Netherlands Thrash Sweden as Van der Vaart Calls It Their Best Side in Years

The Netherlands produced a dominant start against Sweden on Saturday night, racing to a 4-0 lead by the 54th minute in a one-sided World Cup 2026 match. The display sparked widespread excitement in the Netherlands, where pundits praised what they saw as an exceptional performance.

Rafael van der Vaart called it “the best Dutch national team we have seen in many years.” He said, “The game went exactly as we wanted it to go, although there was some drop-off a little after the drinking break.”

Local reaction described the match as “an unusual celebration,” with Bryan Brobbey scoring twice and Cody Gakpo also adding a brace. One report said the Netherlands were “launched to seventh heaven” after the goals.

Wesley Sneijder had already singled out the game before kickoff as “exciting to watch,” predicting a comfortable Dutch win. He said the Netherlands can deliver “pure football performances” in these stages, adding that Sweden had “no way to survive against them.”