Top five greatest Dutch players to play for Manchester United

Some of the greatest Dutch players took Old Trafford by storm after exhibiting their heroics with the Red Devils.

The Dutch players and managers have had some of the most profound and deepest impacts in the 146-year-long history of one of the oldest clubs on this planet, Manchester United. Apart from the mastermind Louis van Gaal, United’s current gaffer, Erik ten Hag, also happens to be Dutch.

In this feature story, we will look at some of his compatriots, who have brought tears of happiness and jubilation to the faces of every United loyalist for so many decades with their extraordinary and entertaining brand of football that has turned Old Trafford into nothing less than a theatre of dreams.

A total of sixteen players from the Netherlands have worn the Manchester United jersey, took part in a total of 1,320 matches, and found the back of the net 253 times. Among those sixteen players, we have handpicked an elite list of the top five greatest Dutch players to play for Manchester United.

5. Arnold Muhren

Volendam-born Dutch maestro, Arnold Muhren’s name is inscribed in the elite list of Dutch players to have won all three major UEFA-organized club competitions. After winning the 1981 UEFA Cup (now UEFA Europa League) with Ipswich Town, he made his move to Greater Manchester in 1982. He played an integral part in United winning the 1983 FA Cup Final by scoring a penalty in the replay against Brighton and Hove Albion.

The 1988 Euro winner with Holland, Muhren also won the FA Charity Shield with the Busby Babes in 1983. In his short yet impactful stint at United, he made a total of 85 appearances and found the back of the net a total of 17 times. His crucial goals brought a lot of happiness and joy among United loyalists, especially those in the stands at Old Trafford.

4. Jaap Stam

Regarded as one of the best centre-backs of his generation, Jaap Stam was part of the Treble-winning Manchester United squad that took the continent by storm after winning the FA Cup, Premier League, and UEFA Champions League in 1999. The 6-foot-3-inch Dutch defender made a total of 79 appearances for the Red Devils.

He was highly regarded by football pundits for possessing a rare combination of speed, strength, and ball-playing abilities. He was such a handy option that, at times, he was also deployed as a full-back. Apart from winning the historic treble, Stam also won the Intercontinental Cup and was part of the team that won the Premier League for three consecutive seasons in a row.

3. Ruud van Nistelrooy

One of the all-time greatest strikers ever, Ruud van Nistelrooy was the top goalscorer in three different UEFA Champions League seasons and is the sixth-highest goalscorer in the competition’s history after having netted 56 goals. Van Nistelrooy made a total of 150 appearances for the club and found the back of the net 95 times.

While at United, he won several accolades for the club like the FA Cup, FA Community Shield, Football League Cup, and Premier League. The Dutchman who is known for his extraordinary striking abilities also won the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award twice, in 2002 and 2003.

2. Robin van Persie

The all-time highest goalscorer for the Netherlands national football team is one of the finest strikers of his generation. Dutch football manager, Bert Van Marwijk, once praised Van Persie by saying, “Robin van Persie is such an amazing footballer. He hardly needs any space or time to become dangerous.”

Van Persie was part of the 2012-13 squad that was crowned the champions of England and winners of the FA Community Shield in 2013. He was also conferred the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award in 2012-13. He faced a lot of criticism from the North London-based outfit when he returned his captain’s armband to Arsenal to play for Manchester United. He silenced all his critics by winning the Golden Boot twice in the following seasons.

1. Edwin van der Sar

One of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, Edwin van der Sar set a unique record of not conceding a single goal for 1,311 minutes during his 2008-09 season with Manchester United. One of the most decorated goalkeepers ever, he has a multitude of silverware attached to his name.

German captain, Manuel Neuer, hailed Van der Sar by saying, “I don’t think I was the main protagonist. Edwin was one of the very first to have brought a new perspective as he played a lot with his feet and allowed the position to enter a new phase. I was inspired by his style of play.” Edwin van der Sar, who made the most appearances as a Dutchman for United, was also the oldest player to win the Premier League, having done so at the age of 40 years, proving that age is just a number.

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