The latest in our series of in-depth looks at the Euro 2008 contenders focuses on the team that make bright orange shirts look good, the Netherlands.

NETHERLANDS

Current FIFA ranking

10 - Between Portugal and England

Route to finals

The Dutch won six of their first eight matches in Group G before losing 1-0 to Romania in Bucharest. Romania went on to top the group.

On the penultimate matchday, the Netherlands secured their place too with a 1-0 win at home to Luxembourg, rendering their final day 2-1 defeat in Belarus irrelevant. With just 15 goals, they amassed the lowest goals-scored tally of any of the sides to make the finals.

International pedigree

One of international football's great underachievers, the Dutch continually produce some of the world's top players but struggle to perform as a nation.

With almost no international history to speak of for most of the last century, the Oranje announced themselves on the world stage at the 1974 World Cup in West Germany.

They reached the final with a much-fabled side - including Johan Neeskens, Arie Haan and the legendary Johann Cruyff - that played what became known as 'Total Football'. They reached the final again in Argentina four years later, but fell at the last hurdle on both occasions.

The Netherlands finally got their hands on silverware in 1988, again in West Germany, when they lifted the European Championship trophy. Despite making major semi-finals since, they are yet to reach another final.

Coach

One of the most devastating strikers of the past 30 years, Marco van Basten was a key part of the side - along with Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard - that brought European glory to the Netherlands in the late 1980s, and he finished Euro '88 as top scorer.

He won the Cup Winners' Cup with Ajax before claiming three Serie A titles and back-to-back European Cups with Milan. He was named European Player of the Year three times and FIFA World Player of the Year once in 1992, before a persistent ankle injury blighted the final years of his career.

After beginning his coaching career with the Ajax youth team, he was named as the surprise replacement for national team coach Dick Advocaat in 2004. His reign as Dutch coach got off to an excellent start, and the Oranje were unbeaten in their first 15 matches under his stewardship.

A man who prioritises the emergence of the next generation of young players, Van Basten has kept up the long-held Dutch tradition of upsetting the more experienced members of the squad.

Familiar faces

As usual, there are plenty of players in the Dutch squad who either ply their trade in the UK now or have done in the past. Goalkeeper and captain Edwin van der Sar recently won the Premier League and Champions League double with Manchester United.

Striker Ruud van Nistelrooy bagged more than his fair share of goals for United before moving to Real Madrid, where he has since been joined by ex-Chelsea winger Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder. Current Arsenal striker Robin van Persie joins up with former Gunner Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt will not be joined by team mate Ryan Babel, after the latter tore ankle ligaments in training. He will be replaced by utility man Khalid Boulahrouz, at Sevilla on loan from Chelsea.

The defensive trio of Andre Ooijer, Mario Melchiot and Wilfred Bouma offer rare representation at the tournament for Blackburn Rovers, Wigan Athletic and Aston Villa respectively, while Celtic striker Jan Vennnegoor of Hesselink flies the flag for the SPL.

Potential stars

Despite finishing the 2005-2006 season as top scorer in the Dutch Eredivisie with 31 goals, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar was not selected by manager Dick Advocaat for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Instead the striker, now 24, led his country to the European Under-21 Championship, and has since consistently shown his talents in the European club competition, leading him to become one of Europe's most coveted forwards. A lot is expected of his major tournament bow.

Chances

Although there will be plenty of top-class attacking talent on show, the names of those at the back fail to leap off the page in the same way. The Dutch will have their work cut out in a group that pits them against world champions Italy, World Cup runners-up France and Romania, who they lost to in qualifying.

Should they emerge from Group C and advance then they will have as good a chance as anyone, but this squad has the feel of one going through a transitional period.

Possible starting XI

Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United); Andre Ooijer (Blackburn Rovers), Johnny Heitinga (Ajax), Joris Mathijsen (Hamburg), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord); Demy de Zeeuw (AZ Alkmaar), Orlando Engelaar (Twente); Rafael van der Vaart (Hamburg), Wesley Sneijder (Real Madrid), Arjen Robben (Real Madrid); Ruud van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid)

Back-ups

Goalkeepers: Henk Timmer (Feyenoord), Martin Stekelenburg (Ajax); Defenders: Mario Melchiot (Wigan Athletic), Wilfred Bouma (Aston Villa), Tim de Cler (Feyenoord), Ibrahim Afellay (PSV Eindhoven), Khalid Boulahrouz (Sevilla); Midfielders: Nigel de Jong (Hamburg); Forwards: Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Ajax), Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (Celtic)

Group C fixtures

09/06/2008: Italy

13/06/2008: France

17/06/2008: Romania

Tony Mabert / Eurosport