International Head-to-Head –Part 13, Brazil and Holland (with a video Interview with Mr. Jan Roskott of http://dutchsoccersite.org/)

 

 

For this Blog Presentation with an interview, I look back at the past encounters between the Nations of Brazil and Holland.

The Interview will be as a video link companion, while the Blog will be a presentation of the events.

 

The Interviewee is:

Mr. Jan Roskott

 

Mr. Jan Roskott is the administrator of the http://dutchsoccersite.org/.

He has appeared before on the podcast discussing the matches of the Dutch national team.

 

 

Mr. Roskottt’s contact info:

Email: jroskott@gmail.com

twitter: @DutchSoccerSite

Website:

http://dutchsoccersite.org/

https://www.facebook.com/dutchsoccersite

 

 

My contact information:

on twitter @sp1873 and on facebook under Soccernostalgia.

https://linktr.ee/sp1873

1950s

The first match between the nations was during the 1952 Olympics in Finland. At this point professionalism did not exist in Holland. Brazil squad was not the main National Team, but they were strong enough to inflict a (5-1) victory.

 

1960s

The next match between the Nations would be more than a decade later. At this point Brazil were double World Cup Champions with Pele at his height. Holland were still a modest squad at this point. Brazil were touring Europe in this summer of 1963. The sides met for the first time on Dutch soil and the Dutch earned their first win over Brazil with a (1-0) win courtesy of a late goal.

 

Photo From: Het Nederlands Elftal, De Histoire van Oranje, 1905-1989

(May 2, 1963, Holland 1-Brazil 0)

1970s

The first significant encounter between the Nations was during the 1974 World Cup.

This was the first time the sides met the World Cup level, there would be another four occasions. Brazil were defending World Cup Champions, while the Dutch side led by Johann Cruyff was perhaps the best team not to win the World Cup. It was the age of Ajax and Total Football and the Dutch won (2-0) with goals by Neeskens and Cruyff.

 

Photo From: Placar, Nº 225 12.07.74_16

(July 3, 1974, World Cup, Holland 2-Brazil 0)

Photo From: Het Nederlands Elftal, De Histoire van Oranje, 1905-1989

(July 3, 1974, World Cup, Holland 2-Brazil 0)

 

Photo From: History of the World Cup, Author Michael Archer

(July 3, 1974, World Cup, Holland 2-Brazil 0)

1980s

The sides met in an end of the year (and decade) friendly match at Rotterdam. The Dutch were the defending Euro Champions, while Brazil had just won the Copa America a few months earlier. This was a preparatory friendly for the upcoming 1990 World Cup in Italy. In the end it was a meaningless match as the Dutch were missing regulars like the AC Milan trio of Gullit, Van Basten and Rijkaard.

They were also missing players such as Gerald Vanenburg, Erwin Koeman and Johnny Bosman. Ronald Koeman was originally supposed to be rested for this match, but the absence of most of its stars forced the Holland management to call him in.

As a result, the Dutch were forced to present a makeshift side that included four debutants. Brazil won (1-0) with Careca scoring with a header. This was Brazil’s first win since the initial 1952 match and also their first and to date only win on Dutch soil.

Photo From: France Football, Issue 2281, December 26, 1989

(December 20, 1989, Holland 0-Brazil 1)

 

1990s

This was the most prolific decades as far as encounters, no less than six times, including two in World Cups.

The first encounter of the decade was perhaps the most memorable. During the 1994 World Cup, in Dallas, Texas, Brazil won (3-2) in dramatic fashion. They had taken a (2-0) lead that included the famous Bebeto celebration referencing the recent birth of his son. The Dutch would stage a fight back and tie the match before Branco scored with a free kick.

In 1996, the sides met in Amsterdam in a friendly that ended as a (2-2) tie.

The sides would meet once more at the World Cup level in 1998, in a semifinal in Marseille, France. The match ended as (1-1) tie with Brazil winning in a penalty kick shoot-out.

The sides faced one-another three times in friendlies in 1999. In June 1999, Brazil hosted the Dutch twice. This was the first time the sides had faced one another on Brazilian soil. The first match ended as a (2-2) tie and just a few days later Brazil won (3-1). This was Brazil’s first and to date only win on home soil.

The sides met a few months later in Amsterdam and just like the 1996 encounter, this match also ended (2-2).

 

 

Photo From: L’Equipe-La Coupe Du Monde, Volume 2, 1974-1998

(July 9, 1994, World Cup, Brazil 3-Holland 2)

Photo From: Magazine Source unknown

(Holland squad, July 9, 1994, World Cup, Brazil 3-Holland 2)

Photo From: Calcio 2000, Issue 10, August 1998

(July 7, 1998, World Cup, Brazil 1-Holland 1)

2010s

The sides met three times during this decade. The first one was once again during the South African World Cup on July 2, 2010. The Dutch won this match (2-1) and eliminated Brazil. This was the first Dutch win over Brazil since the 1974 World Cup.

In the following year, on June 4, 2011, Brazil hosted the Dutch in a friendly that ended scoreless.

The final match to date between the Nations was once more in a World Cup match. Brazil, as World Cup hosts faced the Dutch, for the Third Place match, just days after suffering the (1-7) home defeat vs. Germany. An already demoralized once again lost this time (0-3). This win was also the first Dutch victory on Brazilian soil.

 

 

Photo From: Placar, Issue 1344, July 2010

(July 2, 2010, World Cup, Holland 2-Brazil 1)

Photo From: Placar, Issue 1344, July 2010

(July 2, 2010, World Cup, Holland 2-Brazil 1)

Photo From: FIFA Technical Report and Statistics, 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil

(July 12, 2014, World Cup, Brazil 0-Holland 3)

Photo From: La Gazzetta dello Sport 2014-07-13_13

(July 12, 2014, World Cup, Brazil 0-Holland 3)

Conclusion

On balance, the sides appear to be equal with four wins for each side in 13 matches.

There was a long gap between meetings between the Nations, just one match per decade since the 1950s. The frequency of the matches picked up in the 90s and onwards.

From the thirteen matches between the teams, five have been on neutral venues. In total, the sides have met six times in official matches with five being in the World Cup.

In these five World Cup matches, the Dutch have been victorious in three. Brazil has not defeated the Dutch since 1999.

 

Note:

1-Please refer to the video link at the top of this blog upload for the interview.