Team: Holland

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Coach: Marco van Basten
Captain: Edwin van der Sar
Winners: Never - Runners-up in 1974 and 1978
Pitted against: Argentina, Serbia & Montenegro and Ivory Coast
Prospects: If Van Basten can keep the notoriously temperamental Dutch talking to each other, a place in the last four beckons
Odds: 12-1

The one thing Germany fear more than humiliation this year, is humiliation at the hands of Holland. The last, and only time, Holland won a tournament was on their neighbours patch in 1988, and this maybe the year for history to repeat itself, writes Carl O'Malley.

Current manager Marco van Basten was one of the heroes in that talented troop and scored a sublime volley against the then USSR on the way to a 2-0 final win.

The closest they have ever come to winning the big one was again in Germany in 1974, when despite taking a 1-0 lead early on, they were beaten 2-1 by the hosts. Four years later they were beaten in the final again by the hosts when they slumped to a 3-1 defeat against Argentina.

Few countries have consistently produced footballing sides with such natural ability. The term "total football" was coined because of the attractive brand of football the Dutch sides of 1970 and ’74 played.

If qualification is any indicator – and quite often with the Dutch it's not – then van Basten’s side looks to be a real contender.

In a qualifying group that contained Romania, Finland and Czech Republic, as well as outsiders FYR Macedonia, the Dutch scored 27 goals and conceded just three on their way to winning ten and drawing two.

The Oranje’s also appear to a have nice balance to their squad with experienced marksman Ruud van Nistelrooy the most senior in a strikeforce containing Eredivisie hotshots Dirk Kuyt of Feyenoord and Ryan Babel of Ajax.

Also, maturing creative midfielders Rafael van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder will surely benefit from the presence of sure-footed veterans Phillip Cocu and Mark van Bommel while Arjen Robben poses a constant threat out wide.

As long as the young blood in the Dutch team can avoid being suffocated by the weight of history, van Basten knows he has a team capable of finally exorcising World Cup ghosts.

World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers: Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United), Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax Amsterdam), Henk Timmer (AZ Alkmaar).
Defenders: Kew Jaliens (AZ Alkmaar), Jan Kromkamp (Liverpool), Andre Ooijer (PSV Eindhoven), John Heitinga (Ajax Amsterdam), Khalid Boulahrouz (SV Hamburg), Joris Mathijsen (AZ Alkmaar), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Barcelona), Tim de Cler (AZ Alkmaar).
Midfielders: Mark van Bommel (Barcelona), Philip Cocu (PSV Eindhoven), Denny Landzaat (AZ Alkmaar), Hedwiges Maduro (Ajax Amsterdam), Wesley Sneijder (Ajax Amsterdam), Rafael van der Vaart (SV Hamburg).
Strikers: Dirk Kuijt (Feyenoord), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United), Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (PSV Eindhoven), Arjen Robben (Chelsea), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Ryan Babel (Ajax Amsterdam).