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Netherlands national team. UEFA (Europe). Nickname: Oranje. Home jersey: orange with white trim.
-Netherlands is in Group B (with Australia, Chile, and Spain). ‘2014 FIFA World Cup/Group B‘ (en.wikipedia.org).
2014 FIFA World Cup qualification: 10th qualification out of 17 tries (1930, did not enter; 1954 & 1958, did not enter). Netherlands has qualified for the World Cup in: 1934, 1938, 1974, 1978, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2006, 2010, 2014.
Previous WC finish: 2010, Runners-Up (6-0-1).
Highest WC finish:
1974, Runners-Up (5-1-1).
1978, Runners-Up (3-2-2).
2010, Runners-Up (6-0-1).
Population of Netherlands: 16.8 million {2013 estimate}. Capital and Largest city: Amsterdam, metro area pop. 1.5 million {2014 est.}.
-Netherlands coach, Louis van Gaal. Louis van Gaal.
-Netherlands squad captain, Robin van Persie. Robin van Persie.
[Note: Chart below updated to reflect caps /goals to Netherlands' Quarterfinals match of 5 July 2014. Apart from the two injured players shown below who were left off the Netherlands squad (Rafael van der Vaart & Kevin Strootman), all the players shown below comprise every Dutch player who has played for the Netherlands in the 2014 World Cup up to the Quarterfinals.]
Below: Theoretical Best XI for Netherlands (with 12 other player-options further below) -
Photo and Image credits above -
Netherlands 2014 home jersey, photo from worldsoccershop.com.
Netherlands/EU map, by NuclearVacuum at ‘File:EU-Netherlands.svg‘ (en.wikipedia.org).
Netherlands blank map by Lencer at ‘File:Netherlands location map.svg‘ (en.wikipedia.org).
Coach,
Louis van Gaal, photo unattributed at skysports.com.
Goalkeeper,
Jasper Cillessen GK (Ajax), photo by Proshots via ad.nl/ad/nl.
Defenders,
Daryl Janmaat RB/LB (Feyenoord), photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Europe via zimbio.com.
Ron Vlaar CB (Aston Villa), photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images Europe via zimbio.com.
Bruno Martins Indi LB/CB (Feyenoord), photo by Icon Sport via planetfootball360.com.
Daley Blind DM/LB/CB (Ajax), photo unattributed at voetbalzone.nl.
Midfielders,
Rafael van der Vaart AM/CM/RM (Hamburger SV), photo unattributed at sports.xin.msn.com.
Wesley Sneijder AM/CM/LW (Galatasaray), photo by Getty Images via prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com.
Kevin Strootman DM/CM/LW (AS Roma), photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images Europe via zimbio.com.
Forwards (incl. Attacking MFs/Wingers),
Arjen Robben RW/LW (Bayern Munich), photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images Europe via zimbio.com.
Robin van Persie FW (Manchester United), photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images Europe via zimbio.com.
Jeremain Lens LW/RW/FW (Dynamo Kyiv), photo from fcdynamo.kiev.ua.
Other player-options,
Dirk Kuyt RW/FW (Fenerbahçe), photo by Burak Akbulut/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images via gettyimages.co.uk.
Jonathan de Guzmán AM/CM/DM (Swansea City), photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images Europe via zimbio.com.
Nigel de Jong CMF/DM (Milan), photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images Europe via zimbio.com.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar FW (Schalke 04), photo unattributed at mtnfootball.com/europe/bundesliga/matches/report
Joël Veltman CB (Ajax), unattributed at fm-base.co.uk/forum.
Stefan de Vrij CB/RB (Feyenoord), photo unattributed at vavel.com/en/football/242927-van-gaal-s-world-cup-selection.
Memphis Depay LW/RW (PSV), photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Europe via zimbio.com.
Georginio Wijnaldum AM/W (PSV), photo unattributed at elsitioderuife.wordpress.com/2013/04/14/psv-eindhoven/10-georginio-wijnaldum.
Paul Verhaegh RB (Augsburg), photo unattributed at voetbalcentraal.nl.
Leroy Fer CM (Norwich City), photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images Europe via zimbio.com.
Terence Kongolo CB (Feyenoord), photo by Pro Shots via fr12.nl/nieuws.
Tim Krul GK (Newcastle United), photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images Europe via zimbio.com.
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Thanks to the contributors at ‘2014 FIFA World Cup qualification‘ (en.wikipedia.org).
Thanks to the contributors at ‘Netherlands national football team‘ (en.wikipedia.org).
Thanks to http://www.transfermarkt.com/en/, for player-position details.
Thanks to Soccerway.com, for recent squad line-ups (with positions-on-the-field graphics), at int.soccerway.com/international/europe/wc-qualifying-europe/2014-brazil/1st-round/r15653/.
