On July 7th, in the European Championship quarter-finals, the Netherlands defeated Turkey 2-1 to reach the semifinals. This marks the first time they have reached the semifinals of a major tournament since the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, making it a decade since their last appearance at this stage.
The Netherlands are a traditional powerhouse in European football, having won the 1988 European Championship and being three-time World Cup runners-up, earning the title of “Uncrowned Kings.” Throughout their history, Dutch football has never lacked superstars, from legendary European player Johan Cruyff to the renowned “Three Musketeers” era. Following this, came the turn of the century with Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Kluivert at the helm, and then the “Three Musketeers” era led by Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, and Robin van Persie, who brought the Netherlands back to the World Cup final.
However, their last appearance in the semifinals of a major tournament was at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where “the Three Musketeers” Robben, Sneijder, and van Persie shone brightly, helping the team secure a third-place finish. Dutch football subsequently entered a period of decline, failing to qualify for both the 2016 European Championship and the 2018 World Cup. They were eliminated from the 2021 European Championship in the round of 16 and from the 2022 World Cup in the quarter-finals.
After a decade of rebuilding, Dutch football has finally risen again to reach the semifinals of the European Championship.
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