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| Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard, at Euro 1988 Final |
Please also see my All-Time World Cup Team Index.
Nethetlands All-Time Team
Dutch Indos/Indonesian-born Dutch
This is my selection of the Dutch-Surinamese all-time 23 member team. All players here has chosen to represent Netherlands.
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| Seedorf, Kluivert and Davids |
Team
GK: Stanley Menzo
Stanley Menzo spent over 10 years with Ajax. He also played with PSV Eindhoven, Lierse SK and Girondins de Bordeaux. For Holland, he earned 6 caps. He went to the World Cup in 1990 and the European Championship in 1992 as a backup keeper. He was the Dutch Goalkeeper of the Year in 1990. At the club level, he spent most of his career with Ajax.GK: Michel Vorm
Vorm started his career with FC Utrecht in 2005 and played for them until 2011. He played for Swansea between 2011 and 2014. He moved to Tottenham Hotspurs in 2014. Since 2008, he played 15 times for Holland. He was the backup keeper at both 2010 and 2014 World Cup Finals. He played part of the third place match in the 2014 edition.
GK: Kenneth Vermeer
Vermeer was a long-term keeper for Ajax. In 2014, he shocked the football world by joining rival Feyenoord. At the time of writing, he received 5 caps for the national team. He is the current Dutch national team record holder for longest streak in goal without conceding in a match, having not conceded a goal since his debut in 2012.
RB: Michael Reiziger
Michael Reiziger was a member of the Golden Generation from Ajax that won Champions League in 1995. After a brief stint with AC Milan, he moved to Barcelona in 1997. In 2004, Reiziger moved to Middlesbrough on a Bosman transfer. He was capped 70 times for Holland, representing the nation in three European Championships and the 1998 World Cup Finals.
RB: Denzel Dumfries
Dumfries began his career in 2014 at Sparta Rotterdam. He was the Eerste Divisie Talent of the Year in 2016. He joined Heerenveen, before moving to PSV in 2018, eventually becoming the club captain. In 2021, Dumfries joined Inter Milan, winning the league title in his third season. He initially represented Aruba internationally in 2014, before switching allegiance to the Netherlands. He represented the Netherlands at Euro 2020, the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024.
CB: Virgil Van Dijk
Van Dijk started with Groningen before he moved to Celtic in 2013. In S2015, he joined Southampton before signing for Liverpool in 2018 for £75 million, a world record transfer fee for a defender. Van Dijk was named the PFA Player of the Year and the Premier League Player of the Season for the 2018–19 season. Van Dijk starred as Liverpool won the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final where he was named man of the match. From 2015 onward, he played for Netherlands and was named captain.
Frank Rijkaard was one of Holland's most important player. He was capped 73 times between 1981 and 1994. He won the 1988 European Championship in West Germany. He notably played for Ajax and AC Milan. He spent 5 seasons with AC Milan when Milan was considered the greatest club team in the world. He won two European Cup with them. In 1995, he led a young Ajax team to their famous Champions' League victory. That team is also considered one of the greatest club sides ever.Van Dijk started with Groningen before he moved to Celtic in 2013. In S2015, he joined Southampton before signing for Liverpool in 2018 for £75 million, a world record transfer fee for a defender. Van Dijk was named the PFA Player of the Year and the Premier League Player of the Season for the 2018–19 season. Van Dijk starred as Liverpool won the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final where he was named man of the match. From 2015 onward, he played for Netherlands and was named captain.
Born in Suriname, Humphrey Mijnals became the first Surinamese player to play for Holland. He began his professional career in Brazil with America Futebol Clube. In 1956, he went to play for USV Elinkwijk in Netherlands. He made his national team against Bulgaia in 1960. He was remembered for clearing a ball from the goalline through a overhead kick in that match. His international career was limited due to a dispute with the Dutch FA. He later played for the Surinamese National Team.
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| Humphrey Mijnals |
Winston Bogarde won 20 caps for Netherlands between 1995 and 2000. He was a member of the Golden Generation from Ajax that won the Champions League in 1995. He represented Netherlands at the Euro 1996 and the World Cup Finals in 1998. He played briefly for AC Milan. In 1998, he joined the Dutch contingency at Barcelona. Two seasons later, he joined Chelsea, where he played until 2004.
LB/CB: Wilfred Bouma
Born in 1978, Wilfred Bouma won 37 caps for Netherlands between 2000 and 2012 scoring two goals. He played in three European Championship: 2004, 2008 and 2012, but he never played in the World Cup Finals. From 1994 to 2005, he played for PSV Eindhoven. He won the Eredivisie in 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2005. In 2005, he moved to Aston Villa, where he had a successful career before returning to PSV in 2010. He retired in 2013.
DM: Edgar Davids
Nicknamed "the Pitbull", Edgar Davids was one of the greatest defensive midfielders in the world. He won the European Champions' League with Ajax in 1995. He was capped 74 times. He was an important player at the World Cup Finals in 1998 when Netherlands reached the semi-final. At the club level, he also spent 7 seasons with Juventus at the height of his career. He also played for Tottenham Hotspurs, Barcelona, AC Milan, etc.
DM: Nigel De Jong
Known as tough defensive midfielder, Nigel De Jong made his name with Ajax, Hamburger and Manchester City. At Manchester City, he helped the club to win their first ever Premiership. He moved to AC Milan in 2012 where he spent three and half years. He also played for Galatasaray, LA Galaxy, Maniz 05, etc. He is a regular member of the national team since 2004. He is probably best remembered for kung-fu kicking Xabi Alonso at the World Cup Final in 2010. His father is also a professional footballer.
RW: Gerald Vanenburg
During the 1990's, Gerald Vanenburg formed a dangerous partnership Marco Van Basten and Wim Kieft at Ajax. He would join PSV in 1986 and stayed there until 1993. He later played in Japan, Germany and France. For the national team, he was a part of the Golden Generation that won the European Championship in 1988. He played for Netherlands 42 times between 1982 and 1992. He participated in the 1990 World Cup Finals.
DM: Nigel De Jong
Known as tough defensive midfielder, Nigel De Jong made his name with Ajax, Hamburger and Manchester City. At Manchester City, he helped the club to win their first ever Premiership. He moved to AC Milan in 2012 where he spent three and half years. He also played for Galatasaray, LA Galaxy, Maniz 05, etc. He is a regular member of the national team since 2004. He is probably best remembered for kung-fu kicking Xabi Alonso at the World Cup Final in 2010. His father is also a professional footballer.
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| Nigel De Jong |
A youth product of Feyenoord, Wijnaldum became the youngest player ever to represent the club when he made his debut in 2007. From 2011 to 2015, he played for PSV and one season with Newcastle before joining Liverpool in 2016. In 2021, he joined PSG and left them for Saudi Arabia in 2023. Since 2011, he played for the Dutch national team. He was a member of the squad which finished third at the 2014 World Cup as well as captaining the national team at Euro 2020.
CM/DM: Aron Winter
Born in Suriname of an unique ethnic background, Aron Winter was both an Indian and Chinese descendent. He started his career with Ajax, where he played from 1986 to 1992. He oined Lazio at the height of Serie A during the early 1990's. He later played for Inter Milan between 1996 and 1999. For the national team, he was a regular member of the team. He was capped 84 times and a part of the Euro 1988 winning team. His last major tournament was the Euro 2000.
Born in Suriname of an unique ethnic background, Aron Winter was both an Indian and Chinese descendent. He started his career with Ajax, where he played from 1986 to 1992. He oined Lazio at the height of Serie A during the early 1990's. He later played for Inter Milan between 1996 and 1999. For the national team, he was a regular member of the team. He was capped 84 times and a part of the Euro 1988 winning team. His last major tournament was the Euro 2000.
CM/LM: Clarence Seedorf
Clarence Seedorf is the first player to win three Champion League titles with 3 different clubs. He was a member of the Golden Generation from Ajax that won Champions League in 1995. In 1996, he moved to Real Madrid, where he quickly established himself as a star. He would win two Champions League title there. He later played for both AC Milan and Inter Milan, winning two more Champions League titles with AC Milan. He was a key player for the Dutch national team from 1994 to 2008.
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| Clarence Seedorf |
During the 1990's, Gerald Vanenburg formed a dangerous partnership Marco Van Basten and Wim Kieft at Ajax. He would join PSV in 1986 and stayed there until 1993. He later played in Japan, Germany and France. For the national team, he was a part of the Golden Generation that won the European Championship in 1988. He played for Netherlands 42 times between 1982 and 1992. He participated in the 1990 World Cup Finals.
RW/SS: Gaston Taument
Gaston Taument played the vast majority of his 14-year professional career with Feyenoord, amassing Eredivisie totals of 204 games and 45 goals over the course of nine seasons, where he starred along side Regi Blinker. He later played in Portugal, Belgium, Greece and Austria. For the national team, he earned 15 caps between 1992 and 1996. He played for Netherlands at the World Cup Finals in 1994 and at Euro 1996. He scored a goal in the 1994 World Cup Finals against Saudi Arabia.
LW: Bryan Roy
Bryan Roy played for Ajax in the late 1980's and early 1990's. He won UEFA Cup in 1992 with them. He went to play with Italy's Foggia in 1992 when Ajax decided to promote their young players. He later played for Nottingham Forrest, Hertha Berlin and NAC. His transfer fee to Nottingham Forest was the club's record. He helped them to qualify for Europe. At the international level, he was capped 32 times and played at both World Cup Finals in 1990 and 1994, and the 1992 European Championship.
LW: Ryan Babel
Gaston Taument played the vast majority of his 14-year professional career with Feyenoord, amassing Eredivisie totals of 204 games and 45 goals over the course of nine seasons, where he starred along side Regi Blinker. He later played in Portugal, Belgium, Greece and Austria. For the national team, he earned 15 caps between 1992 and 1996. He played for Netherlands at the World Cup Finals in 1994 and at Euro 1996. He scored a goal in the 1994 World Cup Finals against Saudi Arabia.
LW: Bryan Roy
Bryan Roy played for Ajax in the late 1980's and early 1990's. He won UEFA Cup in 1992 with them. He went to play with Italy's Foggia in 1992 when Ajax decided to promote their young players. He later played for Nottingham Forrest, Hertha Berlin and NAC. His transfer fee to Nottingham Forest was the club's record. He helped them to qualify for Europe. At the international level, he was capped 32 times and played at both World Cup Finals in 1990 and 1994, and the 1992 European Championship.
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| Bryan Roy |
Babel played 3 seasons for Ajax before he was transferred to Liverpool in mid-2007. He was sold to 1899 Hoffenheim in 2011. Then, he played for many clubs, including Kasımpaşa, Beşiktaş and Galatasaray, Deportivo La Coruña and Fulham. He was part of the Netherlands national team from 2005 to 2021 and has represented his country at all youth team levels. He played in two World Cups, 2006 and 2010, reaching the final of the latter.
FW/RW/AM: Ruud Gullit
Gullit was the iconic captain of Netherlands' Euro 1988 winning team. In 1987, he moved from PSV Eindhoven to A.C. Milan for a world record transfer fee. He was an important player for AC Milan during the 1980's where they won two straight European Cups. He was the European Footballer of the Year in 1987 and the World Soccer Player of the Year in 1987 and 1989. He spent one season with Sampdoria winning the Italian Cup in 1994, and then, three more seasons with Chelsea.
ST: Pierre Van Hooijdonk
Pierre Van Hooijdonk played for many clubs in his career. His longest stints were with NAC Breda, Nottingham Forrest, Feyenoord and Celtic. Between 1994 and 2004, he played over 40 times for Netherlands, despite the fact that he played in the same generation as Patrick Kluivert, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Roy Makaay and Ruud Van Nistelrooy. He also scored 14 goals for them. He was the UEFA Cup top scorer for the 2001-2002 season, where he was named the Dutch Player of the Year that year.
ST: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was late bloomer where he played with smaller clubs until he moved to Portugal in 1995. His best spells were probably in England with Leeds United and Chelsea. He was the Premier League Golden Boot winner in both 1998-1999 and 2000-2001. He also played for Atletico Madrid for a season between his stints with Leeds United and Chelsea. He only played 23 times for Netherlands because of Netherlands loaded with forwards during the peak of his career.
ST: Patrick Kluivert
Patrick Kluivert was the teenage star of the great Ajax team of 1995. scoring the wining goal the Champions' league Final. He joined Milan in 1997, but he quickly left for Barcelona a season later. He had a relatively successes at the club, but left for Newcastle United in 2004. His career was never the same due to injuries. He was a part of the national team from 1996 to 2004. He played 79 times for them. At one point, he is their all-time leading scorer with 40 goals.
-- Marciano Vink's position is well-covered by Davids, Rijkaard and Seedorf. His injuries really destroyed his career.
-- André Kamperveen was a Surinamese player to play club football in Brazil and Netherlands He was the captain of the Surinamese national team. The National Stadium is named after him. However, this blog is about Dutch-Surinamese. He was a Surinamese playing in Netherlands. I do not know if he is considered Dutch Surinamese.
FW/RW/AM: Ruud Gullit
Gullit was the iconic captain of Netherlands' Euro 1988 winning team. In 1987, he moved from PSV Eindhoven to A.C. Milan for a world record transfer fee. He was an important player for AC Milan during the 1980's where they won two straight European Cups. He was the European Footballer of the Year in 1987 and the World Soccer Player of the Year in 1987 and 1989. He spent one season with Sampdoria winning the Italian Cup in 1994, and then, three more seasons with Chelsea.
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| Ruud Gullit at Euro 1988 |
Pierre Van Hooijdonk played for many clubs in his career. His longest stints were with NAC Breda, Nottingham Forrest, Feyenoord and Celtic. Between 1994 and 2004, he played over 40 times for Netherlands, despite the fact that he played in the same generation as Patrick Kluivert, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Roy Makaay and Ruud Van Nistelrooy. He also scored 14 goals for them. He was the UEFA Cup top scorer for the 2001-2002 season, where he was named the Dutch Player of the Year that year.
ST: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was late bloomer where he played with smaller clubs until he moved to Portugal in 1995. His best spells were probably in England with Leeds United and Chelsea. He was the Premier League Golden Boot winner in both 1998-1999 and 2000-2001. He also played for Atletico Madrid for a season between his stints with Leeds United and Chelsea. He only played 23 times for Netherlands because of Netherlands loaded with forwards during the peak of his career.
ST: Patrick Kluivert
Patrick Kluivert was the teenage star of the great Ajax team of 1995. scoring the wining goal the Champions' league Final. He joined Milan in 1997, but he quickly left for Barcelona a season later. He had a relatively successes at the club, but left for Newcastle United in 2004. His career was never the same due to injuries. He was a part of the national team from 1996 to 2004. He played 79 times for them. At one point, he is their all-time leading scorer with 40 goals.
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| Patrick Kluivert |
Honorable Mention
Florian Vijent, Lloyd Doesburg, Gino Coutinho, Ishan Kort, Etienne Vaessen, Boy Waterman and Warner Hahn, Mario Melchiot, Edson Braafheild, Ulrich Van Gobbel, Urby Emanuelson, Dwight Tiendalli, Owen Wijndal, John Veldman, Ken Monkou, Henk Fraser, Jerry De Jong, Jeffrey Bruma, Jaïro Riedewald, Orlando Engelaar, Ryan Gravenberch, Marciano Vink, Luciano Narsingh, Gaston Taument, Ryan Babel, Calvin Stengs, Steven Bergwijn,Urby Emanuelson, Jeremain Lens, Romeo Castelen, Steven Bergwijn, Donyell Malen, Jeremain Lens, Eljero Elia, André Kamperveen, Quincy Promes.
Florian Vijent, Lloyd Doesburg, Gino Coutinho, Ishan Kort, Etienne Vaessen, Boy Waterman and Warner Hahn, Mario Melchiot, Edson Braafheild, Ulrich Van Gobbel, Urby Emanuelson, Dwight Tiendalli, Owen Wijndal, John Veldman, Ken Monkou, Henk Fraser, Jerry De Jong, Jeffrey Bruma, Jaïro Riedewald, Orlando Engelaar, Ryan Gravenberch, Marciano Vink, Luciano Narsingh, Gaston Taument, Ryan Babel, Calvin Stengs, Steven Bergwijn,Urby Emanuelson, Jeremain Lens, Romeo Castelen, Steven Bergwijn, Donyell Malen, Jeremain Lens, Eljero Elia, André Kamperveen, Quincy Promes.
Squad Explanation
-- The original team was created in. 2015. I redid it in November, 2024.
-- Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard, Virgil van Dijk and Edgar Davids are on my All-Time Team for Netherlands.
-- The fantastic 1974 World Cup team did not include a single Surinamese player. However, Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard, Aron Winter and Gerald Vanenburg were parts of the Dutch national team that won the European Championship in 1988.
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| Frank Rijkaard Euro 1988 |
-- The 1998 World Cup team that Netherlands reached the semi-final consisted of Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Patrick Kluivert, Michael Reiziger, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Pierre Van Hooijdonk, Aron Winter and Winston Bogarde who were of Surinamese origins.
-- The 2010 World Cup team that reached the Final included Ryan Babel, Michel Vorm and Nigel De Jong on this all-time team. Edson Braafheid and Eljero Elia are also of Surinamese background. They made honorable mention. Gregory van der Wiel is of Curaçao descent.
-- I never heard of Curacao until their recent runs at the Gold Cup in 2017 and 2019. Their national team decided to look for Dutch professional players to represent them. Suriname could improve their national team if they also look for Surinamese Dutch players. In November 2019, Suriname created a so-called sports passport would allow Dutch professional footballers from the Surinamese diaspora to represent Suriname. Suriname qualified for the 2021 Gold Cup with 2–1 CONCACAF Nations League win over Nicaragua and made their first appearance in a CONCACAF tournament since 1985. This development would lead to more quality players to the country. However, this blog team is still about Surinamese Dutch players. The contributions to the Surinamese national team and the football in Suriname also play no role on future selection. It was about the quality of the players. As mentioned, Humphrey Mijnals was selected for his historical role as the first Surinamese in Dutch professional football.
Goalkeepers
-- In general, the underrepresentation of black goalkeepers in European football is a topic that has been discussed in the past. This lack of diversity in certain positions within the sport has sparked conversations about potential biases and stereotypes that may exist in football scouting and player development systems. It was difficult to find three Dutch-Surinamese goalkeepers, but I was able to secure three goalkeepers who were capped by the Dutch national team. Stanley Menzo who was the more famous of the trio because he played fo Ajax. Kenneth Vermeer became the record holder for the Netherlands national football team, for the longest streak as a goalkeeper without conceding a goal. Michel Vorm represented the Netherlands in two World Cup Finals.
-- Florian Vijent and Lloyd Doesburg both tragically lost their lives in the 1989 Surinam Airways Flight 764 air disaster. Menzo, fortunately, had taken an earlier flight and thus avoided being involved in the accident. At the end of the 1988-89 season Vijent was named as "Best goalkeeper of the season" in the Eerste Divisie. Meanwhile, Doesburg was Menzo's backup at Ajax. The three of them were friends, I believed.
-- Gino Coutinho, Ishan Kort, Etienne Vaessen, Boy Waterman and Warner Hahn were other Surinamese goalkeepers of note.Defenders
-- This team had many rightbacks to choose from. Michael Reiziger was a part of the great Ajax team of 1995. He later played for Barcelona FC. In 2015, I selected Mario Melchiot, but I replaced him with Denzel Dumfries in 2024. Melchiot was not a regular member of the national team during his prime while Dumfries was the star of Netherlands at the European Championship in 2021. He went on to play in the 2022 World Cup Finals and 2024 European Championship. Ulrich van Gobbel was also a serious consideration. He was a star with Feyenoord. Jerry de Jong whose son is Nigel de Jong also made honorable mentions.
-- The leftback had to be Wilfred Bouma who played 37 times for the Netherlands. Edson Braafheid who played against Spain in the 2010 World Cup Finals deserved to be on the team, but I only put him on honorable mentions. I would use Winston Bogarde as the backup leftback. His spot went to a player from a different position.
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| Wilfred Bouma |
-- Born in Suriname, Frank Rijkaard is one of the greatest defensive midfielders in football's history, but I put him as a centrat defender because I had too many defensive midfielders. So I could select another defensive midfielder. Virgil van Dijk was awarded with the UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award, PFA Players' Player of the Year and Premier League Player of the Season in the 2018–19 season. He also captained the Netherlands. How many defenders have won so many important individual awards? Then, I took Humphrey Mijnals who was the first Surinamese to be capped by the Netherlands. He broke the racial barrier. The trio was undisputed. The fourth central defender was tricky. Winston Bogarde was the least famous of the central defenders selected, but he could also play as a leftback, whiuch made him an important player on this team. His career did take him to clubs such as Ajax, AC Milan, Barcelona and Chelsea. Ken Monkou was uncapped. I preferred capped players even through that does not say much about the skilled level of the players.
Midfielders/Wingers
-- As mentioned above, I already selected Frank Rijkaard. His career spoke for itself. While Edgar Davids' career may not have reached the heights of Rijkaard's, his impact and distinction in the world of football are undeniable. During his time, he was one of the best footballers in the world. The pair were must-inclusions for this team. Then, I added Aron Winter and Nigel de Jong. Aron Winter played 84 times for the Netherlands. He was a key player for the national team during his prime. Born in Suriname of a unique ethnic background, he is both an Indian and Chinese descendent. Nigel De Jong was capped 81 times for the Netherlands. He helped the Netherlands to reach the Final of the 2010 World Cup Finals.-- During Euro 2020, I replaced Orlando Engelaar with Georginio Wijnaldum. Wijnaldum was the Dutch captain in the tournament. He played over 70 times for the national team. He was the Dutch Player of the Year in the 2014-2015 season. His career with Liverpool also stood out.
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| Georginio Wijnaldum |
-- Clarence Seedorf would be the creative force on the team. he won the Champions' leagiue with three different teams. He is one of the most famous Dutch-Surinamese footballers in the history of football. Xavi Simon was hailed as the next great player from the academy of Barcelona. At the time of writing, he is still a young player playing for RB Leipzig. He already played in the 2024 European Championship scoring against England in the semifinal, but he still needs time to develop his career before making this team.
-- On the right, I first took Gerald Vanenburg, who featured in all matches during Euro 1988, a tournament where the Netherlands secured their first major international title. Gaston Taument was a star with Feyenoord. Ruud Gullit was also a right winger when he played for Feyenoord. He won a European Cup playing in that side of the field. I had no room for Romeo Castelen.
-- Clarence Seedorf played on the left when AC Milan won the Champions' League. However, this team still needed a true left winger. Bryan Roy was famous due to the fact that he played at the 1990 and 1994 World Cups and at Euro 1992. The second left wing was a difficult decision.
-- Ryan Babel showed great potential in his first season with Liverpool, but his career ultimately fell short of expectations. Following his departure from Liverpool at 25, he embarked on a varied journeyman career, playing in Germany, the UAE, Spain, and Turkey. He also did not feature much in any of the major international tournaments for the Netherlands. Babel's early label as a future star developed an unfair reputation as a flop. Nevertheless, he played 69 times for the national team. The number itself is an achievement. As comparison, Regi Blinker only played 3 times for the national team. Eljero Elia who was only a year younger than Babel was capped 30 times. Except for a brief stay in Juventus, he played mainly for mid-table teams away from the limelight. While less famous than Babel, he also did not have the same level of notoriety as Babel.
-- I also looked into Donyell Malen and Steven Bergwijn. Both primarily operate as left wingers, but during the 2024 European Championship, they both featured in some matches as right wingers. They were in competition with each other on the national team. As of November 2024, Donyell Malen is garnering attention at Borussia Dortmund. In contrast, Steven Bergwijn's career took a downturn. Following the Euro 2024, he relocated to play in Saudi Arabia. Dutch manager Ronald Koeman promptly declared that Bergwijn would no longer be chosen for the national team, citing "lack of sporting ambition" as the primary grounds for his exclusion. It might affect his legacy in the long run. In the end, I decided to select Ryan Babel because of his 60 plus caps, but either Malen and Bergwijn should be able to replace him one day.
Forwards
-- In a previous reference, I noted Ruud Gullit's inclusion on the team, acknowledging him not only as possibly the greatest Dutch Surinamese player in history but also as one of the all-time greats from the Netherlands and the world. I need not to talk about his achievements in football. Following this, I effortlessly chose two additional strikers: Patrick Kluivert and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. Pierre Van Hooijdonk, the fourth striker, closely rivaled the pair in terms of credentials and merits.-- Patrick Kluivert, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, and Pierre Van Hooijdonk all played during a similar era and had affected and limited with the national team. They were fighting for playing time. Patrick Kluivert finished 5th at the 1995 Ballon D'or as a teenager, but his career started to fade around the age of 28. Nevertheless, he had a very successful career for both club and country. Until 2013, he was the all-time leading scorer for the national team. On the other hand, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink won the Premier League Golden Boot twice. However, his international career, along with Pierre Van Hooijdonk's, was hindered by the presence of Kluivert and other non-Surinamese strikers such as Roy Makaay and Ruud Van Nistelrooy. Hasselbaink represented the Netherlands in only 23 matches, while Van Hooijdonk played 46 times for the national team. Meanwhile, Van Hooijdonk clinched several prestigious awards throughout his career, including the Scottish Premier Division top scorer in 1995–96, , the UEFA Cup Top Scorer in 2001–02, the Eredivisie Top Scorer in 2001–02, Dutch Footballer of the Year in 2001–02, and Turkish Footballer of the Year in 2004.
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| Pierre Van Hooijdonk |
-- Patrick Kuivert's son Justin had two caps. I would wait a few years before making a verdict on him.
Starting lineup
Formation 4-4-2(diamond)
-- Van Hooijdonk might have picked up many caps than Hasselbaink, but Hasselbaink was a better player.
-- I dropped Rijkaard to the backline so that I could play Winter.
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