The Netherlands are often seen as the epitome of glorious failure in World Cup football, a great name in the game with an unparalleled ability to let themselves down. The clichés portray the Oranje as a team capable of beautiful, innovative football that ultimately counts for nothing as splits in the camp or bad luck contrive to crush Dutch dreams at the World Cup and send them home trophy-less. The Netherlands maintain a cruel 100 per cent record in the World Cup final, having appeared in the biggest game in football three times in 1974, 1978 and 2010 and lost every time.
The Dutch’s World Cup story began in Italy, 1934. In what was a straight knockout tournament, the Oranje faced Switzerland in the first round at San Siro in front of a crowd of 33,000. Unfortunately for the Netherlands, their first World Cup fixture ended in a 3-2 loss to the Swiss and they were eliminated at the first hurdle.
Four years later, The Netherlands made the trip to France to have a second go at the World Cup. The straight knockout format of the competition remained and the Dutch were paired against Czechoslovakia in Le Havre in the first round. The Netherlands fared slightly better than four years prior, taking the game to extra time after the tie finished 0-0 in 90 minutes. However, they capitulated in extra time and lost 3-0.
Considering the status of The Netherlands as a big name in international football, it is surprising that they did not return to a World Cup finals for 36 years. They did not enter the 1950 and 1954 editions of the tournament and failed to qualify in 1958, 1962, 1966 and 1970. 
However, it was when The Netherlands returned to the world’s greatest stage for the 1974 competition in West Germany that they really established themselves as their fluid system of ‘Total Football’ bamboozled their opponents and reinvented modern tactics. The squad was led by head coach Rinus Michels and almost entirely made up of players plying their trade in The Netherlands or Belgium, the one exception was a 27-year-old Johan Cruyff of Barcelona. Cruyff had a somewhat uneasy relationship with the national team as in 1966 he allegedly slapped a referee, leading to a one-year ban from the Dutch side. In 1974 his philosophical and exotic character led to accusations that he was aloof from his teammates but he proved any doubters wrong and finished as player of the tournament.
The Oranje began the tournament in Group Three alongside Sweden, Bulgaria and Uruguay. The Dutch topped the group unbeaten after beating the South Americans 2-0, drawing 0-0 with the Scandinavians and beating the Eastern Europeans 4-1.
The 0-0 against Sweden looks the dullest match on paper but it witnessed the iconic moment of Cruyff introducing his famous turn to the game when he tricked past Swedish defender Jan Olsson.
They then progressed into a second group stage alongside Brazil, East Germany and Argentina. The Netherlands got off to a wonderful start, destroying Argentina 4-0 in Gelsenkirchen with a brace from Cruyff and goals from Ruud Krol and Johnny Rep. The Oranje carried on their good form, beating both East Germany and Brazil 2-0 to book their place in the final against rivals West Germany.
The Netherlands got off to a dream start against the hosts when Johan Neeskens opened the scoring from the spot after two minutes with the first World Cup final’s first ever penalty after Uli Hoeness sliced down Cruyff in the area. 
However, the second World Cup final penalty came after 23 minutes and Paul Breitner equalised for the local favourites before Gerd Muller scored the winner in the 43rd minute. The second half finished goalless despite chances for both sides.
Four years later and The Netherlands headed to Argentina without Cruyff. Despite helping the side qualify for the 1978 tournament, Cruyff did not participate for what were described as political reasons at the time on account of the military dictatorship in Argentina. However, his absence was later attributed to an attempted kidnapping that damaged his mental state.
In Argentina the Oranje started in the group that contained Scotland, Iran and Peru. After beating Iran 3-0 and drawing 0-0 with eventual group winners Peru the Dutch faced the Scots in a crucial final game. The Dutch opened the scoring in the first half only for Scotland to hit back with three unanswered goals and the great goal from Archie Gemmil was on the verge of sending the Dutch out at the group stage. However, a Rep goal in the 68th minute ensured put the Netherlands through on goal difference at Scotland’s expense.
After that scare, the Dutch clicked into gear during the second group stage, finishing above Italy, historic foes West Germany and Austria. Their performances in Group A at the second round sent them to Buenos Aires to take on Argentina in the final.
The game remains controversial among Dutch supporters who feel the Argentines deliberately delayed the match to gain an advantage in front of the hostile crowd at the Estadio Monumental. 
The Netherlands looked to be going out in normal time before a Dick Nanninga equaliser levelled the scores at 1-1 and sent the game to extra time, only for the Dutch to concede twice and lose 3-1. In an act of protest against perceived Argentine gamesmanship, the Dutch refused to attend the traditional post-match trophy presentation.
The Netherlands would not qualify again until Italia ’90. The Dutch finished third via the drawing of lots in their group after achieving an identical record with the Republic of Ireland. However, as the third highest ranked third place finisher, they progressed to the knockout round where they faced old rivals West Germany and as in 1974, they lost 2-1.
In USA 1994, the Dutch performed well in the group stage before dispatching Ireland 2-0 at the Round of 16. The Oranje faced eventual winners Brazil in the quarter-finals and fought back from two goals down to level the tie at 2-2 but only to face heartbreak eight minutes from time when Branco blasted in from a controversially won free kick to make it 3-2 to the Selecao.
In France 1998, the Dutch would go a step further to the semi-finals, only to again be cruelly eliminated.
In the knockout stage they eliminated Yugoslavia and Argentina which booked a place in Marseille to take on Brazil again in the semi-final. An 87th minute equaliser from Patrick Kluivert made the game 1-1 and took the game to extra time and penalties. The Brazilians scored every spot kick and misses from Phillip Cocu and Ronald de Boer condemned the Oranje to the third place game that they lost 2-1 to Croatia.
After failing to qualify for the finals in Japan/South Korea 2002, their next appearance came at Germany 2006 where they went through the group stage comfortably as runners up behind Argentina but above Ivory Coast and Serbia and Montenegro in Group B. They would go out in the Round of 16 in what has been called the ‘Battle of Nuremburg’ to Portugal. The game saw a World Cup record four red cards and 16 yellows, with Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Khalid Boularouz dismissed on the Dutch side. Among all the physical play, Portugal managed to hang onto a one-goal lead after Maniche’s 23rd minute strike.
In 2010 a more pragmatic Netherlands side made the final only to again finish as runners-up. Both Slovakia and Brazil were dispatched by a score of 2-1 in the knockout stage. An entertaining semi-final clash against Uruguay ended 3-2 in favour of the Dutch and a Van Bronckhorst thunderbolt was a highlight in the second last game of his career.
The final against Spain was rather controversial for the physical approach employed by the Oranje, 
with the fixture witnessing the most yellow cards of any final. In a game of few chances, Arjen Robben had the best one for the Dutch but was denied by Iker Casillas after going clean through on goal at the hour mark. As it seemed the game was heading for penalties, The Netherlands were hit by yet another blow of crushing disappointment in their distinguished history of failing at the last hurdle. An extra time goal from Andres Iniesta in the 116th minute handed Spain a 1-0 win.
The Netherlands face a difficult group for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, placed alongside Chile, Australia and Spain in Group B.
