Roll call 10 Netherlands all time top scorers
Dutch football has always produced excellent strikers who have left a deep mark in the history of the national team. With beautiful attacking play, generations of Dutch strikers have made their mark with important goals, contributing to the success of the team in the international arena. The following list of 10 netherlands all time top scorers shared by Kingsoccertips.com not only shows individual talent but also reflects the strong development of this country’s football.
Top 10 Netherlands all time top scorers
Top 10: Wesley Sneijder (31 goals)
During his playing career, Wesley Sneijder played for many big teams, including Inter Milan and Real Madrid. Perhaps the peak of the 1984-born player’s career was the historic treble at Inter under Jose Mourinho. According to statistics, Wesley Sneijder played 574 matches for the club, scoring 155 goals.
For the Netherlands national team, Wesley Sneijder made his debut in 2003, his last match in 2018. In 15 years playing for the Orange Hurricane, this midfielder made 134 appearances and scored 31 goals, Sneijder is the leading player in the Top 10 players with the most appearances for the Netherlands national team
The 35-year-old star has also officially announced his retirement from playing. In the national team shirt, Sneijder did not have any major titles, he finished 2nd in the 2010 World Cup and 3rd in the 2014 World Cup.
Top 9: Johan Cruyff (33 goals)
Johan Cruyff is one of the greatest players in football history, known for his excellent tactical thinking and skillful technique. He played for many famous clubs such as Ajax, Barcelona, Levante and Feyenoord, leaving a deep mark on every team he played for. During his career, which lasted from the 1960s to the early 1980s, Cruyff scored a total of 290 goals in 514 matches, winning countless titles, especially three consecutive European Cup 1 championships with Ajax. In addition to conquering titles at club level, he was also a pioneer of the “Total Football” style of play, a philosophy that completely changed modern football.
At the national team level, Johan Cruyff played for the Netherlands for 10 years, from 1966 to 1977, appearing in 48 matches and scoring 33 goals. He was the captain of the Dutch team at the 1974 World Cup, a tournament where the “Orange Storm” played mesmerizing total football, but unfortunately only finished second after a 1-2 defeat to West Germany in the final. Two years later, he continued to help the Netherlands finish third at Euro 1976. Although he did not win a major title with the team, Cruyff’s influence on Dutch and world football is undeniable.
Top 8: Abe Lenstra (33 goals)
Abe Lenstra is one of the greatest legends of Dutch football, spending most of his career with SC Heerenveen. He is known for his impressive scoring ability, scoring 523 goals in 500 matches for this team. Not only shining at Heerenveen, Lenstra also played for many other clubs and increased his total goals to 723 goals in 700 professional matches. With his skillful technique and diverse finishing ability, he became a great symbol of Dutch football in the mid-20th century.
On the international stage, Abe Lenstra played for the Dutch national team for 19 years, from 1940 to 1959. Although Dutch football had not reached its peak during this period, he still left his mark with 33 goals in 47 appearances. As one of the best players in the pre-modern era of Dutch football, Lenstra contributed greatly to raising the status of the country’s football. After retiring, his name is still mentioned as an immortal legend of SC Heerenveen and the Dutch national team.
Top 7: Ruud van Nistelrooy (35 goals)
Ruud van Nistelrooy is one of the top strikers to have played for Manchester United, making his mark with his incredible goalscoring ability. During his time at Old Trafford from 2001 to 2006, he scored 150 goals in 219 games, helping the team win the Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup. Before joining United, he shone for PSV Eindhoven, and then continued to assert his class when moving to Real Madrid, where he won two La Liga titles. In addition, this player also played for Hamburg and Malaga before retiring in 2012.
On the international stage, Ruud van Nistelrooy was an important factor for the Netherlands team from 1998 to 2011. He played a total of 70 matches and scored 35 goals, becoming one of the top scorers for the orange team. Despite his impressive scoring efficiency, he has never won a major title with the national team. Van Nistelrooy participated in Euro 2004, World Cup 2006 and Euro 2008, but the Netherlands could not go far in these tournaments. His lack of use under coach Marco van Basten also affected his international career to some extent.
Top 6: Faas Wilkes (35 goals)
Faas Wilkes was one of the pioneers of Dutch football, known for his skillful technique and excellent goal-scoring ability. He played in many top European leagues, playing for famous clubs such as Inter Milan, Torino, Valencia and Levante. During his club career, Wilkes scored 221 goals in 454 matches, becoming one of the best strikers of his generation. In particular, his time playing at Valencia was the period when he reached his peak form, when he was constantly among the top scorers in La Liga.
At the national level, Wilkes made his debut for the Netherlands in 1946 and played his last match in 1961. In 38 appearances, he scored 35 goals, achieving an incredible scoring efficiency. However, because the Netherlands did not participate in many major tournaments during this period, Wilkes did not have the opportunity to show his talent in playgrounds such as the World Cup or Euro. However, he is still considered one of the greatest strikers in the history of Dutch football, contributing to laying the foundation for the later golden generation of the “Orange Storm”.
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Top 5: Arjen Robben (37 goals)
Arjen Robben was once an important part of Chelsea, he and Damien Duff created a formidable wing duo for Chelsea, helping The Blues win the Premier League in 2004 and 2005. In the 2004/05 season, Robben was voted into the Premier League’s typical squad. After that, this player played for Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
The star born in 1984 was considered one of the best wingers in Europe for many years, Robben had 151 goals in 420 matches for the club, he also won many big and small titles.
Arjen Robben played for the national team for 14 years, from 2003 to 2017. During this time, the 35-year-old player had 37 goals in 96 matches, if not for injuries, Robben’s achievements would have been even more impressive. This player also only won a Silver medal at the 2010 World Cup and a Bronze medal at the 2014 World Cup.
Top 4: Dennis Bergkamp (37 goals)
Dennis Bergkamp is one of the greatest players in the history of Dutch and Arsenal football. Possessing exquisite technique, excellent tactical vision and skillful handling of the ball, Bergkamp was considered an “artist” on the pitch. He started his career at Ajax, where he won the Eredivisie and UEFA Cup before moving to Inter Milan. However, it was at Arsenal that Bergkamp reached the peak of his career, becoming a legend of the club. In 11 years with the “Gunners”, he scored 120 goals and won 3 Premier League titles with the team, including the 2003/04 unbeaten season. In total, Bergkamp scored 201 goals in 552 matches at club level, leaving a strong mark with his creative play and beautiful goals.
At the national team level, Bergkamp played for the Netherlands from 1990 to 2000, scoring 37 goals in 79 matches. He was an important factor for the “Orange Storm” in many major tournaments, especially Euro 1992, Euro 1996, World Cup 1994 and World Cup 1998. Bergkamp’s most memorable moment in the Netherlands national team shirt was the classy move to eliminate the Argentine defender and score the decisive goal in the 89th minute in the quarter-finals of the World Cup 1998. Although he did not win a major title with the national team, Bergkamp is still considered one of the greatest players in the history of Dutch football thanks to his superb technique and moments of genius.
Top 3: Patrick Kluivert (40 goals)
Patrick Kluivert is one of the most prolific strikers Dutch football has ever produced. He began his professional career at Ajax, where he scored the winning goal in the 1995 Champions League final at the age of 18. Kluivert then joined AC Milan before a stellar spell at Barcelona from 1998 to 2004. With the Catalan club, he became their top scorer with over 120 goals, helping Barca win La Liga in the 1998/99 season. In total, Kluivert scored 205 goals in 432 club appearances, cementing his status as one of the most dangerous strikers in Europe during that period.
Internationally, Kluivert represented the Netherlands from 1994 to 2004, scoring 40 goals in 79 appearances. He was a key figure for the “Orange Storm” in many major tournaments. The peak of his international career came at Euro 2000, when Kluivert won the Golden Boot award with five goals, including a hat-trick against Yugoslavia in the quarter-finals. However, the Netherlands were eliminated in the semi-finals after a penalty shootout against Italy, although Kluivert still shone with a goal in the match. He also played at the 1998 World Cup, helping the Netherlands reach the semi-finals before losing to Brazil on penalties. With his technical playing style, versatile finishing ability and good tactical vision, Kluivert was considered one of the most complete strikers in European football in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Top 2: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (42 goals)
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, nicknamed “The Hunter”, is one of the best strikers in Dutch football. He has played for many top European clubs such as Ajax, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Schalke 04. With an impressive scoring instinct, Huntelaar scored 357 goals in 632 matches at club level. His peak performance was during his time with Schalke 04, where he became the greatest scorer in the club’s history with more than 120 goals.
At the national team level, Huntelaar made his debut for the Netherlands in 2006 and played until 2016. During his 10 years with the “Orange Storm”, he scored 42 goals in 76 matches, second only to Van Persie in the list of the team’s all-time leading scorers. Huntelaar also contributed greatly to the journey to winning the runner-up position at the 2010 World Cup and third place at the 2014 World Cup, including the decisive goal against Mexico in the round of 16 of the 2014 World Cup.
Top 1: Robin van Persie (50 goals)
In the history of Dutch football, Robin van Persie is one of the greatest strikers. The striker born in 1983 played for Arsenal and Manchester United, leaving a deep mark in the Premier League. With his versatile finishing ability and excellent technique, Van Persie scored a total of 205 goals in 435 matches for the clubs he played for. The peak of his career at the club level was the 2012/13 season, when he helped MU win the Premier League and become the top scorer.
At the national team level, Van Persie played for the Netherlands from 2005 to 2017, scoring 50 goals in 102 matches, becoming the player with the most goals in the history of the team. One of his most memorable moments was a diving header past Iker Casillas at the 2014 World Cup. Van Persie also played a part in two successful World Cups for the Netherlands, finishing runners-up in 2010 and third in 2014.
Conclusion
The greatest strikers in the history of Dutch football not only brought home many goals but also contributed to affirming the position of the team on the world football map. Although time has passed, those impressive achievements are always remembered as an important part in the development journey of Dutch football. These Netherlands all-time top scorers have been and will always be a source of pride, symbolizing the spirit and fiery attacking style of the “Orange Storm”. Thank you for following our article!
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