Ranking the 5 greatest players the Netherlands have produced
The Netherlands have been one of the top teams in international football and have produced some of the best players to have graced the game.
The Oranje, who are famous for their orange kits, have entertained fans in major competitions with their expansive and entertaining style of play. That makes it a tad surprising that a team with such ability and quality have won just one major trophy, the 1988 European Championship.
The Netherlands also hold the record for reaching the most World Cup finals without lifting the trophy, losing three finals in the competition (1974, 1978 and 2010). That, however, should not detract from the fact that the Netherlands are one of the greatest teams to have played the game.
Clubs from the Netherlands' Eredivise, including Ajax, PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord, amongst others, have produced some of the biggest Dutch names in football history.
On that note, let's take a look at the five greatest players the Netherlands have ever produced.
#5 Edwin van der Sar
The only goalkeeper to make the list, Edwin van der Sar easily stands out as an all-time goalkeeping great in a country not necessarily famous for its prowess between the sticks. Van der Sar had a glittering two-decade-long career for club and country.
The goalkeeper, like many Netherlands legends, began his career at Ajax in 1990. He spent nine years at the Dutch club before joining Serie A giants Juventus in 1999 on a free transfer.
Van der Sar was the first non-Italian to become the first-choice goalkeeper for Juventus, where he won the UEFA Intertoto Cup in his first season. Juventus, however, struggled the following season, with the Netherlands goalkeeper culpable on a few occasions, particularly one that cost Juventus the league title.
Juventus went on to sign Gianluigi Buffon for a world-record fee for a goalkeeper, prompting van der Sar to leave the club after just two years. He joined Premier League side Fulham in 2001.
The Netherlands international spent four years at the club before joining Manchester United. Van der Sar achieved much success with the Red Devils, most notably setting the record for the most minutes (1311) without conceding a goal.
Edwin van der Sar retired from professional football in 2011 after amassing over 20 trophies during his career, including eight league titles and two Champions League trophies. He won at least one trophy at every club he appeared for.
The Netherlands custodian also won numerous individual accolades. He was voted the Netherlands' Goalkeeper of the Year in four consecutive years as well as won the Best European Goalkeeper award twice.
Although van der Sar did not garner a similar level of success at international level, he was a mainstay for the Netherlands. The goalkeeper had the most appearances (130) for the Netherlands at the time of his retirement before Wesley Sneijder surpassed him in 2017.
#4 Clarence Seedorf
Clarence Seedorf was regarded by many during his playing days as one of the greatest midfielders of his time. The Netherlands legend still remains the only player to win the UEFA Champions League at three different clubs, which is a glowing testament to his pedigree.
Seedorf began his career at Ajax, making his debut for the club in 1992 at the age of 16. That made him the youngest-ever debutant for Ajax at the time. He was a regular for the team over the next two seasons and played a key role in Ajax's Champions League triumph in 1995.
After three successful seasons in the Netherlands, Seedorf joined Sampdoria, where he spent just one season before joining Spanish giants Real Madrid. He immediately became a regular in Madrid's starting XI as a 20-year-old.
Seedorf played over 140 games for the club in the next three seasons. The Dutch midfielder was a key figure for Real Madrid, who won the Champions League in 1997-98, Seedorf's second season at the club.
Clarence Seedorf returned to Italy midway through the 1999/00 season and joined Inter Milan. Although he was a regular for the Nerazzurri, he did not win any silverware in his two and a half seasons at the club before he joined their city rivals AC Milan in 2002.
The Dutch midfielder's career peaked at AC Milan during ten highly successful years. The Netherlands international went on to make the most appearances for AC Milan by a non-Italian, playing 432 games and scoring 62 goals. He left the Rossoneri in 2012 to join Brazilian club Botafogo, where he played for two years before he retired.
Seedorf is one of the most decorated players of all time for the Netherlands. He won 20 trophies during his career, including five league titles and four Champions League titles, and won the European competition twice at AC Milan.
Clarence Seedorf played for the Netherlands for 15 years, appearing 87 times and scoring 11 goals.