Now give me some proper detail
Always the bridesmaid, never the bride: can Ronald Koeman finally join the Netherlands and the World Cup in holy matrimony?
No one has played in the final as many times without ever winning the tournament as the Dutch (1974, 1978 and 2010).
This is the 12th time they’ve qualified, and while it may not be the strongest squad in their proud and influential history, it does have balance, experience and a winning mentality – Oranje were unbeaten in 14 games going into their June friendlies.
Euro ’88 winner Koeman, while hugely respected for his heroics as a player, is not a universally popular coach, primarily because of what is viewed as a risk-averse style played by his team.
His panel is Premier League heavy, perhaps no surprise given a record 36 Dutch players got minutes in England’s top flight this season.
The Netherlands last lost a group game in 1994 and will be keen to top Group F, with Brazil likely to be lying in wait for whoever comes second.
How best to use the injury-hit Memphis Depay and in-form Donyell Malen is sure to be near the top of Koeman’s agenda. Since his Roma debut on 18 January, only Harry Kane has scored more goals in Europe’s top five leagues than Malen, who is on loan from Aston Villa.
The famous double-decker Oranje Bus docked in Texas on 11 May, with around 10,000 colourful Dutch fans expected to be present in North America. What a party they would throw for the happy couple if the Netherlands and the World Cup could finally tie the knot.
