After 12 years in the wilderness, Netherlands returned to the World Cup their first appearance since 1978. Leo Beenhakker was the man tasked with guiding them back.
Netherlands's tournament was a mixed affair, with promising moments offset by results that ultimately cut their journey short.
Netherlands emerged from the group stage unbeaten, showing resilience in a tough opening round. In the knockout rounds, they were narrowly knocked out by West Germany in the Round of 16. The narrowest of defeats against West Germany ended what had been a promising tournament run.
3drawn1lost
3scored4conceded
Winless throughout.
Wim Kieft led Netherlands's attack with 1 goal at the 1990 World Cup. Shared the top-scorer honours with Koeman and Gullit, all with 1.
5yellow1red
1.5per match
Rijkaard sent off vs West Germany Rijkaard booked twice.
The tactical mind behind Netherlands's 1990 campaign. Winless under Beenhakker leading Netherlands at his first World Cup.
The team's tactical approach was characterized by an emphasis on defensive solidity, with a focus on maintaining possession and wearing down opponents through sheer determination. Leo Beenhakker's experience-led squad relied heavily on their midfield trio to control the tempo of matches.
