Team profile: Netherlands

So exquisite are his touch, technique and speed of thought that Dutch captain Robin van Persie sometimes reminds his compatriots of legendary forward Dennis Bergkamp. On his day, Manchester United’s van Persie will fashion goals out of opportunities nobody saw coming, and convert chances in open play or from free kicks with the ice-cool efficiency of the veteran hitman. Then there’s the diminutive playmaker Wesley Sneijder (reportedly dubbed “The Smurf” by van Persie), who can pick the lock of the stingiest defenses, as he proved at Ajax, Real Madrid and Inter Milan before heading off to Turkey and Galatasaray. And anyone whose team has played Bayern Munich lately will watch out for Arjen Robben, the speedy left-footed right winger (fullbacks know not to let him cut inside onto his shooting foot, but sometimes he’s just too quick). Yes, that’s right; the players to watch in this Dutch squad are the same as four years ago, and four years before that.

The 1974 World Cup final, in which Holland faced the old enemy, Germany — and the Germans’ first touch of the ball was when goalkeeper Sepp Maier retrieved it from the back of his net after Johan Neeskens’ penalty. So superior were Johan Cruijff and his men that they began toying with the Germans, and ended up losing the game 2–1, an enduring moment of national trauma. They were back in the final four years later, and once again looked superior to their opponent, host Argentina — but couldn’t seal the deal. And then, in 2010, a third final on the losing side, this time to Spain.

They may be coached by mighty Louis van Gaal, but this Dutch side is a spent force: Relying on aging talents of yore and a brittle defense to carry them through the heat and humidity of Brazil seems a bridge too far, never mind the notorious personality conflicts (featuring some of the same players in the current squad) that have sabotaged past campaigns. It’ll be no surprise if the teams progressing from Holland’s group are Spain and Chile.

The talents of the Dutch are abundant: Between them, Holland’s star players have won La Liga, Serie A and the English Premier League on multiple occasions, and they’ve played together for longer than almost any other squad in Brazil. If the Oranje have failed at the final hurdle, often as a result of psychological failings, the steely van Gaal is the remedy that could make them dark-horse contenders. 

The irony in the Dutch losing to Spain in 2010 was that this Spanish team’s game was modeled on Barcelona’s “tiki-taka” model that prioritizes keeping possession and breaking down an opponent’s defense through patient, intelligent passing and movement. The modern Barcelona game was developed partly as a result of the influence of Cruijff and legendary coach Rinus Michels, who moved to the Catalan club in the 1970s, bringing with them Dutch “total football” with its emphasis on interchangeability and tactical awareness among all 11 players on the field.