The longest Oranje career is that of Abe Lenstra, whose 47th and final cap came nearly two decades (19 years and as many days) after his first. There are eight players with more than a decade and a half of winning caps, and twelve who won caps for a period of over 14 years, including all three elements of the gouden binnentrio. Twenty-four players had an Oranje career spanning at least 13 years. At the moment, 77 players can boast of a career in Oranje lasting over a decade.
Name Length Caps First Last
1.Abe LENSTRA 19 yr 19 d 47 31- 3-1940 19- 4-1959
2.Bertus DE HARDER 16 yr 363 d 12 21- 5-1938 19- 5-1955
3.Maarten STEKELENBURG 16 yr 297 d 63 * 3- 9-2004 27- 6-2021
4.Matthijs "Mick" CLAVAN 16 yr 245 d 27 26- 5-1948 26- 1-1965
5.Ryan BABEL 16 yr 4 d 69 * 26- 3-2005 30- 3-2021
6.Jan JONGBLOED 15 yr 272 d K 24 26- 9-1962 25- 6-1978
7.Wesley SNEIJDER 15 yr 129 d 134 30- 4-2003 6- 9-2018
8.Faas WILKES 15 yr 65 d 38 10- 3-1946 14- 5-1961
9.Bas PAAUWE 14 yr 203 d 31 8- 5-1932 27-11-1946
10.Wout BUITENWEG 14 yr 197 d 11 15-11-1913 30- 5-1928
11.Arjen ROBBEN 14 yr 163 d 96 30- 4-2003 10-10-2017
12.Kees RIJVERS 14 yr 115 d 33 10- 3-1946 3- 7-1960
13.Giovanni VAN BRONCKHORST 13 yr 314 d 106 31- 8-1996 11- 7-2010
14.Pim DOESBURG 13 yr 312 d K 8 16- 4-1967 22- 2-1981
15.Frank DE BOER 13 yr 274 d 112 26- 9-1990 26- 6-2004
16.Piet KRAAK 13 yr 239 d K 33 10- 3-1946 4-11-1959
17.Coen MOULIJN 13 yr 197 d 38 8- 4-1956 22-10-1969
18.Puck VAN HEEL 13 yr 187 d 64 19- 4-1925 23-10-1938
19.Edwin VAN DER SAR 13 yr 130 d K 130 7- 6-1995 15-10-2008
20.Ruud KROL 13 yr 103 d 83 5-11-1969 16- 2-1983
Clarence SEEDORF 13 yr 103 d 87 14-12-1994 26- 3-2008
22.Henk PELLIKAAN 13 yr 96 d 13 4-12-1932 10- 3-1946
Aron WINTER 13 yr 96 d 84 25- 3-1987 29- 6-2000
24.Dé KESSLER 13 yr 47 d 21 21- 3-1909 7- 5-1922
25.Wim ANDERIESEN 12 yr 328 d 46 13- 6-1926 7- 5-1939
26.Frank RIJKAARD 12 yr 311 d 73 1- 9-1981 9- 7-1994
27.Ruud GULLIT 12 yr 268 d 66 1- 9-1981 27- 5-1994
28.Kick SMIT 12 yr 261 d 29 11- 3-1934 27-11-1946
29.Cas RUFFELSE 12 yr 147 d 8 21-12-1907 16- 5-1920
30.Ruud VAN NISTELROOIJ 12 yr 131 d 70 18-11-1998 29- 3-2011
31.Wim JANSEN 12 yr 111 d 65 4-10-1967 23- 1-1980
32.Piet SCHRIJVERS 12 yr 104 d K 46 1-12-1971 14- 3-1984
33.Robin VAN PERSIE 12 yr 88 d 102 4- 6-2005 31- 8-2017
34.Sjaak SWART 12 yr 65 d 31 26- 6-1960 30- 8-1972
35.Rafael VAN DER VAART 12 yr 44 d 109 6-10-2001 19-11-2013
36.Wim KIEFT 12 yr 21 d 43 1- 9-1981 22- 9-1993
37.Rinus BENNAARS 11 yr 339 d 15 25-11-1951 30-10-1963
38.Luuk DE JONG 11 yr 303 d 39 * 9- 2-2011 9-12-2022
39.Georginio WIJNALDUM 11 yr 289 d 90 * 2- 9-2011 18- 6-2023
40.Piet KEIZER 11 yr 287 d 34 5- 9-1962 19- 6-1974
41.Wilfred BOUMA 11 yr 271 d 37 2- 9-2000 30- 5-2012
42.Hans VAN BREUKELEN 11 yr 255 d K 73 11-10-1980 22- 6-1992
43.Mark VAN BOMMEL 11 yr 250 d 79 7-10-2000 13- 6-2012
44.Jan WOUTERS 11 yr 241 d 70 10-11-1982 9- 7-1994
45.Wim SUURBIER 11 yr 231 d 60 6-11-1966 25- 6-1978
46.Willy VAN DER KUIJLEN 11 yr 203 d 22 23- 3-1966 12-10-1977
47.Edgar DAVIDS 11 yr 177 d 74 20- 4-1994 12-10-2005
48.Willy VAN DE KERKHOF 11 yr 133 d 63 5- 6-1974 16-10-1985
49.Marc OVERMARS 11 yr 127 d 86 24- 2-1993 30- 6-2004
50.Willem VAN HANEGEM 11 yr 119 d 52 30- 5-1968 26- 9-1979
51.Stefan DE VRIJ 11 yr 98 d 62 * 15- 8-2012 21-11-2023
52.Ronald KOEMAN 11 yr 73 d 78 27- 4-1983 9- 7-1994
53.Johan CRUIJFF 11 yr 49 d 48 7- 9-1966 26-10-1977
54.Arie DE VROET 11 yr 49 d 22 23-10-1938 11-12-1949
55.John BOSMAN 11 yr 36 d 30 29- 4-1986 4- 6-1997
56.André OOIJER 11 yr 27 d 55 5- 6-1999 2- 7-2010
57.Johan NEESKENS 11 yr 7 d 49 11-11-1970 18-11-1981
58.Frans DE MUNCK 11 yr 1 d K 31 23- 4-1949 24- 4-1960
59.Nigel DE JONG 10 yr 362 d 81 * 31- 3-2004 28- 3-2015
60.Harry DÉNIS 10 yr 343 d 56 9- 6-1919 18- 5-1930
61.Rob RENSENBRINK 10 yr 337 d 46 30- 5-1968 2- 5-1979
62.Daley BLIND 10 yr 285 d 104 6- 2-2013 18-11-2023
63.Leo BOSSCHART 10 yr 269 d 19 11-12-1909 5- 9-1920
64.Joop HIELE 10 yr 268 d K 7 10- 9-1980 5- 6-1991
65.Erwin KOEMAN 10 yr 267 d 31 27- 4-1983 19- 1-1994
66.Richard WITSCHGE 10 yr 194 d 31 21- 2-1990 2- 9-2000
67.Piet VAN DER KUIL 10 yr 191 d 40 6- 4-1952 14-10-1962
68.Jan KLAASSENS 10 yr 188 d 57 7- 3-1953 11- 9-1963
69.Eddy PIETERS GRAAFLAND 10 yr 187 d K 47 28- 4-1957 1-11-1967
70.Gerald VANENBURG 10 yr 183 d 42 14- 4-1982 14-10-1992
71.Stijn SCHAARS 10 yr 85 d 24 * 16- 8-2006 9-11-2016
72.Arnold MÜHREN 10 yr 81 d 23 5- 4-1978 25- 6-1988
73.Phillip COCU 10 yr 62 d 101 24- 4-1996 25- 6-2006
74.Danny BLIND 10 yr 54 d 42 29- 4-1986 22- 6-1996
75.Gejus VAN DER MEULEN 10 yr 30 d K 54 27- 4-1924 27- 5-1934
76.Ronald DE BOER 10 yr 9 d 67 24- 3-1993 2- 4-2003
77.Dirk KUIJT 10 yr 1 d 104 3- 9-2004 4- 9-2014
Note: * indicates the player is still active, at least at club level.
K indicates goal keeper
The longest interval between two caps is the nearly 15 years (14 years and 326 days) that Bertus de Harder had to wait for his tenth cap. In his case this was due to a combination of two interruptions: one due to World War II, and the other due to his professional career in France, where he became known as Le Divin Chauve ("The Divine Bald", or De Goddelijke Kale as his Dutch biography is called).
The next two players of the list are two keepers who suffered from the fact that their generation saw some of the greatest goal minders in Dutch history, first and foremost Jan van Beveren. Rinus Bennaars, fourth on the list, obtained his first ten caps while playing at second level club DOSKO (in those amateur days with 4 first class groups, that meant there were 56 Dutch clubs playing at a higher league level!). After professionalism was finally introduced in the 1954/55 season (which led to the return of many players to the national team who had spent a number of years abroad) he had to wait over 8 years for his 11th cap.
A peculiar case is that of Wout Buitenweg, who had two gaps of over 5 years: between his 4th and 5th caps due to the first World War, and between his 6th and 7th caps because of conflicts with the officialdom surrounding the Dutch team. After a number of other centre forwards were tried, Boelie Kessler, Ber Groosjohan, Jan van Gendt, Jaap Bulder and Kees Pijl among others, with none able to establish himself for more than a handful of matches, Buitenweg returned. He scored in nine of the eleven matches he played for the national team, only failing to find the net in his first and his last match.
Most of the longer cap gaps below are due to either one of the two World Wars or the ban on professional players until 1954 (conversely, Bennaars and Kraak (and many others who never returned to the team) lost their places in the first team after those professionals became eligible); this is noted before the length of the gap wherever applicable.
In total, there have been 42 players who had to wait for over 5 years before obtaining another cap (Buitenweg, as mentioned above, had to do so twice); for three of them (Schouten, Stijger and Steenbergen) this involved the only two matches they ever played for Oranje.
Name Notes Length Gap Last Cap Before First Cap After
1.Bertus DE HARDER w2+p 14 yr 326 d 9: 21- 4-1940 10: 13- 3-1955
2.Pim DOESBURG 12 yr 12 d K 2: 10- 5-1967 3: 22- 5-1979
3.Jan JONGBLOED 11 yr 242 d K 1: 26- 9-1962 2: 26- 5-1974
4.Rinus BENNAARS a 8 yr 316 d 10: 19- 5-1954 11: 31- 3-1963
5.Gerard KUPPEN w2 8 yr 165 d 1: 28-11-1937 2: 12- 5-1946
6.Henk PELLIKAAN w2 8 yr 130 d 12: 31-10-1937 13: 10- 3-1946
7.Cas RUFFELSE w1 8 yr 53 d 4: 17- 4-1911 5: 9- 6-1919
8.Koos VAN GELDER 8 yr 4 d 1: 31-10-1926 2: 4-11-1934
9.Bram APPEL p 7 yr 77 d 1: 31- 7-1948 2: 16-10-1955
10.Piet KRAAK a 7 yr 16 d K 32: 19-10-1952 33: 4-11-1959
11.Wim VOLKERS L 6 yr 364 d 4: 19- 4-1925 5: 17- 4-1932
12.Kees RIJVERS p 6 yr 331 d 19: 15-10-1950 20: 11- 9-1957
13.Ok FORMENOY 6 yr 293 d 3: 9- 6-1924 4: 29- 3-1931
14.Henk SCHOUTEN 2 6 yr 195 d 1: 1- 5-1955 2: 12-11-1961
15.Kick SMIT w2 6 yr 56 d 27: 17- 3-1940 28: 12- 5-1946
16.Guus DRÄGER w2 6 yr 42 d 6: 31- 3-1940 7: 12- 5-1946
17.Bas PAAUWE w2 6 yr 21 d 28: 21- 4-1940 29: 12- 5-1946
Arie DE VROET w2 6 yr 21 d 3: 21- 4-1940 4: 12- 5-1946
19.Otto BONSEMA 6 yr 14 d 5: 9- 4-1933 6: 23- 4-1939
20.Ko STIJGER 2 w2 5 yr 358 d 1: 17- 3-1940 2: 10- 3-1946
21.Ko BERGMAN w2 5 yr 344 d 3: 31- 3-1940 4: 10- 3-1946
22.Leo HALLE 5 yr 337 d K 1: 2-12-1928 2: 4-11-1934
23.Wim HOFKENS 5 yr 329 d 1: 27- 4-1983 2: 22- 3-1989
24.Ryan BABEL 5 yr 326 d 42: 15-11-2011 43: 7-10-2017
25.Piet VAN DER WOLK w1 5 yr 282 d 4: 15-11-1913 5: 24- 8-1919
26.Frans DE MUNCK p 5 yr 274 d K 2: 12- 6-1949 3: 13- 3-1955
27.Abe LENSTRA w2 5 yr 323 d 2: 21- 4-1940 3: 10- 3-1946
Cor WILDERS w2 5 yr 323 d 7: 21- 4-1940 8: 10- 3-1946
29.Faas WILKES p 5 yr 270 d 18: 16- 6-1949 19: 13- 3-1955
30.Wout BUITENWEG (2) 5 yr 231 d 6: 31- 8-1919 7: 19- 4-1925
31.Matthijs "Mick" CLAVAN 5 yr 222 d 24: 3- 4-1957 25: 11-11-1962
32.Eljero ELIA 5 yr 198 d 28: 14-11-2012 29: 31- 5-2018
33.Joop HIELE 5 yr 183 d K 1: 10- 9-1980 2: 12- 3-1986
34.Wout BUITENWEG (1) w1 5 yr 99 d 4: 17- 5-1914 5: 24- 8-1919
35.John DE WOLF 5 yr 98 d 1: 16-12-1987 2: 24- 3-1993
36.Rinus SCHAAP p 5 yr 92 d 5: 11-12-1949 6: 13- 3-1955
37.Henk VERMETTEN 5 yr 50 d 4: 29- 3-1925 5: 18- 5-1930
38.Leo BOSSCHART w1 5 yr 44 d 13: 26- 4-1914 14: 9- 6-1919
Just GÖBEL w1 5 yr 44 d K 19: 26- 4-1914 20: 9- 6-1919
40.Dé KESSLER w1 5 yr 23 d 11: 17- 5-1914 12: 9- 6-1919
41.Piet STEENBERGEN 2 p 5 yr 15 d 1: 16- 4-1950 2: 1- 5-1955
42.Toon BRUSSELERS 5 yr 12 d 3: 20- 3-1957 4: 1- 4-1962
43.Bruno MARTINS INDI 5 yr 10 d 34: 4- 6-2017 35: 14- 6-2022
Notes:
2 - player only obtained those two caps
p - interruption due to professional career abroad
a - interruption due to end on ban professional players
w1 - interruption due to first World War
w2 - interruption due to second World War
L - interruption due to conflict with Karel Lotsy on training intensity
K - keeper
Record International Players - Netherlands
Information up to date at December, 2023, when exactly 806 players had won at least one official cap for the Netherlands
Prepared and maintained by Karel Stokkermans for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
Author: Karel Stokkermans
(karel.rsssf@gmail.com)
Last updated: 22 Jan 2024
(C) Copyright Karel Stokkermans and RSSSF 2010/24
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper
acknowledgement is given to the author. All rights reserved.