On July 7th, the Netherlands advanced to the semifinals of the European Championship with a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Turkey. The last time the Dutch team reached the semifinals of a major tournament was at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. This marks their return to the semifinals after a 10-year absence.
The Netherlands is a traditional powerhouse in European football, having won the UEFA European Championship in 1988 and finishing as runners-up in the World Cup three times, earning them the nickname “The Unofficial Champions.” Dutch football has never lacked star players, from legendary Johan Cruyff to the famous “Three Musketeers” era, followed by the early 2000s led by Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Kluivert, and then the “Three Sticks” era that guided the team back to the World Cup final.
The last time the Netherlands made it to the semifinals of a major tournament was in 2014 when Robin van Persie, Wesley Sneijder, and Arjen Robben, the “Three Musketeers,” shone, securing a third-place finish at the World Cup. The team then went through a downturn, missing out on the 2016 UEFA European Championship and the 2018 FIFA World Cup, exiting the 2021 UEFA European Championship in the round of 16, and being knocked out in the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup.
Now, after a decade, Dutch football has resurged and secured a spot in the semifinals of the European Championship.
Netherlands Reach Major Tournament Semifinals After Years, Last Time Was Robben-Sneijder Era. Author：Sports UEFA.Please indicate the source when reproduced：https://www.sportsuefa.com/football-world/netherlands-reach-major-tournament-semifinals-after-years-last-time-was-robben-sneijder-era.html
