By Efosa Taiwo

The Oranje, as they are known, will be looking at launching yet another challenge at the World Cup trophy when proceedings kick-off in Qatar.

They have one of the most star-studded squads going into the tournament with a majority of their players plying their trades in giant clubs in Europe.

Drawn in Group A alongside Qatar, Senegal and Ecuador, the Netherlands are clear favourites to top the group and make light work of their opponents to progress to the knockout stage of the tournament.

However, the Louis Van Gaal side must avoid complacency as history has taught us that there is no minnow on the world stage, as such, it is expected that they bring their A-game to the table in every game, starting from their opening match against Senegal.

Some will call it redemption time for the Netherlands, having reached the World Cup final thrice – 1974, 1978 and 2010 and losing all three unluckily. They are regarded as the footballing powerhouse yet to have won the World Cup and certainly will be all out to change that narrative in Qatar.

Players to watch out for:

Memphis Depay
Striker
28years

Memphis Depay will be the Oranje go-to man at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The Barcelona forward played a leading role in the qualifiers that saw the team qualify for the tournament, scoring 12 goals in 10 games.

His goalscoring services will, no doubt, prove vital for the Oranje if they are to go ahead and claim their first ever world crown.

Virgil Van Dijk
Defender
31 years

The Liverpool centre-half is regarded as one of the best central defenders in world football today.

Strikers coming to the tournament and facing Netherlands know they would have a torrid day getting past the Netherlands defence spearheaded by Van Dijk.

The Dutchman, aside from his solid defensive abilities, reads the game well and leads from the back with his passes and composure.

The Dutch side, having such quality of a defender in their side, give them an edge in their quest for the world crown.

Frenkie De Jong
Midfielder
25 years

The Barcelona midfielder is an engine in the midfield when playing for both club and country.

A typical box-to-box midfielder with a tireless work-rate and ingenious vision coupled with a sleek pace that can transmute defence to attack in a blink of an eye, De Jong’s presence in the centre of the midfield for the Dutch is non-negotiable in their chances of doing well at the World Cup.

Coach

Louis Van Gaal

One of the veterans in the game, Louis Van Gaal is expected to bow out of football management with the World Cup in Qatar being his last dance.

At 71, the Dutchman in his third spell as boss of the national side having previously taken charge of Holland between 2000-2001 and 2012-2014.

Van Gaal remains one of the most decorated coaches in football history having won a total of 20 trophies in his managerial career, and will be looking at bowing out on a high by winning the FIFA World Cup trophy for his country.