How Many World Cups Has The Netherlands Won?
The Netherlands is one of the best soccer nations in the world, with both the men’s and women’s team consistently ranked in the top 10. However, how have they fared in World Cup play, and have they ever won a championship? Read on to find out how the Netherlands has stacked up against their opponents on the biggest stage.
Has the Netherlands won a FIFA World Cup?
The Netherlands has never won a World Cup, though they have come close many times. The men’s team has appeared in three World Cup finals, and the women’s team has appeared in one World Cup Final.
The Netherlands’ men's soccer team advanced to the World Cup finals in 1974, 1978, and 2010. The Netherlands’ women’s soccer team made it to the 2019 World Cup Championships.
The Netherlands in the World Cup in the 1970s
The Netherlands made it to the World Cup finals twice in the 1970s: in 1974 and 1978. Since the World Cup occurs every four years, this means the Netherlands advanced to the championship in consecutive World Cups, and in two out of the three World Cups in the 1970’s.
The 1974 World Cup was located in West Germany, with the final game played in Munich. This World Cup was special for a few reasons: it was the first World Cup with the FIFA World Cup Trophy and was the first World Cup to feature two group stages
Before 1974, the trophy for winning the World Cup was the Jules Rimet Trophy. However, after Brazil won this trophy for the third time, the Jules Rimet Trophy was permanently awarded to Brazil.
The 1974 World Cup championship went to West Germany, the host country that year. They defeated the Netherlands 2-1.
The 1978 World Cup was hosted in Argentina. Like the 1974 World Cup, the Dutch were defeated in the finals by the host country. This time, the Netherlands got even closer to winning their first-ever World Cup championship: they lost the final match in extra time.
The Netherlands in the World Cup in the 2010s
The Netherlands made their other two World Cup finals appearances in the 2010s. First, the men were defeated by Spain in 2010 in South Africa. Then, in 2019 the Netherlands’ women’s soccer team advanced to the World Cup finals for the first time ever. They were defeated by the USA women’s team, who won their fourth World Cup title in 2019.,
Like in 1978, the Netherlands’ 2010 men’s soccer team lost the championship in extra time. This time, they were held off the scoreboard: Spain shut out the Netherlands for a 1-0 victory. Andre Iniesta scored the game-winning goal in the 116th minute, which is the latest winning goal in a World Cup final ever.
The 2019 Women’s World Cup was the eighth ever Women’s World Cup, and the final one featuring 24 teams; the Women’s World Cup has been expanded to 32 teams in advance of the 2023 World Cup. The tournament took place across nine cities in France, with the championship game played at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais, which is located in Lyon, France. The USA women’s soccer team were defending champions coming into the tournament, having beaten Japan in the most recent Women’s World Cup.