contacts in the opponents penalty area. It's a sign of the qualities Rensenbrink united in him: team player when he needed to be, individualist when he could. Exactly what you want from a winger.

-------------------------

This makes:

Jan Jongbloed (25 november 1940, Amsterdam) - not in original top 50 of July 2018
Michael Reiziger (3 may 1973, Amstelveen) - not in top 50
Arie Haan (16 november 1948, Finsterwolde) - #22 in top 50
Wim Rijsbergen (18 january 1952, Leiden) - not in top 50
Giovanni van Bronckhorst (5 february 1975, Rotterdam) - #38 in top 50
Wesley Sneijder (9 june 1984, Utrecht) - #8 in top 50
Edgar Davids (13 march 1973, Paramaribo) - #26 in top 50
Johan Cruijff (25 april 1947, Amsterdam) - #1 in top 50
Arjen Robben (23 january 1984, Bedum) - #3 in top 50
Dennis Bergkamp (10 may 1969, Amsterdam) - #6 in top 50
Rob Rensenbrink (3 july 1947, Amsterdam) - #11 in top 50


I'd say that especially at the back there are some surprising picks. Further up front they fall more within the standard deviation of what is expected. Maybe an exception at the back is Gio, because of being part of three semi finals and a final, and his okay/good football qualities. FourFourTwo ranked him in 1999 among the best three footballers of Scotland and wrote: "he has provided much of the ammunition for Rangers title-winning season, frequently carving out opportunities from midfield with his incisive passing." Nevertheless he is not seen as a surefire great player as e.g. Krol, Rijkaard or maybe F. de Boer is. I had already expected that Davids would run Neeskens close, or surpass him.

 

Finally, according to an insider survey from this week, 'super agent' Mino Raiola is at the moment the most influential figure in the football scene.

https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/€-moneyball-high-and-low-finance-football.1906578/page-51#post-38631464

https://www.vi.nl/nieuws/raiola-invloedrijkste-nederlander-in-huidige-voetbalindustrie

They want to continue this on an annual base.

 

I'll post here some trivia.

Most consecutive games undefeated:

1. Søren Lerby 59
2. Edwin van der Sar 55
3. Michael Reiziger 54
4. Danny Blind 52
5. Frank de Boer 51
6. Berry van Aerle 49
7. Wim Kieft 47
8. Joshua Brenet 46
9. Marc Overmars 45
9. Finidi George 45
9. Johan Cruijff 45

Soren Lerby accomplished this just before he left the league in 1983 for Ajax, and then continued his streak in 1987 for PSV. As remarked before by me, for a number of reasons I'd strongly suggest this was one of the best (and least flawed) midfielders of the decade.

Highest win percentage ever (at least 100 games)

This is Johan Cruijff with 79.5%. The next best of the 'golden Ajax' is Arie Haan with 75.3%. Cruijff is also the highest ever of all players with at least 75 games.

Lowest defeat percentage ever (at least 100 games)

This is also Johan Cruijff with 7.8%. He is followed by Edgar Davids with 8.3% across his two spells. Seedorf has the lowest ever of players with at least 60 games (i.e. just short of two full seasons) at 4.6%.

Youngest ever players

The first capped player in this list is funnily Mark van Bommel at #3.

http://www.ererat.nl/asp/ererat_speler.asp?report=40&van=1956&tot=2019&clubid=-1&wie=1&natioid=-1

Oldest ever players

That is Jan Jongbloed! The oldest capped outfield player is Rinus Israel at 40 years old.

http://www.ererat.nl/asp/ererat_speler.asp?report=41&van=1956&tot=2019&clubid=-1&wie=1&natioid=-1

Youngest goalscorer

The youngest capped player (two caps) is Arnold Bruggink (who is also the most capped under-21 player, and the #2 in goals for under-21). In the top 25 we also find Seedorf, Wijnaldum, Vanenburg, Gullit and Van Basten to name a few European Cup winners (and CL semi-final/final goalscorers). Relative age effect (RAE) can help a lot and doesn't help e.g. Cruijff clearly.

http://www.ererat.nl/asp/ererat_speler.asp?report=43&van=1956&tot=2019&clubid=-1&wie=1&natioid=-1

Oldest goalscorer

At number three we find Piet Fransen of PSV. He was never capped but has the 'honor' to have scored the first ever European Cup goal for a Dutch club.

At number four, five and six we find Abe Lenstra, Rinus Israel and Willem van Hanegem.

http://www.ererat.nl/asp/ererat_speler.asp?report=44&van=1956&tot=2019&clubid=-1&wie=1&natioid=-1

Scoring streak

Van Hooijdonk scored in the 1993-94 season in 11 consecutive games. Including cup matches it is even 14 games. The 2nd best is Dennis Bergkamp in the 1988-89 season who scored 10 games in a row (no pens). In both cases this was a bit before they acquired a domestic status.

Youngest ever starting XI

This is Ajax at 14 may 2017, just before they played the Europa League final.

https://www.vi.nl/wedstrijden/2017/05/14/nederland/eredivisie/willem-ii-vs-ajax

Oldest ever starting XI

This is Volendam vs Fortuna 54 (2-1) at 25 march 1962. Among them some 'legends' as Van der Hart and Wilkes on the losing side. Wilkes has aged well next to Lenstra because of his obvious technique and doing good in Italy and Spain; and he always remained someone that the 1970s stars admired. The more soloist Lenstra however has the quantity in goals (700+), including some of them against world champions. His selfless behavior off the field made that a stadium got named after him, and he has also the most streets in the country to his name. Odd things are Wilkes (a Rotterdammer) having a street in Amsterdam but not in his own city, and Cruijff not having a street in Amsterdam.

http://www.ererat.nl/asp/ererat_club_wedstrijdstats.asp?report=2&van=1956&tot=2019&clubid=-1#251

Fastest red card ever

This was World Cup winner Marcio Santos, who got it after 19 seconds.

--------------------

Will be returned. I have to verify certain things.

 

Clean sheets by season

1956-57 - Jan Vrijhof (MVV) 14
1957-58 - Eddy Pieters Graafland (Ajax) 12
1958-59 - Andries van Dijk (Sparta) 15
1959-60 - Eddy Pieters Graafland (Feijenoord) and Piet Kraak (Elinkwijk) 11
1960-61 - Eddy Pieters Graafland (Feijenoord) 11
1961-62 - Eddy Pieters Graafland (Feijenoord) 12
1962-63 - Nico van Zoghel (DOS) and Bertus Hoogerman (Ajax) 11
1963-64 - Jan Jongbloed (DWS) 13
1964-65 - Frans Korver (MVV) 11
1965-66 - Nico van Zoghel (Go Ahead) 11
1966-67 - Pim Doesburg (Sparta) 17
1967-68 - Eddy Pieters Graafland (Feijenoord) 17
1968-69 - Eddy Pieters Graafland (Feijenoord) 20
1969-70 - Eddy Treijtel (Feijenoord) 19
1970-71 - Heinz Stuy (Ajax) and Piet Schrijvers (Twente) 20
1971-72 - Piet Schrijvers (Twente) 22
1972-73 - Heinz Stuy (Ajax) 22
1973-74 - Eddy Treijtel (Feyenoord) 17
1974-75 - Gerrit Vooys (AZ67) 15
1975-76 - Bram Geilman (Roda JC), Harry Schellekens (NEC), Volkmar Gross (Twente) 14
1976-77 - Piet Schrijvers (Ajax) 17
1977-78 - Andre van Gerven (Twente) 16
1978-79 - Eddy Treijtel (Feyenoord) 17
1979-80 - Hans van Breukelen (Utrecht) 13
1980-81 - Pim Doesburg (PSV) 17
1981-82 - Pim Doesburg (PSV) 14
1982-83 - Sjaak Storm (Excelsior) 13
1983-84 - Joop Hiele (Feyenoord) 16
1984-85 - Jan van Grinsven (Den Bosch) 16
1985-86 - Hans van Breukelen (PSV) 18
1986-87 - Hans van Breukelen (PSV) 20
1987-88 - Hans van Breukelen (PSV) and John Roox (VVV) 14
1988-89 - Hans de Koning (Twente) 15
1989-90 - Stanley Menzo (Ajax) 16
1990-91 - Hans van Breukelen (PSV) and Jan-Willem van Ede (Utrecht) 16
1991-92 - Ed de Goeij (Feyenoord) 20
1992-93 - Raymond van der Gouw (Vitesse) 15
1993-94 - Edwin van der Sar (Ajax) 17
1994-95 - Ruud Hesp (Roda JC) 16
1995-96 - Edwin van der Sar (Ajax) 17
1996-97 - Ed de Goeij (Feyenoord) 17
1997-98 - Edwin van der Sar (Ajax) 19
1998-99 - Zeljko Kalac (Roda JC) 12
1999-00 - Sander Boschker (Twente) 14
2000-01 - Ronald Waterreus (PSV) 14
2001-02 - Hans Vonk (Heerenveen) and Edwin Zoetebier (Vitesse, Feijenoord) 16
2002-03 - Ronald Waterreus (PSV) 18
2003-04 - Ronald Waterreus (PSV) 15
2004-05 - Heurelho Gomes (PSV) 20
2005-06 - Heurelho Gomes (PSV) 15
2006-07 - Heurelho Gomes (PSV) and Michel Vorm (Utrecht) 16
2007-08 - Heurelho Gomes (PSV) 17
2008-09 - Sergio Romero (AZ) 18
2009-10 - Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax) 19
2010-11 - Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax) 13
2011-12 - Esteban (AZ) [Costa Rica] 15
2012-13 - Kenneth Vermeer (Ajax) and Piet Velthuizen (Vitesse) 12
2013-14 - Jasper Cillessen (Ajax) 14
2014-15 - Jasper Cillessen (Ajax) and Jeroen Zoet (PSV) 12
2015-16 - Jasper Cillessen (Ajax) 18
2016-17 - Brad Jones (Feyenoord) [Australia] 17
2017-18 - Jeroen Zoet (PSV) and Marco Bizot (AZ) 13
2018-19 - Jeroen Zoet (PSV) 16
2019-20 - Marco Bizot (AZ) 17

http://www.ererat.nl/asp/ererat_seizoen_speler.asp?report=26&van=1956&tot=2099&clubid=&wie=&natioid=

----------------------------------------------------

In 1988, 1996, 1998, 2010 and 2014 the keeper with the most clean sheets was also the starting goalkeeper for the national team. Bizot has a chance for 2021, but probably has to settle for #2 or #3. He has been doing very well for a while as shot stopper.

Jan Jongbloed of lowly FC Amsterdam had 15 clean sheets in 1973-74, with that he comes just behind Schrijvers (Twente, 16) and Treijtel (Feyenoord, 17). Schrijvers was the #2 in 1974, promoted to #1 during 1976. For 1978 he was initially #2 behind Jongbloed again, but started all 2nd group stage games (Austria, Germany, Italy). Then he missed the final because of receiving an injury in the Italy match.

Obviously this is an incomplete and imperfect indicator, but noticeable is Jan van Beveren (the first million guilders player) never being on top. He was close in 1970-71 (18 clean sheets), 1974-75 (12), 1975-76 (13), 1976-77 (15) and 1977-78 (15). Also his 13 clean sheets for lowly Sparta in 1967-68, and 14 in 1968-69 look good. Farther removed from the top are 1971-72 (11) and 1972-73 (also 11). For World Cup season 1973-74 he was injured for most of the season and thus has only 2 clean sheets in 12 games. In his last two seasons (1978 to 1980) he has 10 and 8 clean sheets, and was voted footballer of the year in 1980 (on video he does look good there, example).

 

A video you didn't know you needed in your life: Johan Cruyff teaching Hristo Stoichkov how to use a skipping rope.pic.twitter.com/c35iq2ZmLp

— 90s Football (@90sfootball) April 21, 2020

 

He was seen as someone with potential I think.

In the youth teams he played with Kluivert, Van Bommel, sometimes Seedorf and a few others, and he was often the youngest of his cohort but one of the main players. He was the #8 or the #10 there in a 4-3-3 / 3-4-3 type of set-up. Technically good, a good striker of the ball, athletically flawed, could score well for his postion, tactically good too when he was in the mood, not good in tackling and direct duels (at a time when those were more frequent as today). He is nowadays a good television pundit, but just like he was as footballer quite bland in his presentation. Very correct, very kind, clever but in a low-to-the-ground and down-to-earth manner. Sometimes parodied as the footballer who arrived until his mid-20s with a lunch box to the club.


This is a good summary from a website with profiles:

Arnold Jan Bruggink (July 24, 1977) is a former midfielder who was known as a great talent in his early years as a professional. The offensive-minded player started his professional career at FC Twente, where he switched to PSV after some good seasons.

Although Bruggink made a big impression especially in the 1999/2000 season, he never broke through to the European top. He was thus given the designation 'eternal talent'.

Bruggink was taken over by FC Twente from the amateur club RKVV STEVO at a young age. In 1994 he made his debut in the first team. At the age of sixteen, the trainer at the time, Rob Baan, let the youngster smell the great work. The months after his debut, Bruggink was allowed to show up more often, as a result of which he came to nine matches in his first professional season and scored four times. The following season, Bruggink secured a starting spot. After which he was taken over transfer-free by PSV in 1997.

Bruggink immediately took his first prize in Eindhoven at the start of the season by winning the Supercup. In a team with, among others, Luc Nilis , Wim Jonk , Jaap Stam and Vampeta, twenty-year-old Bruggink was not always sure of a starting place. But he did reach 25 games and nine goals.

In the third year as a PSV player, Bruggink seemed to break through. The midfielder, who often also played as an attacker, scored nineteen times for the Eindhoven team and thus led his team to the league title and was himself named Talent of the Year 1999/2000. He also made his debut in this year for Orange. In the World Cup qualifying match with Ireland he was allowed to come in (0-2 behind, turning around to 2-2), in the exhibition game against Spain, a few months later, he was in the starting line-up with the #10 shirt (1-2 win).

Despite the super season that Bruggink had, there was no transfer and that turned out to be wrong for Bruggink. His performances continued to deteriorate and instead of the dreamed transfer to a European top club, Bruggink left for Real Mallorca in 2003 [after Hiddink had lost faith in him]. After one season he left Spain again, to sign for sc Heerenveen.

In Friesland, Bruggink grew into a basic player, but he no longer reached the level of the beginning of this century. Two seasons later, Bruggink had not progressed beyond seven goals. After this he left for Germany, where he had a few decent seasons at Hannover 96 [5 non-penalty goals, 13 assists in 27 games in 2008-09, I see kicker placed him among the five best playmakers that season].

We write the year 2010 Arnold Bruggink (1977) returned to FC Twente to hang up his football boots after one year. Although he did not play much in his final year, he did end up winning the KNVB cup. After his career, Bruggink became an analyst for Dutch TV.


Louis van Gaal had faith and trust in him, but others as Hiddink and Bobby Robson less so. He was at his best and most prominent between 1999 and 2001 (with Van Nistelrooij injured for the most part). At Mallorca he played behind Eto'o as midfielder and became the 2nd most productive player of the team, scoring and winning against Galacticos Real Madrid too. Had also issues with home sickness and therefore he played later closer to home.

I think he was someone with athletic, mentality and defensive flaws (not always, but it was recurring) but he is a good analyst nowadays, very correct and kind, a bit bland. A down to earth gentleman from a rural region, no bells and whistles, fancy watches or smooth clothing.

Maybe one of the better players overall with less than 5 caps. He does have his goals and assists record, a few against big teams too, and at continental level.

He admits himself here that if Van Nistelrooij missed a chance it didn't bother him too much, while when he missed an opportunity very often it meandered in his head and therefore was also off-beat for the next 10 minutes.


edit: here an article from that time
https://www.vi.nl/nieuws/arnold-bruggink-de-beleving-bij-heerenveen-is-soms-te-vrijblijvend

And here one where he answers questions from kids

Arina: Do you like it when you are selected for the eleven? Arnold: That's the best thing there is and the highest you can achieve, I think. I was selected six times and played twice for the national team.

Martijn: How was Real Mallorca in Spain? Arnold: I had a great year there. It is a beautiful country and I played with Real Mallorca in a nice competition. In that year we had four different trainers and that was difficult. The last trainer had brought many players from his previous club and therefore I was no longer able to always play.

Jesper: If you hadn't started playing football, what sport would you have chosen? Arnold: Tennis. I used to like doing that and I was good at that too. I only liked football better and that is why I continued with that. Maybe otherwise I had played at Wimbledon, hahaha!

Arina: How many goals have you made in professional football? Arnold: In Spain I made my 100th goal as a professional football player. I've played about 250 games and scored 102 goals.

Martijn: What is the difference between playing football in the Netherlands and in Spain? Arnold: The pace is much faster in Spain. Physically it was also heavier, agile, explosive. I like training in the Netherlands more. I enjoy it more because we train more with the ball here. In Spain you have to walk a lot and that is sometimes a bit boring.

Jesper: Why do you think it is a challenge to play at SC Heerenveen? Arnold: I have always found sc Heerenveen a beautiful club and I think it is great that they manage to get that far every year. I would love to play European football with sc Heerenveen and become champion or win the cup.

Arina: Have you always been a goalscorer? Arnold: Yes, when I just started playing football I already wanted to score goals and I still want to. Scoring is the best thing there is.

Martijn: What do you think is the highlight of your career so far? Arnold: There are several highlights. For example, that I played in the Dutch national team, that I became champion with PSV three times and that I scored goals against Real Madrid last year when I was still playing at Real Mallorca. Scoring this year against Newcastle United is nice too.

Jesper: What do you think of the Juniors of sc Heerenveen? Arnold: I don't know very well yet and you are also the first Juniors I meet. You can ask me again later.

 

Thanks.

Yeah, as always I overlook certain things or forgot it.

What I could/should have mentioned is: 1) has only 5 penalty goals in his career, that is a plus (5 in 5 conversion). 2) after the dramatic suicide of Robert Enke he was chosen by Hannover to be the team captain and was already vice captain - I think that is a positive for him. 3) he 'cemented' his early reputation in his career with a few excellent games against 'invincible' Ajax, when those were unbeaten domestically and in Europe for a while (the 42 games unbeaten streak ended against Willem II, who had Jaap Stam marshaling at the back). He was 16-18 years old back then, had two goals, an assist, played tactically good (not running 100mph all the time), but never won. This is what came into my view later.

By no means a great player but now I think about it he's somewhere in the discussion for the better players with less than 5 caps (next to Verlaat, Ruud Hesp and the rest).

 

Sorry that I missed this.

Yes there is that Ajax website (not complete yet) and for Feyenoord I know the record is probably Ruud Gullit in 1983-84 with 22 narrow assists.

@JobOude Het record van de afgelopen 40 jaar is van Ruud Gullit. Hij gaf 22 assists voor #Feyenoord in het #Eredivisie seizoen 1983/1984.

— GracenoteNetherlands (@GracenoteNL) April 21, 2012

(they have this from 1972-73 onward, there Cruijff was the top man according to them with 16, and only two directly/indirectly from a set piece which a certain Jon Fredrikstadt already put down in his notebook)

I have counted them myself on video, for 1983-84 I mean, and looks correct to me. He was a big miss in the Tottenham games (the later winner, with a good game and moments by Johan). As the English wikipedia notices, he always identified himself as a Feyenoord supporter. He scored a great free kick against Ajax and Ron Atkinson was in the stadium. Of course it helped that he played alongside other good players to help him. They scored 96 goals and Cruijff had 18 assists in 33 games (other than the 8-2 loss vs Ajax, the only other loss was against Groningen where Cruijff didn't play, after receiving numerous poorly timed challenges in the previous matches).

I also know transfermarkt is busy with something (for 1969-70 they credit Cruijff with 23 wide assists and that's possibly the record):
https://www.transfermarkt.nl/nederlands-voetbal-uit-1968-69-compleet-in-de-database/view/news/334695
(this is only the league, in the cup and in Europe there are some as well - 6 in the European Cup for example)

I hope this answers what you mean.

 

More verified trivia:


Highest win percentage for the national team (minimum 50 caps)

This is Mark van Bommel (while in between missing euro 2004 and euro 2008). He won 68% of his games.

68% - Among players with 50 or more caps, birthday boy Mark van Bommel has the best win ratio of any Netherlands player (68%), winning 54 of his 79 games. Warrior. pic.twitter.com/q6FISsYTw6

— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) April 22, 2020

Above it is noticed he is among the youngest league debutants as well. It has to be said however he only played 20 minutes in 1992-93. His team relegated and played two seasons in the Second Division afterwards, then climbed up again with help from his efforts. He is arguably the only elite level footballer to come out of the hilly Limburg area. Cruijff - the top guy for the league - has a win percentage of 65% in 48 caps.

The man who idolized Lothar Matthaus as a 16 years old youngster and you love to hate (and was kind of 'hated' by manager Van Basten - MvB was pundit for the 2005CL semi final, with a lukewarm review).


Most free kicks (since OPTA started to count in 2000)

This Van Hooijdonk with 19 direct free kick goals. Theo Janssen is close behind with 18, then a drop off to 14.
Van Hooijdonk has the distinction to have beaten several top class goalkeepers in his career (Buffon, Casillas, Dida, Van der Sar and numerous more). Buffon, september 2002, was the 50th free kick goal in his career.


Most goals as substitute

The Solskjaer (actually it's Defoe, with 24 PL goals) of the Eredivisie is the above mentioned Bruggink with 21 goals as substitute.

He is also the only player to score a hat-trick in a title winning game away from home (against his alma mater FC Twente, 1999-00).

In the first national team game (under Van Gaal) he was assigned squad number 14 (coming in as sub at 0-2 behind, turning to 2-2). The second he started with #10, as mentioned above (friendly 1-2 win against Spain November 2000 in a lively atmosphere it seems).


Minutes per goal ratio (minimum 50 goals)

85 - Van Basten
91 - Kezman and Romario
99 - Kindvall
100 - Coen Dillen

Romario never surpassed the 20 non-penalty goals barrier in a league season, but on a per minute base he jumps in the table.


Youngest players to reach 100 goals

This are Van Basten at #1 and Cruijff at #2. According to Ruud Gullit in the Serie A programme recently mentioned - and his explanation made sense - the two only real phenomenal footballers we ever had (as in that MvB was more or less phenomenal for the duration of entire national team and entire continental tournaments, and/or for a six months period in the league, despite his intermittent injuries).


Largest comeback by the national team

This was 26 march 2008 away against Austria. 3-0 behind, 3-4 win. This was notably also the last cap by Seedorf, coming into the field at 3-1 and preparing the injury time winner for 3-4...


Error leading to goal at debut for national team

This one is tricky, but as far as I know Matthijs de Ligt is the only one since they started recording this (his first of two in 22 games per OPTA, the 2nd was against England I think).

There have been almost 100 scoring debutants, with sometimes gaps of several years in between (as the article says).