How many long balls Netherlands play, and who plays most.
Updated 4 October 2026, after the last game
Bart Verbruggen has played the most long balls for the Netherlands in 2026, 96 in 11 appearances, 8.73 a game, ahead of Virgil van Dijk with 63 and Jan Paul van Hecke with 55, across all competitions.
The Netherlands play more long balls at home, 38.0 a game in their last 10 home games against 28.1 in their last seven away.
The Netherlands played 47 long balls at home to Morocco on 30 June, their most in a game in 2026, against an average of 35.3 across their 12 games, and their fewest was 20 away at Greece on 1 October.
| Player | Apps | Long Balls | Per game | Games with 1+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bart Verbruggen | 10 | 83 | 8.30 | 10 |
| Virgil van Dijk | 10 | 51 | 5.10 | 10 |
| Jan Paul van Hecke | 8 | 48 | 6.00 | 8 |
| Joey Veerman | 4 | 18 | 4.50 | 4 |
| Denzel Dumfries | 9 | 16 | 1.78 | 9 |
| Ryan Gravenberch | 10 | 14 | 1.40 | 8 |
| Micky van de Ven | 9 | 13 | 1.44 | 6 |
| Frenkie de Jong | 6 | 12 | 2.00 | 5 |
| Teun Koopmeiners | 6 | 11 | 1.83 | 4 |
| Tijjani Reijnders | 9 | 10 | 1.11 | 7 |
| Mark Flekken | 1 | 7 | 7.00 | 1 |
| Nathan Aké | 4 | 7 | 1.75 | 4 |
| Robin Roefs | 1 | 5 | 5.00 | 1 |
| Jurriën Timber | 2 | 5 | 2.50 | 2 |
| Quinten Timber | 7 | 5 | 0.71 | 4 |
| Cody Gakpo | 8 | 5 | 0.63 | 4 |
| Mats Wieffer | 1 | 4 | 4.00 | 1 |
| Kenneth Taylor | 1 | 4 | 4.00 | 1 |
| Jorrel Hato | 3 | 3 | 1.00 | 3 |
| Ruben van Bommel | 4 | 3 | 0.75 | 2 |
| Crysencio Summerville | 10 | 3 | 0.30 | 2 |
| Memphis Depay | 4 | 2 | 0.50 | 2 |
| Noa Lang | 4 | 2 | 0.50 | 2 |
| Lutsharel Geertruida | 1 | 1 | 1.00 | 1 |
| Joshua Zirkzee | 2 | 1 | 0.50 | 1 |
| Gjivai Zechiël | 2 | 1 | 0.50 | 1 |
| Justin Kluivert | 3 | 1 | 0.33 | 1 |
| Brian Brobbey | 7 | 1 | 0.14 | 1 |
| Wout Weghorst | 2 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
| Marten de Roon | 2 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
| Mexx Meerdink | 4 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
| Donyell Malen | 5 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
| Guus Til | 5 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
| Player | Apps | Long Balls | Per game | Games with 1+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bart Verbruggen | 11 | 96 | 8.73 | 11 |
| Virgil van Dijk | 12 | 63 | 5.25 | 12 |
| Jan Paul van Hecke | 10 | 55 | 5.50 | 10 |
| Mark Flekken | 2 | 37 | 18.50 | 2 |
| Denzel Dumfries | 11 | 21 | 1.91 | 11 |
| Joey Veerman | 4 | 18 | 4.50 | 4 |
| Ryan Gravenberch | 11 | 17 | 1.55 | 9 |
| Micky van de Ven | 11 | 17 | 1.55 | 7 |
| Teun Koopmeiners | 8 | 15 | 1.88 | 6 |
| Frenkie de Jong | 6 | 12 | 2.00 | 5 |
| Tijjani Reijnders | 10 | 10 | 1.00 | 7 |
| Nathan Aké | 5 | 7 | 1.40 | 4 |
| Cody Gakpo | 10 | 7 | 0.70 | 6 |
| Robin Roefs | 1 | 5 | 5.00 | 1 |
| Jurriën Timber | 2 | 5 | 2.50 | 2 |
| Quinten Timber | 9 | 5 | 0.56 | 4 |
| Mats Wieffer | 1 | 4 | 4.00 | 1 |
| Kenneth Taylor | 1 | 4 | 4.00 | 1 |
| Kees Smit | 1 | 3 | 3.00 | 1 |
| Lutsharel Geertruida | 2 | 3 | 1.50 | 2 |
| Jorrel Hato | 4 | 3 | 0.75 | 3 |
| Ruben van Bommel | 4 | 3 | 0.75 | 2 |
| Crysencio Summerville | 10 | 3 | 0.30 | 2 |
| Stefan de Vrij | 2 | 2 | 1.00 | 1 |
| Memphis Depay | 4 | 2 | 0.50 | 2 |
| Noa Lang | 4 | 2 | 0.50 | 2 |
| Xavi Simons | 2 | 1 | 0.50 | 1 |
| Joshua Zirkzee | 2 | 1 | 0.50 | 1 |
| Gjivai Zechiël | 2 | 1 | 0.50 | 1 |
| Justin Kluivert | 3 | 1 | 0.33 | 1 |
| Brian Brobbey | 9 | 1 | 0.11 | 1 |
| Jeremie Frimpong | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
| Luciano Valente | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
| Jerdy Schouten | 2 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
| Marten de Roon | 2 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
| Wout Weghorst | 4 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
| Mexx Meerdink | 4 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
| Guus Til | 5 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
| Donyell Malen | 7 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
| Date | Opponent | Competition | Score | Netherlands | Opponent | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Oct 2026 | Serbia (H) | UEFA Nations League | 2-1 | 33 | 33 | 66 |
| 1 Oct 2026 | Greece (A) | UEFA Nations League | 2-2 | 20 | 40 | 60 |
| 27 Sep 2026 | Serbia (A) | UEFA Nations League | 1-2 | 34 | 40 | 74 |
| 24 Sep 2026 | Germany (H) | UEFA Nations League | 1-1 | 36 | 49 | 85 |
| 30 Jun 2026 | Morocco (H) | World Cup | 1-1 | 47 | 49 | 96 |
| 26 Jun 2026 | Tunisia (A) | World Cup | 1-3 | 23 | 48 | 71 |
| 20 Jun 2026 | Sweden (H) | World Cup | 5-1 | 35 | 31 | 66 |
| 14 Jun 2026 | Japan (H) | World Cup | 2-2 | 36 | 37 | 73 |
| 8 Jun 2026 | Uzbekistan (H) | Friendly International | 2-1 | 39 | 51 | 90 |
| 3 Jun 2026 | Algeria (H) | Friendly International | 0-1 | 33 | 63 | 96 |
| Date | Opponent | Competition | Score | Netherlands | Opponent | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Oct 2026 | Serbia (H) | UEFA Nations League | 2-1 | 33 | 33 | 66 |
| 1 Oct 2026 | Greece (A) | UEFA Nations League | 2-2 | 20 | 40 | 60 |
| 27 Sep 2026 | Serbia (A) | UEFA Nations League | 1-2 | 34 | 40 | 74 |
| 24 Sep 2026 | Germany (H) | UEFA Nations League | 1-1 | 36 | 49 | 85 |
| 30 Jun 2026 | Morocco (H) | World Cup | 1-1 | 47 | 49 | 96 |
| 26 Jun 2026 | Tunisia (A) | World Cup | 1-3 | 23 | 48 | 71 |
| 20 Jun 2026 | Sweden (H) | World Cup | 5-1 | 35 | 31 | 66 |
| 14 Jun 2026 | Japan (H) | World Cup | 2-2 | 36 | 37 | 73 |
| 8 Jun 2026 | Uzbekistan (H) | Friendly International | 2-1 | 39 | 51 | 90 |
| 3 Jun 2026 | Algeria (H) | Friendly International | 0-1 | 33 | 63 | 96 |
| 31 Mar 2026 | Ecuador (H) | Friendly International | 1-1 | 44 | 31 | 75 |
| 27 Mar 2026 | Norway (H) | Friendly International | 2-1 | 44 | 61 | 105 |
| Line | Games over | Hit rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands long balls | Over 20.5 | 9 of 10 | 90% |
| Netherlands long balls | Over 25.5 | 8 of 10 | 80% |
| Netherlands long balls | Over 30.5 | 8 of 10 | 80% |
| Netherlands long balls | Over 35.5 | 4 of 10 | 40% |
| Netherlands long balls | Over 40.5 | 1 of 10 | 10% |
| Opponent long balls | Over 20.5 | 10 of 10 | 100% |
| Opponent long balls | Over 25.5 | 10 of 10 | 100% |
| Opponent long balls | Over 30.5 | 10 of 10 | 100% |
| Opponent long balls | Over 35.5 | 8 of 10 | 80% |
| Opponent long balls | Over 40.5 | 5 of 10 | 50% |
| Total long balls | Over 50.5 | 10 of 10 | 100% |
| Total long balls | Over 60.5 | 9 of 10 | 90% |
| Total long balls | Over 70.5 | 7 of 10 | 70% |
| Total long balls | Over 80.5 | 4 of 10 | 40% |
| Total long balls | Over 90.5 | 2 of 10 | 20% |