Netherlands World Cup Team Preview

VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert

5 minute read

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CONTENTS

• Netherlands Odds: To Win World Cup
• Netherlands to Win the World Cup Odds
• Netherlands: Road to the Final
• Netherlands Previous World Cup Finishes
• Netherlands Golden Boot Odds
• Netherlands World Cup FAQ

Netherlands Odds: To Win World Cup

Netherlands are one of the “big” soccer nations never to win the World Cup. But this winter sports betting sites think they have an outside chance of conquering the World Cup, held in Qatar, and finally bringing the trophy back to Amsterdam.

Head coach Louis van Gaal has been here before. He led the team to the semi-finals of the 2014 World Cup, and is now in his third stint as boss. That semi-final defeat was the fourth time the Dutch have made it that far at a World Cup.

In fact, the Oranje are famous for having reached a record three World Cup finals without ever winning one (in 1974, 1978 and 2010). Could this year be different? Perhaps. Netherlands have some stellar quality in the squad, including Virgil van Dijk, Memphis Depay, Frenkie de Jong and Nathan Ake. But they are still considered underdogs compared to the likes of Brazil and France.

Still, it wouldn’t be a surprize if this Dutch team – arguably worse than what was available in 2010 and 2014 – makes a big impact on the World Cup here.

Netherlands to Win the World Cup Odds

Sportsbooks are pricing Netherlands at +1400 to win the World Cup. These odds put the team before Morocco and Croatia. This trio is a band of nations not considered direct favorites, but who could potentially win the World Cup if luck is on their side.

Now, Netherlands have the coach and the defensive stability capable of launching an assault on the latter stages of this tournament. Virgil van Dijk is perhaps the best centre-back in the world, while he has formed a strong partnership with the young Matthijs de Ligt.

But their issue is going forward. With no central striker guaranteed to get the goals, the Dutch are likely to run out of steam eventually. Memphis Depay, Cody Gakpo and Steven Bergwijn are excellent forwards, but they’re no match to iconic Dutch players from previous tournaments like Johan Cruyff, Jimmy Hasselbaink, Ruud van Nistelrooy or Robin van Persie.

However, Netherlands got lucky with the World Cup group draw.

Odds Provided by bet365 - Subject to Change

Netherlands: Road to the Final

Netherlands began their World Cup qualification campaign with a worrying 4-2 defeat to Turkey. The loss predicated a disappointing Euro 2020 campaign, after which head coach Frank de Boer was sacked. Van Gaal stepped in and oversaw a successful remainder of their qualifying campaign, which included the 6-1 hammering of Turkey in Amsterdam.

Pot Draw

Netherlands finished top of their qualifying group but miserable results over the past four years means the country failed to be seeded in Pot 1 for the World Cup draw. Instead, the Dutch were pushed into Pot 2, which meant they risked playing one of the world’s best teams in the group stage.

Group Stage

And yet, a stroke of luck befell Van Gaal when Netherlands were drawn in Group A alongside top seeds Qatar, plus Ecuador and Senegal. So Netherlands arguably dodged a bullet here, as the team avoided the likes of England, France and Brazil in the group stage. They beat Senegal and Qatar with the same score - 2:0, and draw (1:1) with Ecuador.

Potential Knockout Stage Games

Indeed, Netherlands’ potential knockout route is also very favorable. As winners of Group A, they played USA in the last-16 and won 3:1. They will end up facing Argentina in the quarters. A semi-final against Brazil or maybe Croatia could await, with a final against England for France if they get that far.

Netherlands Previous World Cup Finishes

Like we mentioned earlier, Netherlands has never won the World Cup despite reaching the final on three occasions. Twice it happened in the 1970s after Netherlands had failed for multiple generations to even make it to the World Cup. But the country does have a better record than most in this competition. Here’s how the Netherlands have fared down the years…

• 1934 – Last-16
• 1938 – Last-16
• 1974 – Runners-up
• 1978 – Runners-up
• 1990 – Last-16
• 1994 – Quarter-finals
• 1998 – Fourth place
• 2006 – Last-16
• 2010 – Runners-up
• 2014 – Third Place

Netherlands Golden Boot Odds

Odds Provided by bet365 - Subject to Change

Netherlands World Cup FAQ

Has Netherlands qualified for the World Cup?

Yes. Netherlands has qualified for the World Cup in 2022 and will compete in Group A.

Why Is World Cup In November?

The World Cup is being held in the Qatari winter because it is too hot to host games during the summer months. The decision to host the World Cup in 2022 has disrupted the global soccer calendar.

Will Netherlands win the World Cup?

Possibly. Netherlands has an outside chance of winning the World Cup. Sports betting sites have set their Netherlands odds at +1200.

Is Virgil van Dijk captain of Netherlands?

Yes. Virgil van Dijk has captained the Netherlands team since 2018. The Liverpool centre-back is considered one of the best defenders in the world.

Which World Cup group is Netherlands in?

Netherlands is in Group A at the World Cup. The team will play Qatar, Ecuador and Senegal in the group stage. Should Netherlands win the group, the team could play Wales or USA in the last-16.

Has Netherlands ever won the World Cup?

No. Netherlands is still seeking for a first World Cup victory despite making the final three times (1974, 1978 and 2010).

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