The Netherlands, a nation steeped in football history, is set to make history of its own at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. After a long period of absence from the world’s greatest football tournament, the Dutch are back in the mix and will be looking to make a splash at the tournament.
The Netherlands last appeared at the FIFA World Cup in 2014, when they were knocked out of the group stage following a 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the Round of 16. Since then, the Dutch have been on an upward trajectory, becoming one of the most consistent footballing nations in Europe.
Led by manager Ronald Koeman, the Dutch have been impressive in the UEFA Nations League, winning the competition in 2019, and reaching the semi-finals in 2020. They have also been competitive in the European Championship qualifiers, topping their group ahead of Germany and France.
Their recent form is a reflection of the quality of their players, with the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Georginio Wijnaldum, Memphis Depay, and Frenkie de Jong all making their mark on the international stage. Add to this the fact that the team is full of young players, such as Matthijs de Ligt, Donny van de Beek, and Ryan Gravenberch, and you can see why the Dutch are being tipped as dark horses for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The Netherlands have been drawn in Group E alongside Belgium, North Macedonia, and Ukraine. On paper, this looks to be a relatively straightforward group, and the Dutch will be expected to top it. If they can do this, then they will have a great chance of progressing to the knockout stages of the tournament and making a real impact.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar is set to be an exciting and historic tournament. With the Netherlands back in the mix, it could be a competition to remember for the Dutch. They have the quality and the experience to go far in this tournament, and they will be determined to make history and write their names into the history books.