Netherlands

Van Nistelrooy not included in Dutch squad for World Cup while Babel makes final 23.

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The Dutch have yet to win the World Cup despite reaching two finals [Reuters]

One of the best sides never to win the World Cup, the Dutch are credited with creating the ideology of Total Football – in which players can adapt to play in any position on the pitch.

Having narrowly lost World Cup Finals in 1974 and 1978, the Netherlands’ latest crop of prodigies hope to go one better than legends such as Johan Cruyff and Ruud Gullit by finally lifting the trophy in South Africa.

Stars like Inter’s Wesley Sneijder, Arsenal’s Robin van Persie and Bayern Munich’s Arjen Robben will be well aware of the team’s tendency to disappoint on the big stage as they bid to take their perfect record from qualification into the finals.

Group E fixtures

Monday June 14

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Netherlands v Denmark
undefined Japan v Cameroon 

Saturday June 19


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Netherlands v Japan 
undefined Cameroon v Denmark 

Thursday June 24


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Denmark v Japan 
undefined Cameroon v Netherlands

Goalkeepers:

Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax Amsterdam), Sander Boschker (Twente Enschede), Michel Vorm (Utrecht).

Defenders:

Khalid Boulahrouz (VFB Stuttgart), Edson Braafheid (Celtic Glasgow), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), John Heitinga (Everton), Joris Mathijsen (SV Hamburg), Andre Ooijer (PSV Eindhoven), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax Amsterdam).

Midfielders:

Ibrahim Afellay (PSV Eindhoven), Mark van Bommel (Bayern Munich), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Stijn Schaars (AZ Alkmaar), Wesley Sneijder (Internazionale), Rafael van der Vaart (Real Madrid), Demy de Zeeuw (Ajax Amsterdam).

Forwards:

Ryan Babel (Liverpool), Eljero Elia (SV Hamburg), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (AC Milan), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich).

Source: Al Jazeera, News Agencies