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5 Greatest Dutch Football Players Of All Time

The Netherlands are among the best football nations ever to have played the beautiful game. While they have never won the FIFA World Cup, they have been the runners-up three times in the tournament’s history. They lost in the FIFA World Cup finals in 1974, 1978, and 2010. This list features some of the best Dutch players to have ever lived.

Who Are The Greatest Dutch Football Players Of All Time?

5. Ronald Koeman

Ronald Koeman scored 239 goals from defence and finished as top scorer in the 1993/94 Champions League.

He was so good, he could also assist his own goals. pic.twitter.com/xRHB2ssrfl

— Owuraku Ampofo (@_owurakuampofo) August 19, 2020

Ronald Koeman played as a professional footballer from 1980 to 1997. Throughout his club career, he represented Groningen, Ajax, PSV, Barcelona, and Feyenoord. He also played for the Netherlands Football Team from 1983 to 1994. Koeman won the Eredivisie once with Ajax and thrice with PSV. He won the La Liga four years in a row with Barcelona. Koeman won the UEFA European Championship with the Netherlands in 1988. He was named the Dutch Footballer of the Year in 1987 and 1988 and in the UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament in 1988.

4. Dennis Bergkamp

Credit: The Guardian

Dennis Bergkamp played between 1986 and 2006. He started his career at Ajax. Bergkamp made a name for himself after giving dazzling performances in the Eredivisie. The striker scored 103 goals in 185 appearances in the league. In 1993, he left Ajax to join Serie A side Inter Milan. After a short stint consisting of 11 goals in 52 appearances, he decided to move to the Premier League. Dennis Bergkamp joined Arsenal in 2005 and stayed with the club till he retired in 2006. The Dutch star scored 87 goals in 315 appearances for Arsenal.

Bergkamp represented the Netherlands from 1990 to 2000. He scored 37 goals in 79 appearances for them. The Arsenal icon won the Eredivisie once with Ajax, the UEFA Super Cup once with Inter Milan, and the Premier League three times with Arsenal.

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3. Ruud Gullit

Credit: Transfermarkt

Ruud Gullit is the only player on this list who has not played for Ajax at some point in his career. Gullit started his career as a professional footballer at Dutch club HFC Haarlem. He scored 32 goals in the Eredivisie in 91 appearances for them. He then moved to Feyenoord, where he scored 30 goals in 85 league appearances. The third and final Dutch club he played for was PSV. He played 68 games in the Eredivisie for them and scored 46 goals.

Gullit then decided to move his career out of the Netherlands. He joined Serie A side AC Milan in 1987. He played 125 games in the Serie A for them and scored 38 goals. The Dutch midfielder then moved to Sampdoria. He scored a total of 24 goals for them in 53 league appearances. The final stop in his career came in the Premier League.

He joined English club Chelsea in 1995. He played 48 games for them and scored four goals. The Dutch star was one of the most dominating midfielders football has ever seen. He played for the Netherlands from 1981 to 1994. He scored 17 international goals in 66 appearances.

2. Marco van Basten

🎂 Happy birthday to the triple Ballon d'Or winner, Marco van Basten!#ballondor pic.twitter.com/Mmxv9xbXrW

— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) October 31, 2023

Marco van Basten only ever represented two teams in his entire career. He played professional football from 1981 to 1995. Like many other Dutch players, Van Basten started his career at Ajax. The Dutch striker played 133 games in the Eredivisie and scored 128 goals. He averaged almost a goal per game in the league for Ajax, which is ridiculous. In 1987, Van Basten left Ajax and joined Serie A side AC Milan. He played 147 games for Milan in the Serie A and scored 91 goals.

The Dutch star played for the Netherlands football team between 1983 and 1992. However, he ended up playing just 58 games for his nation. During this time, he scored 24 goals. Marco van Basten won the Eredivisie thrice with Ajax and the Serie A four times with AC Milan. He has won the prestigious Ballon d’Or award three times, winning it in 1988, 1989, and 1992. He also won the UEFA European Championship with the Netherlands in 1988. His list of achievements just goes on and on, which is why he is regarded as one of the best Dutch players ever to live.

1. Johan Cruyff

Back in the past! The 1971 Ballon d'Or Ranking with Johan Cruyff!#ballondor pic.twitter.com/fcQjNELy4m

— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) June 27, 2023

Johan Cruyff is regarded as one of football’s best players and managers. He is credited with revolutionising football as we know it and changing it as a player and coach. Cruyff represented many teams in his career. He played for Ajax, Barcelona, Los Angeles Aztecs, Washington Diplomats, Levante, and Feyenoord. His most notable periods, however, came with Ajax and Barcelona.

Cruyff played 245 games for Ajax in the Eredivisie and scored 193 goals. He continued this goal-scoring form to Barcelona as well. He scored 48 goals for Barcelona in 143 games. The Dutch forward won the Eredivisie a whopping eight times in his career. While he won just one La Liga title, he left his mark on the league. Cruyff won the Ballon d’Or award three times in his career. He won this highly coveted award in 1971, 1973, and 1974. Johan Cruyff had such a significant impact on football that there is a stadium named after him called the ‘Johan Cruyff Arena’.

For more news and updates on the Netherlands football team, keep reading GutshotMagazine.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Telegram.

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