International football

The Netherlands men's team played their first international match away against Belgium on 30 April 1905 - a truly historic day for Dutch football and a memorable occasion for Eddy de Neve and Ben Stom in particular. De Neve notched all four goals for the Netherlands in a cliffhanger that went into extra time after Stom had scored an own goal.

The Oranje Legion

The match in Belgium drew some 800 spectators. Today, both Dutch national men's and women's team are closely followed by millions of people. Home matches are usually filled to capacity, with around three million viewers watching on TV. That number often rises to eight million during European and World Championship tournaments.

Dutch football frenzy is known around the world. Netherlands football fans are famed for supporting their team in a positive way. Known at home as Het Legioen, Dutch for The Legion, orange-clad crowds follow the Oranje both at home and abroad, turning streets and entire neighbourhoods orange during major championships.

More orange…

Of course, the senior men’s side aren’t the only team defending the national colours. There are many representative teams bringing together young talents in the men’s U15s, U16s, U17s, U18s, U19s and the U21s. Dutch women’s and girls’ football has six teams representing the nation: the U15s, U16s, U17s, U19s, U23s and the national women's team. The women's team played their first international match in 1973, in Reading against England (1-0).

… and even more

Of course, the Netherlands is also represented by futsal teams, both on the men's and women's side. The best male Futsal talents are picked for four national squads: the Under 17s, Under 19s, the junior team and the senior national team. "Orange Futsal" played its first international match on April 22, 1977. Belgium won the friendly match (7-2). The 1989 World Cup was the Orange's first time participating in a final tournament. It is still the absolute highlight in the history of the Dutch futsal team. At home, the team made it to the finals, but eventually lost 1-2 to Brazil. The women’s national futsal squad was set up in 1983, but played only friendly matches. In 2017 the team soccer was being revived. The goal? The first official European women's indoor soccer championship in 2019.

A selection of the best Dutch cerebral palsy footballers also compete on the international stage. Of course, one Oranje team may draw a larger audience and more media attention than another, but all of them are keen to represent their country and proud to wear the iconic KNVB lion on their jersey. They all stand tall when they hear the national anthem played.

OnsOranje OnsOranje brings you up to date on the latest developments surrounding the Netherlands’ representative sides. (in Dutch)