FIFA World Cup 2026: Netherlands take a step towards ending ‘Nearly Men’ curse with 5-1 win over Sweden

Like every sport, international football is awash with numerous ‘what if ?’ moments. What if the prolific Dutch forward Rob Rensenbrink had scored in the dying moments of the 1978 World Cup final against Argentina? Despite producing a galaxy of superstars like Johan Cruyff, Ruud Gullit, Dennis Bergkamp, and their tactical ingenuity in conceptualising Total Football, the Netherlands and the World Cups have always been a big ‘what if ’ story.

The weight of Rensenbrink’s thinas-razor’s edge miss seems to have weighed on the country’s future generation of footballers. So much so, they remain the only country to have appeared in three World Cup finals without ever winning one.

All that changed on Saturday. An early double from Brian Brobbey, two more in the second half from Cody Gakpo and a late goal from Crysencio Summerville helped the Netherlands cruise to a 5-1 win over Sweden in their second game of this World Cup at Houston.

The Dutch delivered the statement performance that Koeman had always demanded from them.“A great result, but enough moments of which we say: that could be better. Then you play a complete match and this was almost like that,” Koeman said after the win.

Koeman’s tactical brilliance of fielding Brobbey as the striker from the onset paid off. The Sunderland forward reposed faith in his manager by scoring twice in the first 17 minutes to give the Dutch an unassailable lead.

Showcasing fluidity and attacking vigour, reminiscent of Total Football, a rooted philosophy that carried them to the 1974 World Cup final, the Dutch looked like a team on a mission. Under Houston’s enclosed, climate-controlled stadium, Koeman’s men showcased verve, with Denzel Dumfries’ energy on the right flank and Ryan Gravenberch’s commanding presence in the midfield. Eight Dutch players packed into the box, pinning the Swedes back for the bulk of the game.Can they go where no Dutch has ever gone before? The die-hard fans seem to think so. They have support from noted German economist Joachim Klement who has predicted the Netherlands would win this World Cup. For the uninitiated, Klement predicted the three previous winners correctly -Germany in 2014, France in 2018 and Argentina four years ago.Interestingly, the Netherlands football team and the South African cricket team share a striking parallel as the quintessential ‘nearly men’ in modern sport.

Like the Oranje, the Proteas have the reputation of falling short of championship glory at major cricketing events. They erased a bit of that wound by winning the 2025 World Test Championship under the leadership of Temba Bavuma.South Africa’s win offers a lesson for the Dutch. This new generation of footballers unshackled and irreverent should acknowledge history and play without carrying its baggage. If Koeman’s team does that, Klement’s prediction would indeed come true for the fourth time.