The Dutch national team's jersey is an integral part of Dutch football. Almost everyone has an Orange jersey that immediately brings back a memory. A tournament, a player, or simply a period when the Oranje was widely followed.
Over the years, the Dutch national football team's jersey has changed frequently. Different brands, different designs, sometimes very simple, sometimes more striking. But the basic color always remained the same: orange.
For collectors, older Netherlands jerseys are particularly interesting. Not only because some are hard to find, but also because many classic Netherlands football shirts are associated with famous tournaments and players.
Why does the Dutch National Team play in orange?
That has everything to do with the House of Orange-Nassau. That's where the color comes from.
In the early years, the Netherlands didn't even play in orange. Other colors were used as well. Only later did the all-orange kit become the fixed choice.
The first Dutch National Team jerseys
The first Netherlands jerseys were very simple. Cotton sweaters, long sleeves, no brand logo, and no sponsor. Simply made for playing football.
The very first official international match (April 30, 1905) was played in white with red, white, and blue stripes across the shirt representing the Dutch flag.
In 1907, the Netherlands played in orange for the first time.
Also at the first World Cups in 1934 and 1938, the Dutch national team's jersey looked basic: bright orange, simple design, and few extra details. Below, we see a re-issue of the jersey from that period. For 30 years, the jersey changed little, only in details.
The Adidas years and the famous 1974 World Cup jersey
In the 1970s, the Dutch national football team's jersey increasingly gained a recognizable look. Adidas became the kit supplier, and during that period, the Netherlands, with players like Johan Cruijff, played the best football the country had ever seen.
The 1974 World Cup jersey therefore remains one of the most famous Orange shirts. Simple design, black details, and of course the detail that Cruijff played with two stripes instead of three, due to his contract with Puma.
The 1978 World Cup jersey was slightly modified. The Adidas logo and the famous black collar were added.
The Euro 1988 jersey: a classic among Orange shirts
Ask someone for a classic Orange jersey and there's a good chance they'll mention the 1988 European Championship jersey.
This is partly due to the striking geometric pattern, but primarily because of what happened while wearing that shirt. At the UEFA Euro 1988, the Netherlands won its first major trophy, with players like Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten, Frank Rijkaard, and Ronald Koeman.
The victory over West Germany in the semi-final and then the final against the Soviet Union immediately made that shirt special. Especially with Van Basten's volley, the greatest moment in Dutch football history.
As a result, the Euro 1988 jersey is still high on the list of popular vintage Orange shirts. For many collectors, this is simply one of the most famous Netherlands jerseys ever.
You can find more examples in our Top 5 Netherlands National Team Jerseys
The Dutch National Team's jerseys: from Lotto to Nike
After Adidas came Lotto. Strong jerseys also emerged during that period, such as the 1992 European Championship jersey.
Nike took over in the late 90s. Since then, various Netherlands jerseys have been released that many supporters still remember well:
- the 1998 World Cup jersey
- the jersey from the 2010 World Cup final
- the 2014 World Cup jersey, when the Netherlands won 5-1 against Spain
For many supporters, these are the jerseys with which their memories of the Oranje began.
Also read:
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