Dutch National Team Faces Difficult Challenge

Coach Dick Advocaat does not give up, although his main figure, Arjen Robben, sees it impossible for the Dutch national team to achieve the miracle of defeating Sweden by seven goals. The Oranje is already preparing for a painful farewell to Russia 2018 and the departure of a whole generation of players.

"I would leave the calculator at home. We have to be realistic. It's not possible to beat Sweden with those numbers", said a frustrated Robben after the 3-1 victory in Belarus on Saturday.

The Dutch national team is already virtually out of the World Cup: only a victory by seven or more goals difference on Tuesday in Amsterdam against Sweden would allow the finalist of South Africa 2010 and semifinalist of Brazil 2014 to access a playoff and maintain hopes of being present in Russia.

Sweden's 8-0 win over Luxembourg on Saturday virtually condemned the Netherlands, which has three fewer points and a much worse goal difference than the Scandinavians (+7 versus +19).

Advocaat, despite everything, tries to convince his players that it is possible. "The reality is that it will be very difficult, but the match has not been played yet", said the coach. "It's possible. Or was Sweden's 8-0 victory impossible?"

Most likely, however, a whole generation of players will bid farewell on Tuesday in Amsterdam. Along with Robben, figures like Wesley Sneijder and Robin van Persie could also leave the national team after a setback that adds to the absence in the 2016 European Championship.

"First Sweden, then we'll see", said Robben without much enthusiasm to delve into the topic. Robben, who is 33 years old and is the last survivor of the team that lost to Spain in the 2010 World Cup final. Advocaat, who is 70 years old and replaced Danny Blind months ago with the goal of saving the qualification, would also not be saved. Three terms in Oranje seem enough.

The Dutch press calls for a rebuilding of the men's national team. "The crisis is very deep. Netherlands must learn to play football again", analyzed "De Volkskrant" today. "Netherlands is not a team", agreed "De Telegraaf".

The highly likely absence in Russia, in fact, did not come as a surprise to Dutch fans, who had been digesting the possibility for months in a qualifying campaign that was going awry. Today, the reference is the women's team, which became European champions this year.

"We have not lost our ticket to the World Cup here, but in the last months", Robben admitted. In the land of "Total Football" and figures like Johan Cruyff, Ruud Gullit, Van Persie and Robben, the Dutch seem to be getting used to watching the major events from the outside.