The highest level in Dutch football is now known as the [[Eredivisie]] ({{lang-en|Honorary Division}}). The second level became the [[Eerste Divisie]] (First Division). The third level is the [[Tweede Divisie]] (Second Division). Below that are two amateur divisions: the fourth level is the [[Derde Divisie]] (Third Division), formerly Topklasse, and the fifth level the [[Hoofdklasse]]. The Topklasse was launched in 2010, before that time promotion to or relegation from the Eerste Divisie was not possible. In 2016, the Topklasse was renamed Derde Divisie and the Tweede Divisie was revived.<ref>{{cite news|title=Plannen tweede divisie gaan door|url=http://www.nos.nl/artikel/2006876-plannen-tweede-divisie-gaan-door.htm|trans-title=Plans for a new Tweede Divisie starting 2016/2017|work=[[Nederlandse Omroep Stichting|NOS]].nl|date=2014-12-02|language=Dutch}}</ref>
The highest level in Dutch football is now known as the [[Eredivisie]] ({{lang-en|Honorary Division}}). The second level became the [[Eerste Divisie]] (First Division). The third level is the [[Tweede Divisie]] (Second Division). Below that are two amateur divisions: the fourth level is the [[Derde Divisie]] (Third Division), formerly Topklasse, and the fifth level the [[Hoofdklasse]]. The Topklasse was launched in 2010, before that time promotion to or relegation from the Eerste Divisie was not possible. In 2016, the Topklasse was renamed Derde Divisie and the Tweede Divisie was revived.<ref>{{cite news|title=Plannen tweede divisie gaan door|url=http://www.nos.nl/artikel/2006876-plannen-tweede-divisie-gaan-door.htm|trans-title=Plans for a new Tweede Divisie starting 2016/2017|work=[[Nederlandse Omroep Stichting|NOS]].nl|date=2014-12-02|language=Dutch}}</ref>
The Netherlands is unique for its well known for [[Netherlands national football team|men's]] and [[Netherlands women's national football team|women's team]], usually dressed in orange.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thesefootballtimes.co/2017/10/25/how-a-self-imposed-stereotype-and-the-bosman-ruling-caused-the-demise-of-dutch-football/|title=How a self-imposed stereotype and the Bosman ruling caused the demise of Dutch football|author=|date=25 October 2017|website=thesefootballtimes.co}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2010/06/the-exquisite-corpus-of-dutch-football/58103/ |title=The Exquisite Corpus of Dutch Football - Hua Hsu |publisher=The Atlantic |date=2010-06-14 |accessdate=2013-10-06}}</ref> They won the European Championship in 1988, and have competed in many European and World Cups. They finished second in the 1974,1978 and 2010 World Cups and third in the [[UEFA Euro 1976]] and [[2014 FIFA World Cup|2014 World Cup]] tournament. They have reached many finals ([[1974 FIFA World Cup|1974 World Cup]], [[1978 FIFA World Cup|1978 World Cup]], [[UEFA Euro 1988|Euro 1988]], [[2010 FIFA World Cup|2010 World Cup]]) and semi-finals ([[UEFA Euro 1976|Euro 1976]], [[1998 FIFA World Cup|1998 World Cup]], [[UEFA Euro 2000|Euro 2000]], [[UEFA Euro 2004|Euro 2004]], [[2014 FIFA World Cup|2014 World Cup]]).<ref>{{cite web|author=Simon Kuper |url=https://www.si.com/soccer/2011/06/07/kuper-dutch |title=The Dutch style and the Dutch nation - Soccer - SI.com |publisher=Sports Illustrated |date=2011-06-07 |accessdate=2013-10-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Rob Bagchi |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2010/jun/02/holland-dutch-world-cup-history |title=Holland's World Cup history is a tale of greatness without glory | Football |publisher=The Guardian |date=2010-06-02 |accessdate=2013-10-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Billingham |first=Neil |url=http://sabotagetimes.com/reportage/how-holland-became-the-brazil-of-european-football/ |title=How Holland became the Brazil of European football |publisher=Sabotage Times |date=2010-07-05 |accessdate=2014-04-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/06/15/sports/worldcup/how-we-play.html|title=How We Play|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|accessdate=2015-03-11}}</ref> The women's team also managed to reach the final in its just second [[FIFA Women's World Cup]], where they reached the [[2019 FIFA Women's World Cup|2019 Women's World Cup]] but failed to win. This means the Netherlands is the first country in the world where both men's and women's teams reached the final of respective gender's World Cup yet failed to win both times.
The Netherlands is unique, for it's well known [[Netherlands national football team|men's]] and [[Netherlands women's national football team|women's team]] are usually dressed in orange.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thesefootballtimes.co/2017/10/25/how-a-self-imposed-stereotype-and-the-bosman-ruling-caused-the-demise-of-dutch-football/|title=How a self-imposed stereotype and the Bosman ruling caused the demise of Dutch football|author=|date=25 October 2017|website=thesefootballtimes.co}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2010/06/the-exquisite-corpus-of-dutch-football/58103/ |title=The Exquisite Corpus of Dutch Football - Hua Hsu |publisher=The Atlantic |date=2010-06-14 |accessdate=2013-10-06}}</ref> They won the European Championship in 1988, and have competed in many European and World Cups. They finished second in the 1974,1978 and 2010 World Cups and third in the [[UEFA Euro 1976]] and [[2014 FIFA World Cup|2014 World Cup]] tournament. They have reached many finals ([[1974 FIFA World Cup|1974 World Cup]], [[1978 FIFA World Cup|1978 World Cup]], [[UEFA Euro 1988|Euro 1988]], [[2010 FIFA World Cup|2010 World Cup]]) and semi-finals ([[UEFA Euro 1976|Euro 1976]], [[1998 FIFA World Cup|1998 World Cup]], [[UEFA Euro 2000|Euro 2000]], [[UEFA Euro 2004|Euro 2004]], [[2014 FIFA World Cup|2014 World Cup]]).<ref>{{cite web|author=Simon Kuper |url=https://www.si.com/soccer/2011/06/07/kuper-dutch |title=The Dutch style and the Dutch nation - Soccer - SI.com |publisher=Sports Illustrated |date=2011-06-07 |accessdate=2013-10-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Rob Bagchi |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2010/jun/02/holland-dutch-world-cup-history |title=Holland's World Cup history is a tale of greatness without glory | Football |publisher=The Guardian |date=2010-06-02 |accessdate=2013-10-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Billingham |first=Neil |url=http://sabotagetimes.com/reportage/how-holland-became-the-brazil-of-european-football/ |title=How Holland became the Brazil of European football |publisher=Sabotage Times |date=2010-07-05 |accessdate=2014-04-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/06/15/sports/worldcup/how-we-play.html|title=How We Play|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|accessdate=2015-03-11}}</ref> The women's team also managed to reach the final in its just second [[FIFA Women's World Cup]], where they reached the [[2019 FIFA Women's World Cup|2019 Women's World Cup]] but failed to win. This means the Netherlands is the first country in the world where both men's and women's teams reached the final of respective gender's World Cup yet failed to win both times.
The women won also the [[UEFA Women's Euro 2017| Women’s Euro 2017]].
The women won also the [[UEFA Women's Euro 2017| Women’s Euro 2017]].
Only the Netherlands and Germany have won both the men's and the women's European Championship.
Only the Netherlands and Germany have won both the men's and the women's European Championship.
Football is the most popular sport in the Netherlands. Football was introduced to the Netherlands by Pim Mulier in the 19th century when in 1879, at the age of 14, he founded Haarlemsche Football Club. Over the next 30 years, football gained popularity in the Netherlands and the late 1890s and early 1900s saw the foundation of many new clubs, notably Sparta Rotterdam in 1888, which is the oldest professional football club in the country, AFC Ajax in 1900, Feyenoord Rotterdam in 1908, and PSV Eindhoven in 1913.
Professional football was introduced in 1954, with the establishment of the Dutch Professional Football Association (Nederlandse Beroeps Voetbal Bond, or NBVB). The first professional game was played on August 14, 1954, between Alkmaar '54 and SC Venlo. The KNVB had opposed professional football for a long time, but eventually submitted to pressure and merged with the NBVB in November 1954 to form a new football association and a new (professional) league.[1][2]
The highest level in Dutch football is now known as the Eredivisie (Template:Lang-en). The second level became the Eerste Divisie (First Division). The third level is the Tweede Divisie (Second Division). Below that are two amateur divisions: the fourth level is the Derde Divisie (Third Division), formerly Topklasse, and the fifth level the Hoofdklasse. The Topklasse was launched in 2010, before that time promotion to or relegation from the Eerste Divisie was not possible. In 2016, the Topklasse was renamed Derde Divisie and the Tweede Divisie was revived.[3]
The Netherlands is unique, for it's well known men's and women's team are usually dressed in orange.[4][5] They won the European Championship in 1988, and have competed in many European and World Cups. They finished second in the 1974,1978 and 2010 World Cups and third in the UEFA Euro 1976 and 2014 World Cup tournament. They have reached many finals (1974 World Cup, 1978 World Cup, Euro 1988, 2010 World Cup) and semi-finals (Euro 1976, 1998 World Cup, Euro 2000, Euro 2004, 2014 World Cup).[6][7][8][9] The women's team also managed to reach the final in its just second FIFA Women's World Cup, where they reached the 2019 Women's World Cup but failed to win. This means the Netherlands is the first country in the world where both men's and women's teams reached the final of respective gender's World Cup yet failed to win both times.
The women won also the Women’s Euro 2017.
Only the Netherlands and Germany have won both the men's and the women's European Championship.
Structure of the competition (from the 2016–17 season)
