Benelux Union

Benelux Union in this definition includes Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg (no player to be mentioned). Historically, the three low-countries were merged several times as Burgundian Neterlands, Habsburg Netherlands, the United Kingdom of Netherlandsm etc. However, there is no football competition to relate between these nations. 

Benelux

Location : Benelux
European Championship Participation :    12 Times
(1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016)
World Cup Participation : 15 Times (Disappearance in 1950, 1958, 1962 and 1966)
Achievement : 
3 Times FIFA World Cup Runner-Up (1974, 1978, 2010)
1988 European Championship Winner
1980 European Championship Runner-Up
Most Caps :  Edwin Van Der Sar (130 games)
Top Scorer :  Robin Van Persie (47 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever : Johan Cruyff



                                        All-Time Benelux Squad

Goalkeeper
Defender
Midfielder
Forward
Jean Marie-Pfaff
(Belgium)
Michael Preud’Homme

(Belgium)
Eric Gerets
(Belgium)
Wim Suurbier
(Netherlands)
Ruud Krol
(Netherlands)
Ronald Koeman
(Netherlands)
Virgil Van Dijk
(Netehrlands)
Japp Stam
(Netherlands)
Armand Swartenbroeks 
(Belgium)
Frank Rijkaard
(Netherlands)
Johan Neeskens
(Netherlands)
Willem Van Hanegem
(Netherlands)
Eden Hazard
(Belgium)
Ruud Gullit
(Netherlands)
Arjen Robben
(Netherlands)
Jan Ceulemans
(Belgium)

Johan Cruyff
(Netherlands)
Dennis Berkamp
(Netherlands)
Paul Van Himst
(Belgium)
Ruud Van Nistelrooy
(Netherlands)
Rob Rensenbrink
(Netherlands)
Marco Van Basten
(Netherlands)

Manager :  Rinus Michels (Netherlands)

Stadium :  Amsterdam Arena (Netherlands)


Formation XI



Explain of Formation

This formation is reproduced from all-time Holland XI and just add two Belgian players Jean Marie Pfaff and Eric Gerets.


Statistics

By Decade
By Nation
1910s : 1
1920s : -
1930s : 2
1940s : 2
1950s : 1.5
1960s : 4.5
1970s : 2
1980s : 3
1990s : 1
2000s : 2
2010s : 3
Netherlands : 16
Belgium : 7

Table of Positional Ranking

Goalkeeper

Defensive Lateral

Central Defender

1. Edwin Van Der Sar (HOL)

2. Jean Marie Pfaff (BEL)

3. Michael Pred’homme (BEL)

4. Hans Van Breukelen (HOL)

5. Jan Van Beveren (HOL)
6. Thabaut Courtois (BEL)
7. Christian Piot (BEL) 

8. Eddy P. Graafland (HOL)
9. Frans de Munck (HOL)

10. Jean De Bie (BEL)
11. Jean Nicolay (BEL)

12. Gerrit Keizer (HOL)

13. Mark Stekelenburg (HOL)
14. Piet Schrijvers (HOL)

1. Ruud Krol (HOL)

2. Eric Gerets (BEL)

3. Fons Van Brandt (BEL)
4. Wim Suurbier  (HOL)
5. Armand Swartenbroeks (BEL)
6. Roel Wierma (HOL)
7. Jan Vertonghen (BEL)

8. Adrie Van Tiggelen (HOL)

9.Giovanni Van Bronkhorst (HOL)

10. Michael Reiziger (HOL)
11. George Heylens (BEL)

1. Ronald Koeman (HOL)

2.  Virgil Van Dijk (HOL)

3.  Jaap Stam (HOL)

4. Rinus Israel (HOL)

5. Frank De Boer (HOL)

6. Cor Van De Hart (HOL)

7. Vincent Kompany (BEL)
8. Barry Hulshoff (HOL)
9. Harry Denis (HOL)
10. Bok De Korver (HOL)
11. Cernies Brandts (HOL)

12. Danny Blind (HOL)

13. Lauren Verbiest (BEL)
14. Nico Dewalque (BEL)

15. Wim Rijsbergen (HOL)
16. George Grun (BEL)
17. Bertus Baldenhove (HOL)
18. Toby Alderweireld )BEL)

 

Defensive Midfielder

Offensive Midfielder

Offensive Lateral

1. Frank Rijkaard (HOL)

2. Willem Van Hanegem (HOL)

3. Johan Neeskens (HOL)

4. Edgar Davids (HOL)

5. Clarence Seedorf (HOL)

6. Wilfried Van Moer (BEL)

7. Arie Haan (HOL)

8. Willy Van De Kerkhof (HOL)
9. Vic Mees (BEL)

10. Aron Winter (HOL)

11. Wim Jansen (HOL)
12. Jan Wouters (HOL)

13. Franky Van De Elst (BEL)

14. Phillip Cocu (HOL)

15. Mark Van Bommel (HOL)
16. Marouane Fellaini (BEL)
17. John Metgod (HOL)
18. Louis Carre (Belgium)

1. Ruud Gullit (HOL)

2. Jan Ceulemans (BEL)

3. Westley Sneijder (HOL)

4. Enzo Scifo (BEL)

5. Kevin De Bruyne (BEL)

6. Joseph Jurion (BEL)

7. Puck Van Heel (HOL)

8. Kees Rijvers (HOL)

9. Willy Van De Kuijlen (HOL)

10. Rafael Van De Vaart (HOL)

11. Gerrie Muhren (HOL)

12. Marl Wilmots (BEL)
13. Arnodl MUhren (HOL)
14. Frans Thijssen (HOL)
15. Rene Vandereycken(BEL)
16. Azel Witsel (BEL)
17, Jan Peters (HOL)

1. Arjen Robben (HOL)

2. Eden Hazard (BEL) 

3. Piet Keizer (HO)

4. Coen Moulijin (HOL)

5. Sjaak Swart (HOL)

6. Mark Overmars (HOL)

7. Johnny Rep (HOL)

8. Victor Lemberechts (BEL)
9. Rene Van De Kerkhof (HOL)
10. Franky Vercauteren (BEL)
11. Wilfried Puis (BEL)
12. Stanley Van Den Eynde (BEL)

13. Jan de Natris (HOL)

14. Bertus De Harder (HOL)

15. John Van't Schip (HOl)

16. Simon Tahamata (HOL)

Forward

                Striker

               Manager

1. Johan Cruyff (HOL)

2. Dennis Bergkamp (HOL)

3. Paul Van Himst  (BEL)

4. Rob Rensenbrink (HOL)

5. Faas Wilkes (HOL)

6. Abe Lenstra (HOL)

7. Raymond Braine (BEL)

8. Robin Van Persie (HOL)

9. Henri Coppens (BEL)

10. Bernard Voorhoof (BEL)
11. Erwin Vandenbergh (BEL)

12. Kick Smit (HOL)

13. Ruud Geels (HOL)

14. Raoul Lamberts (BEL)
15. Beb Bakhuys (HOL)
16. Louis Van Hege (BEL)

1. Marco Van Basten (HOL)

2. Ruud Van Nistelrooy (HOL)

3. Patrick Kluivert (HOL)

4. Romelu Lukaku (BEL)
5. Jeff Mermans (BEL)

6. Coen Dillen (HOL)

7. Albert De Cleyn (BEL)

8. Jean Capelle (BEL)

9. Roy Makaay (HOL)
10. Henk Groot (HOL)

11. Jimmy F. Hasselbaink (HOL)

12. Noud Van Melis (HOL)

13. Klass Jan Huntelaar (HOL)
14. Victor Wegria (BEL)

15. Pierre Van Hooijdonk (HOL)

16. Piet Van Reenen (HOL)
17. Henk Groot (HOL)

1. Rinus Michels (HOL)

2. Guus Hiddink (HOL)

3. Luis Van Gaal (HOL)

4. Johan Cruyff (HOL)

5. Guy Thys (BEL)

 




The Greatest Benelux Players of the Era

  10s : Bok De Korver
  20s : Harry Denis (1st Half), Raymond Braine (2nd Half)
  30s : Raymond Braine (1st Half), Beb Bukhuys (2nd Half)
  40s : Faas Wilkes (2nd Half)
  50s : Abe Lenstra (1st Half), Joseph Jurion (2nd Half)
  60s : Paul Van Himst (1st Half), Johan Cruyff (2nd Half)
  70s : Johan Cruyff (1st Half), Rob Rensenbrink (2nd Half)
  80s : Jan Ceulemans (1st Half), Marco Van Basten (2nd Half)
  90s : Dennis Bergkamp (1st Half), Edgar Davids (2nd Half)
  00s : Ruud Van Nistelrooy (1st Half), Wesley Sneijder (2nd Half)
  10s : Eden Hazard 


 The Greatest Benelux Footballers of All-Time

1.  Johan Cruyff
2.  Ruud Gullit
3.  Marco Van Basten
4.  Frank Rijkaard
5.  Ruud Krol
6.  Dennis Bergkamp
7.  Willem Van Hanegem
8.  Johan Neeskens
9.  Paul Van Himst
10.  Ruud Van Nistelrooy
11.  Ronald Koeman
12.  Arjen Robben
13.  Michael Preud’homme
14.  Jean Marie Pfaff
15.  Rob Rensenbrink
16.  Abe Lenstra
17.  Faas Wilkes
18.  Raymond Braine
19.  Piet Keizer
20.  Jan Ceulemans



  By Nation

  Netherlands : 15
  Belgium : 5



  Benelux Footballers of The Year




















































By Nation

Netherlands : 56
Belgium : 29

15 comments:

  1. Anonymous27/12/17

    where is Nilis

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous17/4/18

    As Edwin van Der Sar has been revaluated he is ahead of the belgian keeper selected in the team

    ReplyDelete
  3. Clarence Seedorf (HOL) defensive midfielder?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He is central midfielder. If I need to select between DM and AM, I think he is more DM as he plays very deep and his defensive skill is qualified as well.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous7/6/18

    There is a mistake in All-Time Benelux Squad : Bixente Lizarazu should not musrt be here. Maybe it would be interesting to name the best Luxembourg player maybe Louis Pilot

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Naratorn. How come is Luc Nilis not even mentioned in forwards ranking? His club record is impressive, in a good era for both Belgian and Dutch football.

    Here is Ronaldo Nazário stating he was the best striker partner he had.

    https://www.foxsports.it/2019/05/05/ronaldo-luc-nilis/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think his scoring record in international career is incredibly low.

      Delete
  6. I would suggest Victor Lemberechts, Belgian right winger. He is highly regarded by the Pes miti del Calcio Belgian editor: http://www.pesmitidelcalcio.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=6834.

    He was selected to play for the Rest of Europe for a friendly agaist Great Britain in 1947, alongside Carey, Parola, Gren, Wilkes, Praest, Nordahl and Poul Petersen.

    These articles in Dutch suggest he was considered one of the best wingers in Europe in the immediate post-war times (this is confirmed by his selection for the Rest of Europe team). http://peterbc112.112.axc.nl/interviews.html

    Furthermore, he has excellent scoring stats for club and country, and he won the only three titles for Mechelen before their golden era in the late 80s.

    I would like if you took him into account.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for this player. I originally name him in minor reserve group of Belgium squad. I read article and I agree he should be in 22-men squad also due to tactical reason as there is no winger in substitution at first so I just remove Vandenbergh to make space for him.

      Delete
  7. Hakim Ziyech should be Moroccan. He has over 33 caps for Morocco, he is of Arab and African ethnicity and even though he was born and raised in the Netherlands, he himself declared he chose Morocco over the Netherlands as his own decision, even though he played youth football with the Oranges. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5Pq4G46vcE

    Your Northern African selection could have greate use of Ziyech.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OK, He played only Morocco and succeed Moroccan blood. That is actually enough to include him in North Africa squad.

      Delete
  8. Anonymous20/11/22

    In the "Holland" all time team, you put Harry Denis as a right back, but here you put Harry Denis as a central defender. Can you fix that?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous27/1/23

    Kevin De Bruyne's ranking must be updated (I guess 2nd offensive midfielder behind Gullit)
    Also certainly Top 20 in the best Benelux footballers of all time

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous1/7/23

    Hi Van der kuijlen in 50 table is forward o offensive midfielder?

    ReplyDelete