Top Dutch Soccer Side: Ranking the Best Teams in Netherlands Football History

When I think about the greatest Dutch soccer teams in history, my mind immediately goes to that incredible era of Total Football in the 1970s. I've always believed that Ajax's 1971-1973 squad stands as the pinnacle of Netherlands football - they weren't just winning, they were revolutionizing how the game was played. That team, led by the legendary Johan Cruyff, achieved something remarkable by winning three consecutive European Cups from 1971 to 1973, a feat that still gives me chills when I watch old footage. What makes them the top Dutch soccer side in my book isn't just their trophy cabinet, though they did secure 2 Eredivisie titles during that period, but how they fundamentally changed football philosophy across Europe.

The beauty of ranking these teams is that there's no single metric that tells the whole story. I often find myself debating with fellow fans about whether the late 1980s AC Milan squad featuring the Dutch trio of Gullit, Van Basten, and Rijkaard should be considered purely Dutch achievements. Personally, I think their success abroad actually strengthens the Netherlands football legacy rather than diluting it. Van Basten's incredible 218 goals in 280 appearances for Milan, though I might be slightly off with those numbers, demonstrated how Dutch technical excellence could dominate internationally. These players took the principles they learned in the Netherlands and proved they could work at the highest level of club football.

Modern fans might point to the current generation of Dutch teams, but I've always felt there's something special about the 1995 Ajax team that won the Champions League. That victory against AC Milan, with players so young they seemed like they should still be in school, represented something pure about Dutch football development. I remember watching that final and being amazed at how these kids, with an average age of just 23, could outplay such experienced opponents. Their 1994-1995 unbeaten league season, winning 27 games and drawing 7 if my memory serves correctly, showed a level of consistency that's rare in modern football.

When we talk about Netherlands football history, we can't ignore PSV Eindhoven's incredible 1988 European Cup victory. That team, built around the brilliant Ruud Gullit before his transfer to Milan, demonstrated that Dutch football excellence wasn't limited to Amsterdam. What I find particularly impressive about that PSV side is how they won the European Cup while also dominating domestically - they secured the Eredivisie title with what I recall was a 10-point margin that season. Their style was perhaps less flamboyant than Ajax's, but equally effective in its own way.

The discussion of top Dutch soccer teams inevitably leads us to consider international achievements versus domestic dominance. In my view, Feyenoord's 1970 European Cup victory deserves more recognition than it sometimes receives. They were actually the first Dutch club to win the competition, paving the way for others. I've always had a soft spot for that Feyenoord team because they proved Dutch clubs could compete with the traditional powerhouses of European football. Their domestic record during that period was equally impressive, winning 3 league titles between 1969 and 1974.

Contemporary football has given us the exciting Ajax team of 2018-2019 that reached the Champions League semifinal with such vibrant, attacking football. While they didn't win the ultimate prize, I'd argue they captured the spirit of Dutch football better than any team in recent memory. That incredible comeback against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, winning 4-1 after being down 2-1 from the first leg, was one of those magical European nights that reminded me why I fell in love with Dutch football in the first place. The way they developed and sold players like De Jong and De Lit for what I believe was around 160 million euros total showed the continuing strength of the Dutch development system.

What strikes me about the history of Netherlands football is how these great teams often emerge in cycles, each building on the philosophy of their predecessors while adding their own innovations. The common thread through all these top Dutch soccer sides is a commitment to technical excellence, intelligent movement, and attacking philosophy. Even when Dutch teams don't have the financial resources of clubs from larger countries, they consistently produce teams that can compete at the highest level through superior coaching and player development.

As I reflect on these incredible teams, I'm always drawn back to that magical Ajax side of the early 70s. There's something about their combination of youthful exuberance and tactical sophistication that, for me, represents the ideal of Dutch football. The way Cruyff and his teammates moved and thought about space was decades ahead of its time. When I watch modern teams like Manchester City employing similar principles, I can't help but feel proud of how Dutch football philosophy has influenced the global game. The legacy of these top Dutch soccer teams continues to shape how football is played today, proving that the Netherlands football tradition remains one of the most innovative and influential in the world.