Top 10 Best Dutch Football Players - 2025 (Ranked)

Over the years, the Netherlands' football has yielded some of the greatest football players of all time who have illuminated the football pitch with their mesmerising skills and excellence with both club and country. This tradition of producing best Dutch football players to grace the sport, is still going strong. The most notable names from the past Dutch football have given Johan Cruyff, Marco Van Basten, Ruud Gullit, and Frank Rijkaard.

Not only that, but modern-day greats like Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben, and Robin Van Persie also mark their names in the history books. The Netherlands has given us some of the best Dutch footballers in 2025 like Virgil van Dijk, Frenkie de Jong and more, spanning across all top European leagues and clubs. Here we take a look at some of the best Dutch football players who are currently playing for the Dutch national football team.

List of Best Dutch Footballers in 2025

Here are the top 10 best Dutch football players proving their credentials in world football right now, ranked by their overall impact and performance levels.

How We Ranked the Top 10 Best Dutch Football Players?

We’ve ranked them through 4 major factors mentioned below, which made things easier for us to filter out who is the best Dutch football player in 2025.

• Performance Stats: The first and most important factor we considered while ranking the Dutch best football players was their performance stats, like for midfielders, their progressive passes and carries, for defenders, their defensive metrics (interceptions, blocks, and more), and for forwards, their goal scoring ability.
• Consistency: We tried to include players based on their performance and consistency in the recently concluded 2024-25 season, as well as the past few seasons. This helped us in identifying the best Dutch footballers in 2025 based on consistency.
• Impact in Key Matches: The third parameter to rank the best Dutch football players was their impact during the key matches, like UEFA Champions League games, key derby or rivalry matches in the domestic leagues.
• Trophies/Achievements: The last factor that was considered while compiling this list was the number of trophies and individual achievements won by the players in the 2024-25 season.

Note: Stats are taken from reliable sources like Sportsdunia, Transfermrkt and fbref.

Who is the Best Dutch Football Player in 2025?

Now that we have understood the ranking factors, let's discuss the top 10 best Dutch football players in detail, from Matthijs de Ligt to Cody Gakpo and more, are in the list.

10. Matthijs de Ligt (Manchester United)

The 26-year-old defender Matthijs de Ligt recently made his move to English Premier League giants Manchester United from Bayern Munich to re-establish himself as one of the best Dutch football players. He has made a decent start as a Red Devil, steadily regaining his confidence and form. At just 26, De Ligt has already represented some of the biggest clubs in Europe, such as Juventus, Ajax and Bayern Munich, before setting out for Old Trafford.

Rising through the ranks of Ajax Amsterdam, Matthijs was named as the 2019 Dutch Footballer of the Year accolade. Thanks to his heroics with Ajax, helping them claim the Eredivisie, Dutch Cup and reach the 2019 UEFA Champions League semi-final. The talented centre-back has won all four league titles wherever the Dutchman has played, Serie A with Juventus, and the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich. He was once considered one of the best young talents in the world.

9. Nathan Aké (Manchester City)

The former Feyenoord youth product Nathan Ake went on to make a name for himself in the English Premier League. After impressing with his talents with Chelsea's youth team, it was at Watford that he enjoyed a breakout 2015-16 campaign. Ake established himself as one of the most trusted defenders in the league while playing for Bournemouth in his three-year stint, making 109 appearances. He began his career as a holding midfielder before slotting into the back line.

Nathan Ake played an integral part in Manchester City's domination in English football; the Dutchman helped Cityzens win the treble in the 2022-23 season. He has been a key part of the Netherlands' national team set-up, amassing 56 international caps since his debut in 2017. The left back has even scored five goals for his nation. Ake has won the UEFA Champions League and four Premier League titles with the Sky Blues, claiming his place among the best Dutch footballers in 2025.

8. Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan)

The Dutch wing-back Denzel Dumfries made his professional debut at Sparta Rotterdam in 2015 and went on to establish himself with PSV Eindhoven in the Eredivisie. The Dutch international rose to fame to fame following his arrival in Milan, joining Nerazzurri uplifted the flight of his club career. Dumfries has become one of the best right-backs in the world; already won five major trophies, including Serie A, Coppa Italia twice, and the Italian Super Cup thrice.

Despite being born in Rotterdam, Denzel shares Aruban roots from his father's side and even went on to represent Aruba on the international level, playing two matches. Later, he switched alliances to don the orange colours fulfilled his dreams under Ronald Koeman, getting his Netherlands call-up in 2018. The 29-year-old defender has cemented himself as one of the Dutch best football players on the back of a stellar 2024-25 campaign. His 11 goals in 47 appearances helped Inter fight for the quadruple.

7. Tijjani Reijnders (Manchester City)

In the summer transfer window of 2025, Tijjani Reijnders became the latest Dutch international to join the English top flight, signing for Manchester City from AC Milan. The central midfielder was a standout performer in the Italian league. Reijnders recorded the most goals and assists in the league. He made 15 goal contributions in 37 appearances in the 2024-25 season. He made his senior debut with PEC Zwolle and then gained prominence with AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands.

However, at AC Milan, he swiftly proved his talent in the Red and Black shirt became one of the most sought midfielders in Europe. The 27-year-old was snapped up by Manchester City to bolster their midfield. His line-breaking passes and creativity make him one of best Dutch football players. The ex-Alkmaar midfielder made his first international appearance for the Dutch national team in 2023. Tijjani was a regular starter for his country in the 2024 European Championship.

6. Xavi Simons (Tottenham Hotspur)

Dutch sensation Xavi Simons is our next pick in the list of top 10 best Dutch football players. The attacking midfielder was once regarded among the finest prodigies in Europe. He honed his skills at Barcelona's prestigious academy La Masia and later moved to the PSG academy. After making his way up to the senior team with Parisians, Simons enjoyed his breakout 2022-23 at PSV, where he found his top form. At 19, he netted 19 goals to become the league's top scorer.

Afterwards, the 22-year-old player went to play for RB Leipzig on loan and impressed everyone with his talent. Xavi was named in the Bundesliga team of the season. Subsequently, English giants Tottenham Hotspur signed the former Barca academy prospect to bolster their squad. He is a versatile player who can play on the wings and attacking midfielder. He has earned 31 senior caps for the Netherlands at the international level following his special debut at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

5. Micky van de Ven (Tottenham Hotspur)

One of the fastest players in the Premier League, Micky van de Ven is one of Dutch best football players. The centre back moved to North London from the Bundesliga outfit VfL Wolfsburg in August, 2023. In the same year, van de Ven played his debut match for Holland against France in European World Cup qualifiers. The defender was then included in the Oranje 2024 Euro squad by Ronald Koeman. Over the years, he has established himself as a regular for country.

Mickey is among the top defenders in the English Premier League, known for his pace and tenacity. Since his arrival, the Dutch international has become a vital cog for Spurs in the backline. Overall, the 24-year-old defender has amassed over 50 appearances in the English top division and netted 6 goals and a couple of assists. Mickey van de Ven marks his place in the list of best Dutch football players.

4. Cody Gakpo (Liverpool)

In fourth place, we have Liverpool star Cody Gakpo, a star performer for the Dutch national football team and his club Liverpool. In January 2023, the winger joined Merseyside giants Liverpool after leaving his boyhood club PSV Eindhoven. Gakpo rose through the ranks of PSV, having joined the club at the age of six. Thanks for a brilliant 2021-22 campaign with PSV., he caught the eye of former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, netting 21 goals and providing 15 assists in 47 appearances across all competitions.

The winger is known for his intelligence and composure on the flanks; moreover, he brings versatility to his game. Cody Gakpo has played more than 100 matches in the English Premier League with Liverpool and lifted the title in the 2024-25 season. Additionally, he has racked up 18 goals for the Netherlands in 44 international caps for his country. Therefore, the 26-year-old forward ranks among the list of best Dutch football players

3. Frankie De Jong (Barcelona)

Frenkie de Jong is renowned as one of the Dutch best football players, known for his intelligence and technique as a gifted midfielder. He came through the youth system of Ajax, where he developed his vision and press resistance. De Jong was a key player in Ajax's iconic 2018-19 season, helping the Dutch giants to reach the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League and lift the Eredivisie title. Frenkie was awarded the Eredivisie Player of the Season accolade in that season.

In 2019, the Netherlands international joined FC Barcelona and in no time became their vital figure in the midfield. He is exceptional in controlling the pace of the game, making timely tackles and press resistance. Over the years, Frenkie has been a consistent player on the field for Barcelona and the Netherlands. The holding midfielder recently helped the Catalan giants to claim the 2024-25 La Liga title, his 6th major trophy with his club. With, over 60 caps for his country, he deserved to be called best Dutch football player in 2025.

2. Memphis Depay (Corinthians)

Memphis Depay has been the Netherlands' go-to man in front of the goal in recent years. He has surely turned out to be one of the most prolific strikers to ever play for the country and is among the top 10 best Dutch football players. Depay made his international debut for his country in October 2013 under Louis van Gaal. He came as a substitute against Turkey in the European World Cup qualification in a 2-0 victory. Since then, Depay has played over 100 matches for his country.

He became the Netherlands' all-time top scorer with a record 54 international goals. The former Manchester United forward is currently playing his club football in Brazil with Sport Club Corinthians Paulista. After spending a lengthy spell across Europe playing for the biggest clubs like Lyon, Spanish giants Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and more. The Dutchman has been one of the finest goal scorers in the history of Dutch football. His name is up there when it comes to the question of who is the best Dutch football player in 2025.

1. Virgil Van Dijk (Liverpool)

One of the best defenders in world football, Liverpool and Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk has made himself a household name playing for the Premier League club. Van Dijk is regarded as one of the best Dutch football players the world has ever witnessed till now. The 34-year-old made his international debut for his country in October 2015 and hasn’t looked back since, being almost the first and the most reliable name on the team sheet. He is among the best Dutch footballers of all time.

The ex-Southampton centre back has played a total of 86 matches for the Netherlands at the highest level so far. He has also earlier represented his country at the youth level, having played for the Dutch under-21 and under-19 sides before getting his senior call-up. Apart from his defensive contributions, he has also managed to score 11 goals for the Dutch on the international level till now. Last season, he guided the Reds to claim the 2024-25 English Premier League title under Arne Slot, while being a formidable figure in the team and the top list of best Dutch football players.