Ranking the Netherlands' 25 best players of the 21st century
To mark the start of 2025, I've ranked the top 25 Oranje players since the turn of the century.
I’ve only taken into account what players have done in international football and obviously prioritised what they did at major tournaments, hence some choices that are maybe surprising...
So, let’s get into it.
25. Nathan Ake
Ake spent the first years of his Oranje career as a backup player but secured a place in the starting XI for the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024 and was great in both.
24. Wout Weghorst
He’s not very consistent but steps up in the big moments, most famously with his incredible brace against Argentina but also at the Euros last summer. A valuable option at a time when we lack strikers.
23. Maarten Stekelenburg
Stekelenburg played a huge part in our run to the 2010 WC final and was great at Euro 2012 too as well as in the period between those tournaments. He returned to be our first-choice keeper for Euro 2021.
22. Denzel Dumfries
The right-back has been one of our biggest attacking threats in the last five years or so, getting a number of crucial goals and assists at major tournaments and elsewhere.
21. Mark van Bommel
Van Bommel was fantastic at the 2010 World Cup but didn't actually enjoy much success on the international stage outside of that. Still, that tournament alone is enough to put him on the verge of the top 20.
20. Cody Gakpo
The Liverpool man has established himself as our key attacker in the last few years with six goals in 11 matches at the last two major tournaments. A huge talent who will only get higher on this list.
19. Johnny Heitinga
A real stalwart for a decade with appearances at all five major tournaments from 2004 to 2012 and a particularly important role in 2010. He was never really amazing but consistently did a decent job.
18. Frenkie de Jong
De Jong has consistently been our best player when fully fit and played a bigger part than anyone in our post-2018 revival, but hasn't quite shown his best at the two tournaments he's played at. He’ll be much higher on this list in the future if he stays fit.
17. Stefan de Vrij
The centre-back had an incredible first tournament at the 2014 World Cup and did well at Euro 2024 but spent a lot of time on the bench in those 10 years between.
16. Virgil van Dijk
Van Dijk is undoubtedly the best Dutch defender of all time but hasn't had the best international career due to only making his debut in 2015 and only playing his first tournament in 2022. He’s a great captain and can still establish himself as an Oranje legend at the 2026 World Cup though.
15. Gini Wijnaldum
Gini did well as a young player at the 2014 World Cup and became absolutely crucial after that, being ever-present and one of our few consistent scorers with 28 goals and 96 games in an Oranje shirt.
14. Joris Mathijsen
One of the most underrated Oranje players ever. Mathijsen was our best CB at the 2006 World Cup, Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup, and his tournament in South Africa was one of the best an Oranje defender has ever had. He held our defence together in an era when it was very weak.
13. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
He never really got the chance to shine at a major tournament due to Robin van Persie but scored a crucial winner at the 2014 World Cup and was incredible outside of tournaments with the best goalscoring ratio of any top Oranje player since Johan Cruyff.
12. Rafael van der Vaart
Similar to Huntelaar in that he never got many chances at tournaments due to Wesley Sneijder but Van der Vaart was great at Euro 2008 and did well in qualifying campaigns. He has the fourth-most Netherlands caps of all time.
11. Daley Blind
Very underappreciated due to a difficult last few years, Blind was amazing at the 2014 World Cup and from that point onwards was absolutely crucial for a decade, racking up 108 caps. We were hugely reliant on his passing and vision due to a lack of creativity in the squad.
10. Ruud van Nistelrooy
Van Nistelrooy had two great tournaments at Euro 2004 and Euro 2008 and was absolutely prolific in friendlies and qualifiers, averaging a goal every other game across his Oranje career.
9. Phillip Cocu
Cocu was one of our best players at Euro 2000, Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup, and in the qualifying campaigns. An incredibly consistent presence (101 caps) and an important leader.
8. Nigel de Jong
De Jong was so, so important for his role protecting our often weak backlines and allowing our attackers to flourish during the late 2000s and early 2010s, particularly at the 2010 and 2014 World Cup - we may well not have made it so far in those tournaments without him.
7. Edwin van der Sar
Van der Sar was simply incredible at all four tournaments that he played in for us in the 2000s, making save after save to give us a chance of success despite our poor defences.
6. Memphis Depay
Memphis was literally our only top attacker from 2017 to 2021 and created the vast majority of our goals in that time period. He never fully stepped up in tournaments but we may not have even qualified for them without him.
5. Giovanni van Bronckhorst
Gio was a very important player in five tournaments and was particularly good at Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup, where he captained us to the final and scored a stunner in the semis.
4. Robin van Persie
RVP misses out on the top three as he wasn't great at four of the five tournaments he played in but delivered at the 2014 World Cup and became our all-time top scorer thanks to his consistency in qualifying campaigns.
3. Dirk Kuyt
Kuyt was an absolute workhorse who played wherever the team needed him - striker in 2006, winger in 2010, defender in 2014 - and always delivered. His selflessness, work ethic and leadership were invaluable.
2. Wesley Sneijder
Sneijder retired with the most caps of all time and stepped up at the major tournaments, especially in 2008 and 2010 but he was really good in 2012 and 2014 too. One of the greats.
1. Arjen Robben
There was never any doubt about this one. Robben dazzled as a young talent at Euro 2004, was excellent despite not being fully fit at the 2010 World Cup and his 2014 World Cup was the best tournament a Dutch player has had this century. From then to 2017, he completely carried us.