Netherlands 2010 World Cup Squad: Where Are They Now?
Despite being widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer nations of all time, and pioneers of the modern game thanks to Rinus Michels and Johan Cruyff's "Total Football" revolution in the 1970s, the Netherlands has never won the World Cup.
It has come close on three occasions, though, finishing as runner-up in 1974, 1978 and most recently in 2010.
While in the earlier finals the Netherlands were seen as strong favourites, its 2010 run to the final came as more of a pleasant surprise for fans, during a transitional period for the national team after a round-of-16 exit in 2006 and failure to qualify in 2002.
Ultimately, Bert van Marwijk's side was beaten 1–0 by Spain in a tense and memorable final, but the players from that squad remain fondly remembered. But where are they now? Here, Sports Illustrated takes a look.
Goalkeepers
Maarten Stekelenburg
Maarten Stekelenburg was the Netherlands's starting goalkeeper at the 2010 World Cup, playing every minute of the tournament as the Oranje reached the final.
He went on to earn 63 caps for his country before retiring in 2023, representing several major European clubs during his career, including Ajax, Roma, Monaco and Everton.
Today, Stekelenburg works in coaching, holding a role at AZ Alkmaar.
Michel Vorm
An unused substitute at the tournament, Michel Vorm still experienced a memorable World Cup off the pitch. During the competition, his girlfriend Daisy gave birth to their son, Jaivy Waylon, with the Dutch goalkeeper briefly returning home for two days following the birth.
A year after the 2010 World Cup, Vorm made the move to the Premier League with Swansea City before later joining Tottenham, where he remained until retiring in 2020.
Since hanging up his gloves, he has taken on a number of coaching roles, including working as a goalkeeping coach at Spurs.
Sander Boschker
Another unused goalkeeper in the squad, Sander Boschker was already 39 years old by the time of the 2010 World Cup and had just one Netherlands cap to his name.
That lone appearance came in a pre-tournament friendly against Ghana, when he replaced Michel Vorm at half-time, becoming both the oldest player to make his debut for and appear for the Dutch national team.
Boschker never played for the Netherlands again and retired in 2014 after spending almost his entire career with FC Twente.
He now works as one of Twente's goalkeeping coaches.
Defenders
Gregory van der Wiel
Gregory van der Wiel started five of the Netherlands's seven matches at the 2010 World Cup, missing only the final group-stage game against Cameroon when he was rested, and the semifinal victory over Uruguay through suspension.
He went on to make 46 appearances for the Oranje before retiring in 2019, having played for clubs such as Ajax, Paris Saint-Germain and Toronto FC, where he finished his career.
Van der Wiel is now a mental health advocate, openly speaking about his own experiences with panic attacks and anxiety in an effort to help others.
John Heitinga
John Heitinga started every match for the Netherlands at the 2010 World Cup, earning seven of his eventual 87 international caps during the tournament before retiring from international soccer in 2015.
The former Ajax and Everton defender has since moved into coaching, working as an assistant at both Liverpool and Tottenham, and later taking on the role of head coach at Ajax.
Joris Mathijsen
Partnering Heitinga at center back was Joris Mathijsen, who started and finished nearly every match of the tournament. The only exception came in the quarterfinal against Brazil, when André Ooijer stepped in during his absence.
Mathijsen would continue to represent the Netherlands until 2012, ending his international career with 84 caps before retiring from club soccer in 2015. His domestic career included spells with Willem II, AZ Alkmaar, Hamburger SV, Málaga and Feyenoord.
He is now the director of football at Willem II.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst
Captain for the tournament, Giovanni van Bronckhorst produced one of the World Cup's all-time great goals in the semifinal against Uruguay, unleashing a stunning long-range strike into the top corner from around 40 yards out.
The defender retired from international and club soccer immediately after the competition. Since hanging up his boots, the former Arsenal and Barcelona left back has built a strong coaching career, managing Feyenoord, Guangzhou R&F, Rangers and Beşiktaş, as well as working as an assistant coach at Liverpool.
Khalid Boulahrouz
Khalid Boulahrouz recovered from a difficult spell at Chelsea (where he famously wore the No. 9 shirt) to force his way into the Netherlands's 2010 World Cup squad. At the tournament, he started in the final group match against Cameroon and also featured in the semifinal against Uruguay.
Since retiring in 2015, the former RKC Waalwijk and VfB Stuttgart defender initially worked as an assistant and defensive coach at his boyhood club AZ Alkmaar, before moving into media and becoming a prominent pundit in the Netherlands.
André Ooijer
Called upon late to start in the quarterfinal against Brazil due to the injury to Joris Mathijsen, it would ultimately prove to be the final appearance of André Ooijer's 55-cap Netherlands career.
He retired from international soccer in 2012, and the former PSV, Blackburn Rovers and Ajax defender has since moved into coaching at PSV, where he worked as an assistant before leaving in late 2025.
Edson Braafheid
Edson Braafheid made just one appearance at the 2010 World Cup, coming on as a late substitute in the final defeat to Spain.
He would go on to earn only a handful more international caps, retiring in 2021 with 10 appearances for the Netherlands, having played at club level for several major European sides, including Bayern Munich, Celtic and Lazio.
He now works with Soccer City FC, a top-level development academy based in Florida.
Midfielders
Mark van Bommel
Former PSV, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and AC Milan midfielder Mark van Bommel played every minute of the Netherlands's 2010 World Cup campaign.
He would retire from international soccer shortly after Euro 2012, finishing his career with 79 caps and 10 goals for the national team, before bringing his club career to a close in 2013.
Van Bommel has since moved into management, going on to take charge of PSV, VfL Wolfsburg and Royal Antwerp.
Nigel de Jong
Quite how Nigel de Jong avoided being sent off in the 2010 World Cup final remains a mystery, with the midfielder producing a chest-high challenge on Xabi Alonso, his studs making contact with the Spaniard's ribs.
Alonso ultimately had the last word as Spain lifted the trophy, but De Jong went on to enjoy a strong career of his own, winning a Premier League title and FA Cup with Manchester City and later playing for AC Milan.
Today, alongside regular television appearances, De Jong serves as the technical director of the Netherlands's soccer association, the KNVB.
Wesley Sneijder
The Netherlands's most-capped player of all time and widely regarded as one of their finest-ever midfielders, Wesley Sneijder finished as joint top scorer at the 2010 World Cup with five goals, finding the net against Japan, Slovakia, Uruguay and twice against Brazil.
A league champion with Ajax, Real Madrid, Inter Milan-where he also won the Champions League-and Galatasaray, Sneijder retired from professional soccer in 2019.
Since then, he has largely stepped away from the game, enjoying life out of the spotlight while occasionally working as a television analyst. However, he did make a surprise return to the pitch in March 2026, appearing for amateur side OSM '75.
Demy de Zeeuw
Demy de Zeeuw made 27 appearances for the Netherlands during his career, with his final outing coming at the 2010 World Cup. In the semifinal against Uruguay, he started the match and provided the assist for Giovanni van Bronckhorst's spectacular opening goal before being substituted shortly after half-time.
Since retiring in 2015, the former AZ Alkmaar and Ajax midfielder has moved into business, co-founding the premium lifestyle brand BALR alongside former Dutch teammates Eljero Elia and Gregory van der Wiel, although the company later filed for bankruptcy in July 2025.
Stijn Schaars
Well done if you remembered that Stijn Schaars was part of the Netherlands roster at the 2010 World Cup. The midfielder, then playing for AZ Alkmaar, was an unused substitute throughout the tournament.
Since retiring in 2019, Schaars has moved into coaching, working within PSV Eindhoven's youth setup, including a role with Jong PSV, the club's reserve side that competes in the Eerste Divisie.
Ibrahim Afellay
Once regarded as one of the finest young talents in world soccer, Ibrahim Afellay never quite lived up to the hype following his move from PSV to Barcelona in 2010, with injuries and limited opportunities restricting his impact at the Catalan club.
He later went on to represent sides such as Olympiacos and Stoke City.
Afellay, who made just three brief substitute appearances at the 2010 World Cup, retired in 2021 and now works as a pundit for Dutch broadcaster NOS.
Rafael van der Vaart
During his career, the mercurial but often injury-hit Rafael van der Vaart earned 109 appearances for the Netherlands, with five of those coming at the 2010 World Cup, and scored 25 international goals.
He represented clubs including Ajax, Real Madrid, Tottenham Hotspur and Hamburger SV, before retiring in 2018. Since then, he has taken on a varied post-playing career-working in coaching, appearing as a pundit and even briefly stepping into professional darts.
Forwards
Robin van Persie
Widely regarded as one of the finest strikers of his generation, former Arsenal and Manchester United forward Robin van Persie is the Netherlands's second-highest all-time scorer, behind only Memphis Depay, with 50.
Only one of those goals came at the 2010 World Cup, when he found the net in the final group-stage match against Cameroon.
Van Persie is now the manager of his boyhood club Feyenoord.
Dirk Kuyt
A classic striker who also operated effectively out wide, Dirk Kuyt scored over 300 goals across his club and international career, representing Feyenoord, Liverpool and Fenerbahçe, among others.
He started every match of the Netherlands's 2010 World Cup campaign, contributing one goal and three assists in a standout tournament for the team.
Like his strike partner Robin van Persie-and several others from this list-Kuyt moved into management after retiring in 2018, going on to take charge of ADO Den Haag, Beerschot and FC Dordrecht.
Arjen Robben
Legendary winger Arjen Robben retired in 2021 after a career that saw him represent clubs like Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, as well as earning 96 caps for the Netherlands, featuring five times at the 2010 World Cup.
Unused in the team's opening two matches, he came off the bench to register an assist against Cameroon before starting every game thereafter. He added another assist against Brazil and scored in matches against Slovakia and Uruguay.
Since retiring, Robben has transitioned into professional padel and is also working in the FC Groningen youth setup in his homeland.
Eljero Elia
Eljero Elia made 30 appearances for the Netherlands during his career, including six at the 2010 World Cup.
He was used as a substitute in all but one of the tournament games, adding to the 30 caps he earned across his international career, which came to an end in 2022.
Having represented the likes of ADO Den Haag, Feyenoord, İstanbul Başakşehir, and briefly Juventus and Southampton, since retiring Elia co-founded the now-defunct BALR brand alongside former Dutch teammates Gregory van der Wiel and Demy de Zeeuw. He has also launched a record label, The Culture.
Ryan Babel
Ryan Babel was an unused substitute for the Netherlands at the 2010 World Cup.
In 2011, it initially looked as though his international career had come to an end, but the former Liverpool and Ajax forward earned a surprise recall to the Oranje after a six-year absence while playing for Beşiktaş.
He retired in 2024 with 69 caps and 10 goals for the national team, and now works as an ambassador for GolBet, while also collaborating closely with Liverpool's foundation. He has also appeared on the reality television show Football Island alongside a host of his former Netherlands teammates and national team icons.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is the Netherlands's third all-time top scorer with 42 goals. During his career, he had spells with Real Madrid and AC Milan, but is best remembered for his time at Schalke 04 and Ajax, where he remains among both clubs' all-time leading scorers.
Used only as a substitute at the 2010 World Cup, Huntelaar retired in 2021 and later returned to Ajax in a technical role, before stepping away in 2025 due to health concerns.
Manager: Bert van Marwijk
Bert van Marwijk was the manager between 2008 and 2012, resigning after Euro 2012 when the team were eliminated in the group stage without picking up a single point.
After that, he went on to manage Hamburg, the Saudi Arabia national team, Australia and the United Arab Emirates national team, before stepping away from management in 2022 to take up a role on the supervisory board at MVV Maastricht.
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This story was originally published June 5, 2026 at 2:00 PM.