Going Dutch

Holland are in Euro 2004 Group D with Germany, Latvia and The Czech Republic. Their manager Dick Advocaat, formerly of Rangers, and five of their Euro 2004 squad will be in the Premiership next season: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man Utd), Arjen Robben (Chelsea), Edwin Van der Sar (Fulham), Bolo Zenden (Chelsea) and Paul Bosvelt (Man City).

The Facts

Holland won the European Championship in 1988, Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten scoring in a 2-0 win against Russia in the final

The Dutch lost two successive World Cup finals in 1974 and 1978. They were beaten 2-1 by West Germany in 1974 despite scoring with a penalty before the Germans had touched the ball

Holland failed to beat Group D opponents The Czech Republic in two qualifying matches, drawing 1-1 at home and losing 3-1 in Prague

This will be Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first major international tournament. He was injured at Euro 2000 and the Dutch failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup

Holland failed to score in three of their last four warm-up matches at home, drawing 0-0 with France and then losing 1-0 to Belgium and the Republic of Ireland

Marc Overmars is the only survivor in the Dutch squad from the team that lost to Brazil in the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals

Darius Vassell scored on his England debut the last time we met the Dutch. The game ended 1-1 in 2002

The Opinion

Internal divisions and differences over tactics always seem to upset the Dutch at major tournaments, and Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy believes the highly-strung squad could learn from Zinedine Zidane.

"I met Zizou at a UNICEF match and he was how I expected, quiet and humble. He is the best player in the world but remains a simple man. I really respect him as a player and a man, he should be a role model for us."

Nobody self-destructs quite like Holland. They were rocked at Euro 96 when Edgar Davids was sent home. They didn’t even qualify for the last World Cup despite a string of household names like Kluivert, Bergkamp, Stam and Overmars.

Now the country is undecided about who to play up front. Patrick Kluivert and van Nistelrooy flopped against the Republic on Saturday and there may be a chance in Portugal for Bayern Munich’s Roy Makaay.

"Both Kluivert and myself are out-and-out strikers. We play to score, we aren’t really there as a playmaker or creator of space," adds van Nistelrooy.

The Manchester United striker has also captured the Dutch ‘disease’ – and he was left out of Euro 2004 qualifying games after lashing out at manager Dick Advocaat for substituting him.

Sir Alex Ferguson wouldn’t put up with such dissent and van Nistelrooy promises to be on his best behaviour at the championships.

"He had to do something to show the other players and the supporters. I understood that," said van Nistelrooy. "I am a passionate player but nothing will stop me giving my best for Holland at Euro 2004."

The Colour

A third of Holland is below sea level

The Dutch won their first World Cup cricket match last year, defeating Namibia by 64 runs

Two Dutch internationals are among the greatest four European players of all-time. Johan Cruyff came third and Marco van Basten fourth in the official UEFA poll announced last month. Zinedine Zidane was the winner with Franz Beckenbauer second

Vincent van Gogh shot himself at 37 because he felt helpless in coming to the aid of his brother Theo, who had severe financial problems

Ruud Gullit’s first manager was former West Brom player Barry Hughes, who coached the teenage star at Haarlem

Six of the Ajax side which won the European Cup in 1995 are in the Euro 2004 Dutch squad – van der Sar, Overmars, Frank de Boer, Kluivert, Reiziger, Davids and Seedorf.

The Matches