 The "Oranje" are one of the World Cup's most enigmatic teams. The Dutch regularly produce teams of exceptional skill and attacking prowess but have yet to win the greatest prize.
The Netherlands failed to qualify for the World Cup 2002 in South Korea and Japan. So the team was all the more motivated to make it to the tournament in Germany four years later. And it dazzled its way through the qualifiers with not one defeat. Instead, 10 wins and two draws speak a clear language. The "Oranje" team could also win the top spot in Group 1, putting its strongest group rival, the Czech Republic, in its place. In the end, it beat the Czechs at home in Prague outright with 2:0. |  Beginning from goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar up to the strikers, the positions in the Dutch team are roughly equally strong. In attack, Arjen Robben and goalscorer Ruud van Nistelrooy, who both play in the English league, certainly stick out. The fact that even a top striker like Bayern Munich's Roy Makaay doesn't have a regular spot on this international team speaks volumes |
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