Former international player: ‘I think the Dutch national team is going to cause a huge upset at the World Cup’
Former world-class soccer player and current analyst Ruud Gullit has a very good feeling about the Dutch national team. He believes they could cause quite a stir this summer at the World Cup in North America—Canada and Mexico. According to him, people abroad are also remarkably optimistic about the Oranje’s chances.
“Anyone who watches the Champions League has to admit that we’re lagging behind in the Netherlands,” Gullit concludes in his column in De Telegraaf. “Things could certainly move a bit faster in the Eredivisie. Despite that observation, the Dutch national team gives me the feeling that something is about to happen with the Oranje at the 2026 World Cup. At the 2024 European Championship, head coach Ronald Koeman reached the semifinals, and in the Nations League, European champion Spain only prevailed in the penalty shootout. So the potential is there to make a big splash in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.”
“The Dutch national team could pull off a huge upset at the World Cup”
Gullit is also encouraged by the way some Dutch national team players are preparing for the World Cup. “For players like Virgil van Dijk and Memphis Depay, this will be their last World Cup, and that will provide extra motivation. Although some Dutch players aren’t getting enough playing time at their clubs, you can also see that those returning from injuries or who are still injured aren’t taking any risks. No one wants to miss the World Cup, and they’d rather postpone their return by a week than rush it. It’s a good sign to see how Denzel Dumfries and Frenkie de Jong are preparing for the World Cup.”
“The rest of the world is really bullish on the Dutch national team”
Gullit sees a big difference between the sentiment toward the Dutch national team in the Netherlands and abroad. “Confidence in the Oranje beyond our borders is, in fact, boundless. In the Netherlands, we’re fairly pessimistic, but elsewhere we’re seen as contenders for the world title. That’s not without reason. Whether the World Cup, expanded to 48 participants, will be interesting remains to be seen. A six-week tournament is very long. As the World Cup progresses, excitement will build.” During the group stage, there will be matches you’ll want to skip. Although for those countries, just participating is already a huge celebration.”
