The Defining Moment
Netherlands 2010
The Netherlands reached their third World Cup final at South Africa 2010, led by Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben, and Robin van Persie. But Bert van Marwijk's Clockwork Orange abandoned their Total Football philosophy and set up an aggressive, even violent final. Nigel de Jong delivered a kung-fu kick to Xabi Alonso's chest that warranted only a yellow card; the Dutch collected nine bookings in total. Arjen Robben had the clearest chance of the match a one-on-one that Casillas saved with his outstretched foot. In the 116th minute, Andrés Iniesta scored the 1-0 that sank the Dutch. Three finals, three defeats the orange curse reached its most painful point. The Netherlands remain the greatest national team never to have won a World Cup.