Matchday 2 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup sees the Netherlands take on Sweden; it’s a fixture that will evoke memories of a moment that became synonymous with a bonafide great.
It won’t be a contest that especially stood out to the neutral when the draw was made, and it’s unlikely to be particularly damaging to either side given both have more than a 90% likelihood of progressing to the knockouts, according to the Opta supercomputer. But Netherlands vs Sweden is a World Cup fixture linked to an iconic footballing moment from 1974.
This will actually be their first World Cup meeting since then, with Sweden aiming to continue the momentum they built after thrashing Tunisia, and the Netherlands hoping to bounce back after conceding a late equaliser against Japan. With the Tunisians still to come, though, the Oranje won’t be panicking whatever befalls them on Saturday.
Nevertheless, there is no denying there’s considerably less mystique and aura surrounding the Netherlands these days than when the two teams first met at a World Cup 52 years ago.
A quick glance at the final score (0-0) suggests the game was a non-event, but this neglects one of the most subtly impactful moments in footballing history.
Whether you’ve played football or not; whether you like football or not, either way, you’ve likely seen the footage and heard the name. If you’ve kicked a ball, you’ve almost certainly tried to replicate it.
That’s right, Netherlands vs Sweden in 1974 gave birth to the famous “Cruyff turn”, a remarkably effective yet simple piece of skill you’ll still see used at all levels of the game today, from Premier League to Sunday League.
After a slow start to the game, the Dutch gained the ascendancy thanks to the talents of the man behind the turn, Johan Cruyff. Arguably the most exciting player in world football at the time, Cruyff tried his best to single-handedly drag his country to victory.
He tallied 11 successful dribbles during the game, a tally that equalled Eusébio’s output (a record at the time) against Hungary in the 1966 World Cup (when such records began) and has only been bettered by five players at the tournament since.
Midway through the first half, one of these situations led to Cruyff finding himself being hassled by Swedish defender Jan Olsson on the left flank. Facing away from the Swedish goal, Cruyff appeared to start retreating before seemingly gearing up for a right-footed cross – but in one swift movement he’d shaped for the delivery, dragged the ball behind him and left Olsson questioning what witchcraft he’d just been witness to.
The skill was met with a roar from the crowd, and although Cruyff’s teammates were unable to get on the end of his subsequent pass into the box, it was a moment that would become legendary.
The “Cruyff turn” was here.
But, as noted, Cruyff’s genius came to nothing in terms of the match result on that day. The Netherlands were unable to find the back of the net despite creating chances worth 3.73 expected goals (xG) and taking 30 shots. Cruyff and co had to settle for a point despite putting in one of the most dominant performances of the tournament.
For what it’s worth, though, the Netherlands went on to reach the final that year, only to lose to West Germany 2-1 in the showpiece. And as we know, Cruyff’s influence and brilliance would go on to stand the test of time, as this very piece proves.
But arguably one element of that match that we’re only now able to fully appreciate is the extent of Cruyff’s craft when it comes to his dribbling and the numbers behind it.
Opta has recently fully analysed all World Cup matches going back as far as 1966, meaning we can now quantify Cruyff’s toying with the Swedish defence on that occasion back in 1974.
Cruyff’s 11 successful dribbles in that match equalled the record at the time (not that anyone would’ve known). We also now know that it’s only been improved on five times in a single World Cup match.
Eight years later, Hungary’s Tibor Nyilasi produced another one of the great World Cup performances as his country thrashed El Salvador 10-1. That is still the only time a team have scored 10 goals in a World Cup match, and it’s the joint-largest margin of victory by any nation.
It was also the day on which the most successful dribbles in a World Cup game were completed. In addition to scoring two goals, Nyilasi, who captained Hungary, completed a staggering 14 of his 15 attempted dribbles; among the 270 players to attempt at least 10 dribbles in a single World Cup game (since 1966), Nyilasi’s 93% completion rate is the best.
His record has stood for over 40 years, though it came close to falling during the 2022 World Cup. Germany’s Jamal Musiala lit up the field against Costa Rica in Qatar, tallying 13 successful dribbles as he helped his country fend off the defiant Los Ticos.
In completing 13 dribbles then, Musiala matched El Hadji Diouf of Senegal. He achieved the feat during Senegal’s impressive 2002 World Cup campaign, during which they beat France and Sweden to reach the last eight of the tournament. It was against Sweden in the last 16 when Diouf recorded his 13 successful dribbles, consistently getting the better of Olof Mellberg.
The 2026 World Cup is also blessed with many talented dribblers. No one has got close to Nyilasi’s record yet, or even Cruyff’s output, but there are plenty who no doubt have the willingness and bravery to put up impressive numbers.
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