*You probably wonder why a Chinese guy who spent his childhood in Hong Kong and who lived in Canada for the last ten years would actually root for the Dutch National team. Well, here is my story.

I was only a little kid when the Dutch National team became a soccer power house in the early 70's. I didn't really know much about soccer then but their performance in the World Cup '74 sure left a very good impression on me. They finished the first six games with five wins and a tie record; scored 14 goals and only let in one. Even that lone goal was scored by a Dutch player! I started to root for them and was confident that they would win the whole thing, even though they had to play the host, West Germany, in the final.

That was the only game being televised live during that tournament. The game started at midnight in Hong Kong. Luckily that was in the middle of my summer vacation, otherwise, I wouldn't have been allowed to stay up so late. The game started with a controversy, the Dutch team was awarded a penalty in the first minute; no German player had even touched the ball yet. Neeskens put Holland ahead, I was excited. The Germans came back with two goals to lead in the first half. I was still confident, and I was right. Holland came out storming the German net. It was only a question of when they would score. The clock ticked away, the ball went flying around the German goalmouth, hit the post, hit the bar, hit the goalie, it hit everything but the back of the net! I was stunned, I couldn't believe what was happening, the only unbeaten team lost in the final. I was choking up with tears.

Four years later, it was almost the same story, they had to play another host, Argentina, in the final. The game was tied and everyone was expecting overtime. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, Rob Resenbrink got a breakaway chance, but the ball hit the post! Another heartbreaking incident in the Dutch World Cup history. The game went into overtime, and after two goals by Argentina, Holland finished as runners-up once again.

Holland didn't make the World Cup Finals in the next two tournaments, as big names like Cruyff, Krol, Neeskens, Muhren, Rep, retired one after another. In the early 80's, even though they did produce a couple of great players - Peters and La Ling, it was the Dutch players who went to play in Hong Kong that really impressed me. Seiko Sports was my favourite team back then. They were probably the first team to hire Dutch players with great success. Wildbret, Muhren and De John all made great impression during their stay in Hong Kong. Pretty soon, it was almost like a reunion of the great Dutch team in Hong Kong. Rene v.d. Kerkhof, Nanninga, and even Haan and Jansen made a brief appearance there. Among these big names, Wildbret must be the most successful one. He might be a little old at the age of 37, but he was always in good physical shape, and his great experience made him one of the best defenders. His contribution to help the young players there was even more praiseworthy. At one time, Seiko arranged an exhibition game with Ajax, which brought La Ling (the Dutch player with a Chinese family name) to Hong Kong. It was like a clash between the two generations of Dutch soccer. Ajax won the game 5-4, and it was the best game I could remember.

By mid-80's, a new generation of Dutch team surfaced. Gullit, Van Basten and Rijkaard formed the dynamic trio that took the Dutch National team to her first major honor, the European Championship in 1988. However, they didn't do well in the last two World Cups. In both occasions, they lost to the eventual winners (West Germany in 1990 and Brazil in 1994). Now that the dynamic trio and even Koemann are all retired from the national team, I guess the Dutch team is heading into another new generation.

The story should have ended here, but like those great Dutch players, they might retired from professional soccer, but they never stop. They formed a Dutch alumni team consisting of players from the 70's and early 80's. They traveled around the world to demonstrate and promote great soccer. In 1992, they came to Toronto and I had the chance to watch the game. They were just simply fabulous to watch.

And in summer 1994, just before they played in the World Cup, they came up to Toronto to have a warm-up games against Canada at the Varsity Stadium. It was pretty one-sided, they scored three quick goals early and put the game away. Well, I was just glad to catch a glimpse of this great soccer team.

The World Cup Record

• Became member of FIFA in 1904


• 1930 - did not participated
• 1934 - lost to Switzerland 2-3 in first round
• 1938 - lost to Czechoslovakia 0-3 in OT in the first round
• 1950 - did not participated
• 1954 - did not participated
• 1958 - did not qualify (finished second in group)
• 1962 - did not qualify (finished second in group)
• 1966 - did not qualify (finished third in group)
• 1970 - did not qualify (finished third in group)
• 1974 - Runner-up (lost to West Germany 1-2 in final)
• 1978 - Runner-up (lost to Argentina 1-3 in OT in final)
• 1982 - did not qualify (finished fourth in group)
• 1986 - did not qualify (lost playoff to Belgium on away goal rule)
• 1990 - second round, lost to West Germany 1-2
• 1994 - Quarter-final lost to Brazil 2-3

• Final Appearances: 6 (1934, 38, 74, 78, 90, 94)
• Total : Played 25 games, 11 wins, 6 draws and 8 losses, scored 43 goals, and let in 29.
• Biggest Win : 5-1 vs Austria (1978)
• Biggest Defeat : 0-3 vs Czechoslovakia (1938)
• Leading Scorer : Johannes Rep, 7 goals