If one is asked to name the team which consistently loses at the business session of World Cup Soccer. The name everyone will tell is Holland. They are also called Netherlands meaning Neverland. Most of the area of the country has been reclaimed from the sea making dykes. The country is few meters below the sea level. It is the land of Wonderful Tulips, Dykes and Windmills.
Three times in the past including 2010 Holland was losing finalist. In Brazil they started with a bang crushing reigning champion Spain 5-1 in the first match playing very aggressive and attractive football. They beat Chile and Australia in the group matches and stormed into the knock out round with full 9 points and highest numbers of goals in their credit. When they crossed the barrier of pre-quarter and quarterfinal with a little fuss and earned a date with Lionel Messi inspired Argentina an entertaining, enthralling and exciting contest was predicted. But much to the contrary world football witnessed a dull , dreary and drab goalless draw over the entire period of 90 minutes and 30 minutes of the added time. In the penalty shootout gamble Dutch got knocked out as Argentine Goal keeper Romero saved three of the five Dutch Spot kicks. Poor Dutch lost once again 4-2 and will now play host Brazil in the play off for the third and final place.
Holland was not among the top favorites this time. Being in a group which had reigning Champion Spain and strong South American team Chile they were not also tipped to qualify. But they did playing very attractive football. Playing skillfully to their strength of smart counter attacking they utilized their sharp shooters Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben to keep alive the dreams of Orange Revolution. They survived deep into the world cup though three previous World Cup Champions Italy, England and Spain had first round exit, Uruguay and France dropped out subsequently. Holland remained the only team in the elite group of four which was originally not tipped as favorite to win the cup this time.
We all know Dutch teams of 1970 and 1980s were the inventor and implementer of “Total Football”. In 1974 they were by far the best team in German World Cup. The extraordinary collection of talented footballers set the world on fire for a few brief weeks in the summer of 1974. They captured the imagination of a generation of fans in a way that no team, before or after, have matched. They played football in a way we hadn't seen before, with skill, strength, intelligence and attitude merged together into a mixture that was uniquely theirs. They didn't actually win the World Cup, heaven knows why, but they created a set of memories that have lasted a generation now, and will continue undimmed for a long while to come.
One may note the achievement of Holland team at various level of world stage of football before 2014 World Cup
European Championship Participation: 8 Times (1976, 1980, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008)
World Cup Participation: 9 Times (1934, 1938, 1974, 1978, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2006, 2010)
Achievement: 3 Times FIFA World Cup Runner-Up (1974, 1978, 2010) 1988 European Championship Winner
Most Caps: Edwin Van De Sar (130 Games)
Top Scorer: Patrick Kluivert (40 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever: Johan Cruyff
Just look at the Galaxy of dazzling Dutch football stars that illuminated world football over the years.
Edwin Van Der Sar, Ruud Krol, Cor Van De Hart, Ronald Koeman, Frank Rijkaard, Johan Neeskens, Willem Van Hanegem, Ruud Gullit, Marco Van Basten, Johan Cruyff, Faas Wilkes, Hans Van Breukelen, Wim Suubier, Frank De Boer, Jaap Stam, Westley Sneijder, Rob Rensenbrink, Dennis Bergkamp, Ruud Van Nistelrooy,Robin van Persie , Arjen Robben
But unfortunately they remained the only major team that remains without a world Cup Title. Three times they went to the finals – three times they lost to Germany (1974), Argentina (1978) and Spain (2010). This time they lost to Argentina again in the penalty shootout.
Yesterday at Sao Paulo Argentina and Holland played a very unimpressive and lackluster game in original time. Neither team looked enterprising; rather both were extra cautious and hardly went all out to win. Playing safe appeared to be the priority. The match went to eventual penalty shootout gamble. Holland lost the gamble and breaking the heart of many failed yet again at the business session of the world cup. Unfortunately two of their main hopes Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben failed to deliver on the day. There was a promise for an Orange Revolution at last. But getting close again it remained out of sight.
BDST: 1110 HRS, JUL 10, 2014
