Euro-Sportring/L&J Group, Inc. 13710 E. Rice Place-Suite 110, Aurora, CO 80015 Telephone: (303) 768-0891, Toll free: (800) 724-6076, Telefax: (303) 768-0756, E-Mail:
[email protected] Introduction Soccer fans around the world admire the Dutch style of play. Players like Johan Cruyff, Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten and Dennis Bergkamp, and more recently Ruud van Nistelrooy, Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie, have long set a standard for exciting, creative play. In the 1980's and '90's The Netherlands provided the soccer world with entertaining teams and players. Recent Dutch soccer success includes semifinal appearances at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 and 2004, a quarter final appearance in the 2008 European Championships, as well as reaching the Round of 16 at the 2006 World Cup, and the Dutch national team is usually always in the top 10 in the FIFA World Rankings. The on-field success of Dutch soccer is mirrored by the world-renowned KNVB coaching Academy. At its foundation stands Rinus Michels, the man who "invented" Total Soccer in the '70s. His ideas are the basis of this camp. Small Nation, Great soccer vision The Netherlands is small in size, but Dutch soccer is famous around the world. For the past 30 years the Dutch have played a vital role in international soccer. The national team has recorded astonishing successes in the European Championship and World Cups. The top Dutch soccer clubs have shown well in every major European Cup competition, while Dutch players have long filled the rosters of the most popular European clubs.