The Netherlands national football team has appeared in eleven UEFA European Championship tournaments. The team did not enter the first tournament during Euro 1960 and failed to qualify for Euro 1964, Euro 1968 and Euro 1972.
The Netherlands' first appearance in the UEFA European Championship was at Euro 1976. During qualification they won their group ahead of Poland and Italy, and then defeated Belgium. During the four-team final tournament, they lost the semi-finals to Czechoslovakia, and then defeated Yugoslavia in the third place play-off match. They qualified for Euro 1980 over Poland and East Germany. Despite an opening match win against Greece, a loss to West Germany and a draw with Czechoslovakia kept them from advancing past the group stage. They failed to reach Euro 1984 despite finishing level on points with Spain during qualification.
The Netherlands qualified for Euro 1988 with wins over Greece, Hungary and Poland. During the final tournament group stage, they lost to the Soviet Union, and then went on to defeat England and the Republic of Ireland. In the semi-finals, they defeated hosts Germany 2–1, and then beat the Soviet Union 2–0 in the final to become 1988 champions. In the build-up for Euro 1992, the Netherlands qualified ahead of Portugal and Greece. In the group stage, they defeated Scotland and Germany, and drew with the CIS. They then lost to eventual champions Denmark in the semi-finals after a 2–2 draw, which was decided by a penalty shoot-out. The Netherlands finished behind the Czech Republic, and qualified for Euro 1996 via a play-off against the Republic of Ireland. In the tournament, they drew with Scotland, beat Switzerland and then lost 4–1 to England; they went on to lose in a penalty shoot-out in the quarter-finals to France after a 0–0 draw in regulation.
As co-hosts with Belgium, the Netherlands automatically qualified for Euro 2000. They won all of their group stage matches, against the Czech Republic, Denmark and France. In the quarter-finals, they defeated Yugoslavia 6–1, only to lose in the semi-finals after a 0–0 draw in a penalty shoot-out against Italy. The Netherlands finished behind the Czech Republic, and qualified for Euro 2004 via a play-off against Scotland. They opened their tournament match with a draw against Germany, then a loss to the Czech Republic and a win over Latvia. In the quarter-finals, they won in a penalty shoot-out against Sweden before losing the semi-finals to hosts Portugal 2–1. They finished second after Romania to qualify for Euro 2008; the Netherlands opened with three wins: 3–0 against Italy, 4–1 over France and 2–0 against Romania. In the quarter-finals, they lost 3–1 after extra time to Russia. Qualifying ahead of Sweden for Euro 2012, the Netherlands lost all three group stage matches: to Denmark, Germany and Portugal. The Netherlands failed to reach Euro 2016 after losses in qualifying to the Czech Republic, Turkey and Iceland.
Euro 2020 saw the Netherlands qualify behind Germany; they won all group stage matches against Ukraine, Austria and North Macedonia. In the round of 16, they lost 2–0 to the Czech Republic. The Netherlands finished behind France to qualify for Euro 2024; they opened with a win over Poland, followed by a draw against France and a loss to Austria. In the round of 16 they defeated Romania 3–0, followed by a 2–1 quarter-final win against Turkey. In the semi-finals, they lost to England 2–1.
Overall record
record recordYearRoundPositionSquad 1960Did not enter Did not enter 1964Did not qualify412165 196862131111 19726312186 1976Third place3rd210145Squad8602219 1980Group stage5th311144Squad8611206 1984Did not qualify8611226 1988Champions1st540183Squad8620151 1992Semi-finals4th422063Squad8611172 1996Quarter-finals8th412134Squad11722255 2000Semi-finals4th5410133SquadQualified as co-hosts 2004Semi-finals4th512276Squad10712267 2008Quarter-finals6th4301104Squad12822155 2012Group stage15th300325Squad10901378 2016Did not qualify104151714 2020 Round of 169th430184Squad8611247 2024Semi-finals4th6312107Squad8602177 2028To be determinedTo be determined 2032Total1 Title11/1745239137548—12583162629199
List of matches YearRoundOpponentScoreResultVenueNetherlands scorers1976Semi-finals1–3 L ZagrebOndruš (o.g.)Third place play-off3–2 W ZagrebGeels (2), W. van de Kerkhof1980Group stage1–0W NaplesKist2–3LNaplesRep, W. van de Kerkhof1–1DMilanKist1988Group stage0–1L Cologne3–1WDüsseldorfVan Basten (3)1–0WGelsenkirchenKieftSemi-finals2–1WHamburgKoeman, Van BastenFinal2–0WMunichGullit, Van Basten1992Group stage1–0WGothenburgBergkamp0–0DGothenburg3–1WGothenburgRijkaard, Witschge, BergkampSemi-finals2–2 DGothenburgBergkamp, Rijkaard1996Group stage0–0DBirmingham2–0WBirminghamCruyff, Bergkamp1–4LLondonKluivertQuarter-finals0–0 DLiverpool2000Group stage1–0WAmsterdamF. de Boer3–0WRotterdamKluivert, R. de Boer, Zenden3–2WAmsterdamKluivert, F. de Boer, ZendenQuarter-finals6–1WRotterdamKluivert (3), Govedarica (o.g.), Overmars (2)Semi-finals0–0 DAmsterdam2004Group stage1–1DPortoVan Nistelrooy2–3LAveiroBouma, Van Nistelrooy3–0WBragaVan Nistelrooy (2), MakaayQuarter-finals0–0 DFaroSemi-finals1–2LLisbonAndrade (o.g.)2008Group stage3–0WBernVan Nistelrooy, Sneijder, Van Bronckhorst4–1WBernKuyt, Van Persie, Robben, Sneijder2–0WBernHuntelaar, Van PersieQuarter-finals1–3 LBaselVan Nistelrooy2012Group stage0–1LKharkiv1–2LKharkivVan Persie1–2LKharkivVan der Vaart2020Group stage3–2WAmsterdamWijnaldum, Weghorst, Dumfries2–0WAmsterdamDepay, Dumfries3–0WAmsterdamDepay, Wijnaldum (2)Round of 16 0–2LBudapest2024Group stage2–1WHamburgGakpo, Weghorst0–0DLeipzig2–3LBerlinGakpo, DepayRound of 163–0WMunichGakpo, Malen (2)Quarter-finals2–1WBerlinDe Vrij, Müldür (o.g.)Semi-finals1–2LDortmundSimons
Head-to-head record Opponent210143101000310235201124311153310257422073110061521298110010211030110030110030110010220050110021200224100113211010210121101000110020110021110032110032Total45239137548
Euro 1976
Final tournament
Semi-finals
Third place play-off
Euro 1980
Group stage
Euro 1988
Group stage
Knockout stage
Semi-finals
Final
Euro 1992
Group stage
Knockout stage
Semi-finals
Euro 1996
Group stage
Knockout stage
Quarter-finals
Euro 2000
Group stage
Knockout stage
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Euro 2004
Group stage
Knockout stage
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Euro 2008
Group stage
Knockout stage
Quarter-finals
Euro 2012
Group stage
Euro 2020
Group stage
Knockout stage
Round of 16
Euro 2024
Group stage
Ranking of third-placed teams
Knockout stage
Round of 16
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Most appearances RankPlayerMatchesYears1Edwin van der Sar161996, 2000, 2004, 20082Dennis Bergkamp131992, 1996, 2000Phillip Cocu1996, 2000, 20044Edgar Davids121996, 2000, 20045Giovanni van Bronckhorst112000, 2004, 20086Michael Reiziger101996, 2000, 2004Clarence Seedorf1996, 2000, 2004Memphis Depay2020, 2024Stefan de Vrij2020, 2024Wout Weghorst2020, 2024
Top goalscorers
RankPlayerGoalsYears (goals)1Patrick Kluivert61996 (1), 2000 (5), 2004Ruud van Nistelrooy2004 (4), 2008 (2)3Marco van Basten519884Dennis Bergkamp41992 (3), 1996 (1)5Robin van Persie32008 (2), 2012 (1)Georginio Wijnaldum2020Memphis Depay2020 (2), 2024 (1)Cody Gakpo2024
See also Netherlands at the FIFA World Cup
References
External links Netherlands at UEFA