Top 15 Best Dutch Soccer Players

Dutch football supporters by UEFA Euro 2012 from Wikimedia Commons

The Top 15 Best Dutch Soccer Players

The Netherlands has produced some of the world’s best footballers over the years. After under-achieving for years on the international stage, the Dutch football team underwent a large re-build and re-structuring to get back up to the level that the Dutch fans were used to seeing from their national side.

They have produced a vast array of talented players currently playing in local Dutch leagues and some in top clubs all over Europe. The Dutch National team is currently under the coaching of Louis van Gaal who took over from Ronald Koeman in 2021. Lois Van Gaal qualified for the 2022 Qatar World Cup having assembled an experienced, talented, exciting, and relatively young squad.

So, with all that in mind, below is a list of our 15 Best Dutch Soccer Players in the world right now. Included are some honourable mentions for some retired players who can be considered Dutch legends.

So, with all that in mind, below is a list of who I think are the 15 Best Dutch Soccer Players in the world right now:

15. Daley Blind

Daley Blind by Amarhgil.Wikimedia Commons

A little bit of a veteran when compared to some of the other players on this list but Daley Blind is a solid, calm and reliable defender who can play comfortably at either centre-back or left-back.

I was slightly surprised when Manchester United decided to cash in on him a few years ago because even then, in the Premier League, I thought he was a solid defender to have in a back four. But since moving to Ajax, he’s really established himself as a leader in that talented young squad.

Club: Ajax
Position: Defensive Midfielder, Left-Back, or Centre-Back
Caps: 96
Goals: 2
2019/20 season (All competitions):
appearances: 18 goals: 1

14. Donny Van de Beek

Van de Beek training for Ajax. – Wikipedia Commons.

This whole list could probably be made up of just Ajax players.
Van de Beek is a player who has earned his place as one of Dutch football’s brightest talents.
Van de Beek came to prominence in last season’s Champions League competition and it was those consistently high performances that made some of Europe’s biggest clubs sit up and pay attention, with Real Madrid one of the sides reportedly very keen on the 22-year-old midfielder.

A player that came up through the ranks at the Ajax academy.
The attacking midfielder is very confident with the ball at his feet, and you can be sure that this season, Van de Beek will look to establish himself, not just a consistent first-team player for Ajax, but, as a key player for Ronald Koeman’s team at next summer’s European Championships.

2019/20 season (All competitions):
appearances: 14  goals: 3

13. Donyell Malen

Top 15 Best Dutch Soccer Players

Donyell Malen by Steffen Prößdorf from Wikimedia Commons

In 2021, Malen moved to Borussia Dortmund. The move was primed to be a good one for him considering Dortmund’s track record in naturing talents. However, it has not quite worked out as he hoped. He has struggled to make an impact, only scoring ten goals in 54 appearances. He has struggled for game time in the 2022/23 season and hence has been dropped from the Netherlands Squad.

He was a noticeable absentee when Louis van Gaal announced his squad for the Qatar World Cup 2022. However, Malen is only 23 years old and he will surely find his feet again. He is definitely one to watch.

Position: Forward
Club: Borussia Dortmund
Caps: 19
Goals: 4
2019/20 season (All competitions):
appearances:18  goals: 16

12. Frenkie de Jong

Frenkie de Jong by groengeelhart.nl.Wikimedia Commons

This boy has got talent in absolute bucket loads. Just watching him play is a joy, so graceful on the ball, plays with confidence, swagger and he never seems flustered. He is already, at 22 years old,  dictating games at the international level and doing the same in a start-studded Barcelona side.

De Jong was arguably the best player in the Ajax team last season, and so far this season, he’s showing everyone that that wasn’t a fluke.
The maturity he’s showing at 22 years of age, in a Barcelona team that features the likes of Messi, Suarez, Rakitic and many more, shows that de Jong will definitely become a staple in the Barcelona team for years to come.

The way he turns away from opposing midfield players as if they weren’t even there is brilliant. He controls the tempo of matches much like the Barcelona legends that were Xavi and Iniesta.
De Jong is one of the most exciting midfielders in world football at the minute and I’m certain he will become a world-beater… if he isn’t one already.

2019/20 season (All competitions):
appearances:13  goals: 1
 

11. Georginio Wijnaldum

Georginio Wijnaldum by Ailura.Wikimedia Commons

Georginio Grange and Emile Wijnaldum moved to the Premier League after making a name for themselves at Dutch club PSV. He established himself as one of the best box-to-box midfielders especially at Jurgen Klopp’s world beaters, Liverpool.

His relentless energy, his willingness to make runs, and even the ability to score a fair amount of goals in the process are reasons why he’s so valuable in that team. While he found great success at the club level, Gini’s international career was taking off too. He played a significant role in Netherlands’ qualifiers. However, he missed the 2022 World Cup following a Tibia fracture in August 2022 while on loan at Roma. The injury will also see him miss the majority of the season as well.

Club: Roma
Position: Central Mildfielder
Caps: 86
Goals: 26

10. Memphis Depay

Memphis Depay during a training session for the Dutch national football team. – Wikipedia Commons.

A completely different player to who we saw wear that Manchester United kit several years ago. Memphis Depay moved to Lyon after a torrid time in Manchester (scoring only 2 goals in 33 league appearances) and has really proved the doubters wrong, with his performances for the club and national sides respectively in the last year, year and a half.

So much so, there are now a considerable amount of United fans that would happily bring Depay back to Manchester to lead that front line.
8 goals in 12 appearances so far in all competitions this season is a strong return, but you should definitely expect many more goals from Lyon’s number 9 this season.

2019/20 season (All competitions):
appearances: 12  Goals: 8

9. Matthijs de Ligt

Matthijs de Ligt playing for Ajax back in 2018. – Wikipedia Commons.

De Ligt burst on the international scene at 20 years old he captained a fantastic Ajax team to the Champions League semi-final. He then got a big-money move to one of the biggest clubs in Europe, Juventus in 2019. 

After failing to find his feet at Juventus, he got another big money (€67 million) move to German giants Bayern Munich in 2022. There’s only ever a handful of players who, at such a young age, show the levels of maturity, composure, leadership, and pure ability that de Ligt possesses.

Under Van Gaal, De Ligt has been one of the most reliable players. He was named in the 26-man squad for the 2022 World Cup and started their opener. He played the full 90 minutes of the 2-0 win.

Club: Bayern Munich
Position: Centre-Back
Caps: 40
Goals: 2

8. Nathan Ake

Nathan Ake by thearcticblues.Wikimedia Commons

He may not be a starter for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, but when he plays he makes a difference. Similar to his club level, Ake is used periodically but as far as bench players go, there is no doubt he is among the best.

Van Gaal has in the past preferred Van Dijk, De Ligt, and Timber ahead of Ake. Despite this, Ake always gets the call-up for his nation. To this end, he made the 26-man squad for the 2022 World Cup.

Surprisingly, Ake started Netherland’s opener at the World Cup as Van Gaal opted to use a back 3 of Van Dijk, De Ligt, and Ake. He played the entirety of the 2-0 win.

Club: Manchester City
Position: Centre-Back
Caps: 31
Goals: 3
2019/20 season (All competitions):
appearances: 6 goals: 1

7. Xavi Simons

Xavi Simons by Eloy Lecina.Wikimedia Commons

Despite starting out at Barcelona, he has no biological relation to Barcelona’s Xavi Hernandez. He is however the son of former Dutch professional footballer Regillio Simons. Xavi caught the eye of fans as a child due to his skill. Born in 2003, he was at La Masia academy but left for PSG in 2019.

Due to a lack of first-team opportunities, he was sold to the Dutch club PSV in 2022 where he is currently having a fantastic season. He has 13 goal contributions (goals and assists) in 20 games. Due to his impressive form, Xavi was called up for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar by head coach Louis van Gaal. That was the first international call-up for Xavi. He was named on the bench for the opener against Senegal but did not make his debut.

Position: Attacking Midfielder or Forward
Caps: 0
Goals: 0

6. Virgil Van Dijk

Top 15 Best Dutch Soccer Players

Virgil Van Dijk by Ailura from Wikimedia Commons

Virgil van Dijk was captain of the Dutch side at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

He transformed the Liverpool backline, arguably turning them into European Champions. As far as the best defender in the world conversation goes, Virgil’s case is very easy to make.

A leader, a colossus. VVD is an imposing, aggressive, incredibly calm, and quick defender. Not many forwards have managed to get past him in the last few years. Virgil is one of the names you know what to expect when the team sheet is announced. Whether for club or country, he is always there. He started the opener against Senegal, and as it has been severally in the last few years, he kept a clean sheet.

Position: Center-Back
Caps: 51
Goals: 6

5. Ruud Gullit

Top 15 Best Dutch Soccer Players

Ruud Gullit by Archief Fotocollectie Anefo from Wikimedia Commons

Not only is he one of the best footballers in the Netherlands but the World as well. He won the Ballon d’Or in 1987. He played for top European clubs such as PSV, AC Milan, Sampdoria, and Chelsea between 1979 and 1998.

Just to emphasize how good Gullit was, he could be used in any position on the field but was used mostly as an attacking midfielder. In 2004, he was named one of the Top 125 greatest living footballers as part of FIFA’s 100th-anniversary celebrations.

Club: Retired
Position: Forward, Midfielder, Defender
Caps: 66
Goals: 17

4. Dennis Bergkamp

Top 15 Best Dutch Soccer Player

Dennis Bergkamp by Mr. Alexander Ottesen from Wikimedia Commons

A member of Arsenal’s Invincibles, Bergkamp is a Dutch footballing legend. He is regarded as one of the best players in his generation and one of Ajax’s and Arsenal’s greatest-ever players.

Thierry Henry, his Arsenal teammate described him as ‘a striker’s dream.’ In the dying seconds of the quarterfinal match against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup, he scored a spectacular goal that would go down as one of the all-time great FIFA World Cup goals. I recommend you watch the goal if you haven’t. Just a glimpse of how sublime his technique was.

Club: Retired
Position: Forward or Attacking Midfielder
Caps: 79
Goals: 37

3. Denzel Dumfries

Starting out in local Dutch leagues, Denzel Justus Morris Dumfries moved to Inter Milan in 2021. He is a diverse player who can be utilized in any position on the right.

He made his debut in 2018 under Ronald Koeman and has featured regularly for Orange. He was part of the Netherlands squad in Qatar for the World Cup. He started their opener against Senegal and played the whole 90 minutes of the 2-0 win.

Club: Inter Milan
Position: Right Midfield, Right Wingback, Right Back
Caps: 38
Goals: 5

2. Davy Klaassen

Top 15 Best Dutch Soccer Player

Davy Klaassen by Silesia711 from Wikimedia Commons

Nicknamed ‘Mister 1-0’, Klaassen is a midfielder whose impeccable control makes him the perfect middleman to transition the ball from defense to attack. He also is a calm finisher having displayed this during his time at Ajax.

Klaassen currently plays for Ajax but has been in several clubs around Europe such as Everton and Werder Bremen. He was part of Van Gaal’s squad for the Qatar World Cup and scored Oranje’s second goal in the 2-0 win over Senegal in their group A opener.

Club: Ajax
Position: Central Midfielder
Caps: 36
Goals: 10

1. Steven Bergwijn

Top 15 Best Dutch Soccer Player

Steven Bergwijn by Omroep Braban from Wikimedia Commons

After starting his senior career at Dutch club PSV, Bergwijn got a move to the English club Tottenham Hotspur. His stay at Tottenham was filled with spectacular highs but also some significant lows.

He struggled for game time but eventually left for PSV’s rivals Ajax where he seems to have regained his form. His performances at Ajax have seen him regain his spot in the National team. He was part of Van Gaal’s 26 men in Qatar for the World Cup. He started in their opener and played for 79 minutes in their 2-0 win over Senegal.

Club: Ajax
Position: Winger or Forward
Caps: 25
Goals: 7

This list has only 15 Dutch players and a strong case can be made for some players who unfortunately did not make the cut. Honorable mentions include; Steven Berghuis, Wout Weghorst, Noa Lang, and Luuk de Jong just to mention a few. 

The Netherlands as a footballing nation were seen as strong contenders for the 2022 World Cup Trophy after winning their tournament opener against a tough Senegal side. However, they were eliminated at the quarter finals stage in a match against Argentina that ended in a penalty score of 4-3 for Argentina. 

They remain a strong team, and there seems to be a real spirit, a togetherness that it’s hard to find in a national side. 

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