All Eyes on the Netherlands’ ‘Big Five’ as Oranje Seek to End World Cup Hoodoo

The Netherlands won’t feature among many people’s favourites for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but they have the firepower to hurt anyone they face.

When the Netherlands last lost a World Cup match, Lamine Yamal was on the verge of turning three and Virgil van Dijk was yet to make his debut in professional football.

To this day, the toe of Iker Casillas remains a symbol of national trauma for the Dutch, as it prevented the Netherlands from winning their first World Cup in what was their third final. Instead, Andrés Iniesta’s late goal in extra-time delivered Spain their maiden World Cup trophy on 11 July 2010.

Since then, Oranje have remained unbeaten in 12 World Cup matches when you exclude penalty shootouts, winning eight and drawing four. They were twice eliminated by Argentina on spot-kicks (2014 and 2022), while in 2018 they didn’t qualify at all. Only Brazil have ever stayed unbeaten for more consecutive World Cup games (13 between 1958 and 1966).

Often cited as the best nation to have never won the World Cup, the Dutch have an impressive tournament record. They reached the semi-finals in five of the previous 11 editions they qualified for, and no other team have finished runners-up as often without ever winning the trophy (3). The Netherlands are also four goals away from becoming the eighth nation to reach 100 World Cup goals.

There is a strong belief among the players that they can deliver another memorable World Cup campaign. However, every piece needs to fall into place, according to Ronald Koeman, for whom this will be a first World Cup as a coach and his second major tournament after guiding the Netherlands to the semi-finals of Euro 2024.

The 2026 tournament will see Koeman come full circle. The team’s first match will be against Japan in Dallas, the city where Koeman also earned his 78th and final cap when captaining the Netherlands in the 3-2 1994 quarter-final defeat to Brazil.

Heading into this World Cup, Koeman has managed 60 matches as head coach of The Flying Dutchmen and will – barring something astonishing – go level with Louis van Gaal (63 matches) in the last group match against Tunisia. Only Bob Glendenning will then have taken charge of the Netherlands in more matches (87).

But if such a landmark is to be reached in a happy mood, the Netherlands have work to do, and it isn’t lost on Koeman that his squad’s condition isn’t perfect. He’s expressed concerns about missing players through injury (Xavi Simons, Stefan de Vrij and Matthijs de Ligt, among others) and others only recently returning from spells out, therefore having limited match sharpness (Jurriën Timber, Justin Kluivert and Memphis Depay).

The manager has often stressed that reliability is a key factor in selecting his preferred squad. It is therefore no coincidence that 16 players from the 26-man squad played in arguably the world’s best league this season; only England (21) have more representatives of the English Premier League among all teams at the World Cup.

Just two players from the squad (Guus Til and Wout Weghorst) are playing their club football in the Netherlands, a historic low for a Dutch World Cup squad. But this is arguably an indication of the team’s growth over the past three and a half years, seeing as in 2022 there were 12 players active in the Eredivisie and only three playing in the Premier League.

Stacking the squad with Premier League players seems logical if possible.

Nevertheless, if Koeman wants the Netherlands to play a significant role in this World Cup, he specifically needs the leaders of his team to be in perfect shape and performing at the peak of their abilities. The Dutch have their “Big Five” of important players: captain Van Dijk, record goalscorer Memphis Depay, Denzel Dumfries, Frenkie de Jong and Cody Gakpo.

The undisputed leader of the squad is Van Dijk, an ever-present figure who consistently maintains peak fitness. The defender played every minute of Liverpool’s Premier League campaign and became the oldest outfield player to do so in the league’s history (34 years, 320 days old on Matchday 38).

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Since June 2025, Van Dijk has played 5,841 minutes for club and country, more than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues, missing just 279 minutes in the process (90 for the Netherlands, 189 for Liverpool). He is one of the most experienced players in the squad (92 caps), starting 73 out of 74 of appearances as captain, the most of anyone for Oranje. If the Netherlands were to go all the way, Van Dijk would celebrate his 35th birthday after the round of 16 and could earn his 100th cap in the final, in what could be his last major tournament.

Next to his impeccable availability, his footballing ability is still world-class. Among all Premier League players to contest at least 100 duels this season, he won the most on average (73%), while also winning the most aerial duels (174) and recording the most clearances of all players in the competition (275).

In addition to his defensive reliability, he poses a constant aerial threat as well; all six of his league goals this season came from set-pieces, a strength he regularly translates to the national team. Only Koeman (14) and Frank de Boer (13) have scored more goals for the national team than Van Dijk (12 goals) among defenders, with nine coming from corners and free-kicks.

He is, however, yet to score at a major tournament. In a World Cup edition where set-pieces could be of critical importance judging by recent trends in club football this season, Van Dijk’s aerial prowess could be a significant weapon for the Dutch.

If Van Dijk represents the team’s mentality, Barcelona midfielder De Jong can be seen as the brains, the metronome who makes them tick.

Since his debut in September 2018, the Netherlands average more goals per game (2.5 vs 1.9) and have a considerably higher win percentage (62.5% vs 51.9%) with De Jong in the team as opposed to without him. His standout quality, of course, is ball retention; among all players in the top five European leagues with 500+ passes this season, the 29-year-old had the highest passing accuracy in the final third (92.1%). He missed Euro 2024 due to injury and will be eager to show the best version of himself to the world.

Their three main goal threats will likely be Memphis Depay, Cody Gakpo and Denzel Dumfries.

Depay has struggled with his fitness this year but frequently delivers for his national side, recording 55 goals and 35 assists in his 109 caps. He has already scored in the 2014 and 2022 World Cups and could become just the third Dutchman to score in three tournaments, after Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie (2006, 2010, 2014). His 12 goal contributions during the group stage of the European qualifiers (eight goals, four assists) was only bettered by Erling Haaland (18).

Gakpo is an undisputed starter and will partner Depay in attack if both are fit. Following a disappointing season with Liverpool, he will be even more determined to impress at another major tournament, having scored three goals apiece at the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024.

The Netherlands’ ace up their sleeve, however, is right-back Dumfries, who has the freedom to roam forward.

Dumfries has already recorded an impressive 11 goals and 18 assists in 71 national team appearances, with his five goal contributions (2 goals, 3 assists) in the group stage of the European qualifiers the joint most among defenders.

The formula for Koeman will be to give the Dutch “Big Five” the platform to perform to the best of their abilities, surrounding them with players who can provide balance.

Jurriën Timber seems to be fit just in time to partner Van Dijk in the centre of the defence, flanked by Dumfries and Micky van de Ven. Donyell Malen comes off the back of an impressive second half of the season with Roma to accompany Gakpo and Depay in attack. Tijjani Reijnders and Ryan Gravenberch will team up to ensure De Jong can focus on what he does best.

If Koeman’s men finally break their World Cup final hoodoo, you can be sure his “Big Five” will have had something to do with it.

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