The Netherlands have reached the final of the World Cup three times — in 1974, 1978, and 2010 — and have never won it.
That statistic haunts Dutch football like no other, and it is the driving force behind everything Ronald Koeman’s side are trying to achieve in North America in 2026.
The Oranje qualified for this tournament by winning UEFA Group G, sealing their place with a 4-0 win over Lithuania in Amsterdam in November 2025, with Tijjani Reijnders opening the scoring and the nation watching breathlessly.
Koeman led the Dutch to the semi-finals of Euro 2024 before losing to England, demonstrating that this squad is capable of going very deep in tournament football.
They are drawn in Group F alongside Japan, Sweden, and Tunisia, opening against Japan on June 14 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
One notable disruption came when Jurriën Timber withdrew injured before the tournament and was replaced by Lutsharel Geertruida of Sunderland.
Here are the 10 best soccer players in the Netherlands at the 2026 World Cup.
1. Virgil van Dijk — Defender (Captain)
Age: 34 | Club: Liverpool (England)
The most dominant centre-back in world football and the captain of both Liverpool and the Netherlands.
Van Dijk has been one of the defining defenders of his generation and at 34 is still performing at an elite level.
In 2025/26 he made 34 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions and scored 6 goals, including the winning header against Atlético Madrid in the Champions League.
He won his second Premier League title in 2025 as Liverpool captain, his first as club captain after succeeding Jordan Henderson in 2023.
He broke Frank de Boer’s all-time Netherlands captaincy record in November 2025 when he led the team for the 72nd time in the qualifying win over Lithuania.
He has 92 caps and 12 international goals and finished runner-up to Lionel Messi in the 2019 Ballon d’Or — the closest a defender has come to winning the award in the modern era.
Koeman has said plainly that Van Dijk’s presence changes the psychological reality of the entire Dutch defence.
This is widely expected to be his final international campaign.
2. Tijjani Reijnders — Midfielder
Age: 27 | Club: Manchester City (England)
One of the most complete attacking midfielders in European football and the player who opened the scoring as the Netherlands sealed their World Cup place against Lithuania.
Reijnders joined Manchester City from AC Milan in June 2025 for £46.5 million, following a 2024/25 season at Milan where he scored 15 goals in all competitions and was named the Serie A Best Midfielder of the season.
His Premier League debut for City was one of the best individual performances of the opening weekend — scoring and assisting Erling Haaland in a 4-0 win at Wolves.
His 2025/26 season produced 5 goals and 2 assists in 29 Premier League starts, and he won the FA Cup and EFL Cup with City.
At 27, with Serie A’s best midfielder award and a Premier League double behind him, Reijnders arrives at this World Cup in the form of his career and with a point to prove on the biggest stage.
3. Cody Gakpo — Forward
Age: 27 | Club: Liverpool (England)
One of the most dangerous forwards in the Premier League and the player who emerged from the 2022 World Cup as one of the revelations of the tournament.
Gakpo scored in all three of the Netherlands’ group stage games in Qatar 2022, becoming the first Dutch player to score in three consecutive World Cup matches since Marco van Basten.
At Liverpool he has continued to develop into one of the most complete wide forwards in English football, bringing pace, directness, and a significant goal threat from the left.
He has 50 caps and 21 international goals and gives the Netherlands a match-winning option in attack whose pace and technical quality make him dangerous against any defence.
4. Frenkie de Jong — Midfielder
Age: 29 | Club: Barcelona (Spain)
One of the most technically gifted midfielders of his generation and the player who sets the tempo for both Barcelona and the Netherlands.
De Jong has had an injury-disrupted period heading into this tournament, missing Euro 2024 entirely with an ankle injury and battling hamstring issues in 2026, but is expected to be fit to feature.
He has 66 caps and brings an ability to receive the ball under pressure, drive forward, and distribute with precision that very few midfielders in world football can replicate.
At 29 and at Barcelona, this is his most important tournament yet and the stage where he needs to perform at his absolute best.
5. Ryan Gravenberch — Midfielder
Age: 24 | Club: Liverpool (England)
One of the most exciting central midfielders in Europe and a player who has elevated his game dramatically since joining Liverpool.
Gravenberch was a squad player at Bayern Munich before Arne Slot immediately trusted him as a starter at Liverpool, where he has become one of the most dominant box-to-box midfielders in the Premier League.
Ryan is one of the few brothers who play football for different countries.
He has 27 caps and brings physical power, technical quality, and the kind of athletic dynamism that gives the Netherlands a completely different midfield dimension from de Jong and Reijnders.
At 24, he is heading to his first World Cup in the form of his career.
6. Memphis Depay — Forward
Age: 32 | Club: Corinthians (Brazil)
The Netherlands all-time leading scorer and one of the most decorated Dutch footballers of his generation.
Depay passed Robin van Persie’s long-standing international scoring record during the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign and now has 55 international goals from 109 caps.
He is now playing his club football at Corinthians in Brazil, but his international pedigree and experience of major tournaments is unquestioned.
At 32, he brings a lethal finishing instinct and a wealth of tournament experience that gives Koeman a hugely reliable option in attacking positions.
7. Denzel Dumfries — Defender
Age: 30 | Club: Inter Milan (Italy)
One of the best attacking right-backs in world football and a player who has established himself as one of Inter Milan’s most important players.
Dumfries was outstanding at Euro 2020 and has continued to develop into a complete modern full-back at Inter, where he has won Serie A titles and competed in Champions League finals.
He has 72 caps and 11 international goals, extraordinary numbers for a right-back, and gives the Netherlands a constant attacking threat down the right flank.
8. Nathan Aké — Defender
Age: 31 | Club: Manchester City (England)
A composed, intelligent, and reliable defender who has been one of the Netherlands’ most consistent performers in recent years.
Aké has been part of multiple Premier League title-winning squads at Manchester City and brings a level of defensive composure and aerial ability that complements Van Dijk’s authority perfectly.
He has 59 caps and 5 international goals and can operate at centre-back or left-back, giving Koeman important flexibility in how he sets up defensively.
9. Micky van de Ven — Defender
Age: 25 | Club: Tottenham Hotspur (England)
One of the most exciting young defenders in European football and the player many consider to be the long-term successor to Virgil van Dijk in the Netherlands backline.
Van de Ven is one of the fastest centre-backs in the Premier League and brings a combination of pace, composure, and ball-playing ability that marks him out as a generational talent at his position.
He has 21 caps and arrived at this World Cup having established himself as one of the most consistent performers in Tottenham’s backline across the 2025/26 season.
The Dutchman is not just one of the best centre-backs in the world, but also one of the fastest soccer players ever.
At 25 and heading to his first World Cup, this tournament could be the moment he announces himself to the entire world.
10. Wout Weghorst — Forward
Age: 33 | Club: Ajax (Netherlands)
The most physically imposing striker in the Netherlands squad and one of Dutch football’s most determined and combative characters.
Weghorst became a national hero at the 2022 World Cup when he scored twice as a substitute in the quarter-final against Argentina, coming on with 11 minutes remaining to bring the Netherlands level and force extra time in one of the most extraordinary cameos in World Cup history.
He now plays his club football at Ajax and has 52 caps and 14 international goals.
His aerial ability, his physicality in the box, and his relentless work rate make him the ideal option when the Netherlands need a different kind of forward threat.
Conclusion
The Netherlands have the quality and experience to go very deep in this tournament.
With Van Dijk anchoring one of the best defences in the competition, Reijnders and Gravenberch providing dynamism in midfield, and Gakpo and Depay leading the attack, this is one of the most complete Oranje squads in years.
Whether they can finally end their World Cup final heartbreak and win the tournament for the first time in their history is one of the great narratives of the 2026 edition.
Check out more on every country that has won the World Cup, the best wingers in the world, the best young defenders in football, and the best defensive midfielders of all time.
Who do you think will be the Netherlands’ best player at the 2026 World Cup? Let us know in the comments!
