Germany and Netherlands football rivalry

The Netherlands national football team has a long standing rivalry with the Germany national football team. Although it might date back to the Second World War, usually people date it to 1974 World Cup, where the Netherlands lost to Germany in the final, despite being regarded as the better team. Other notable clashes between the two nations were in the semifinal of Euro 88, where Marco van Basten slid the winning goal in the last minute past the German keeper, and the game in the Round of 16 in the 1990 FIFA World Cup, with Germany beating the Netherlands after a famous spit-incident involving Frank Rijkaard and Rudi Völler.^[1]

[edit] Notable Games

Friendly match, 1956, first match between the two teams since World War II

March 14, 1956
	West Germany	1–2	Netherlands	Düsseldorf, Rheinstadion Attendance: 39,000 Referee: Reginald Leafe (England)
	Van der Hart 77' o.g.		Lenstra 52', 72'

July 7, 1974 16:00
	Netherlands	1–2	West Germany	Munich, Olympiastadion Attendance: 75,200 Referee: Jack Taylor (England)
	Neeskens 2' pen		Breitner 25' pen Müller 43'

Semi Final, Euro 88

June 21, 1988
	West Germany	1–2	Netherlands	Volksparkstadion, Hamburg Attendance:61,330 Referee:Ioan Igna (Romania)
	Matthäus (p) 55'		R. Koeman (p) 74' van Basten 88'

June 24, 1990 21:00
	West Germany	2–1	Netherlands	Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan Ref: Juan Loustau (Argentina) Attendance: 74,559
	Klinsmann 51' Brehme 82'		R. Koeman 89' pen

Netherlands	3 - 1 (2-0)	Germany	20:15 - Nya Ullevi, Göteborg Ref: Pierluigi Pairetto (Italy) Attendance: 37,725
Rijkaard 4'		Klinsmann 53'
Witschge 15'
Bergkamp 72'