Champion without a crown. Label often attached to the Dutch national team that often failed to win a trophy winner even appear attractive and offensive. In Euro 2012, Holland is believed to be a true champion, even if it means pull off the beautiful game.
After the era of Total Football in the 1970s, the Dutch attachment to the image of a dynamic offensive game and attractive. But the beautiful game, which also has brought many compliments, it's actually very rare bear trophies or achievements. In addition to never win the World Cup, the Netherlands was only once a champion of European Cup in 1988 ago.
Moreover, the Netherlands more often appear in a major tournament as a "champion without a crown": the favorite and highly praised in the beginning but then fizzled out before a champion.
In the 2010 World Cup, not a few observers who ask that there is a different assessment in the Netherlands Bert van Marwijk direction. Oranje when it's not like it used to. This was echoed by Frank de Boer is the "right hand" van Marwijk in the tournament two years ago.
"We change it a bit but it's really changed our mentality. We want to keep in mind the players that we have a mission and that mission is a champion, not a pretty play. We also wanted to play great but the priority is to get good results and won a trophy, something we did not think of when I was playing in the 1998 World Cup, "he told BBC Sport.
"When it's our mentality is 'Okay, let's see how far this game will bring us, then we have just seen how the possibility of a champion'.
We lost to Brazil in the semis and get to the last four is enough for us at that time. Maybe if our determination is to be champions we can go as far as two years ago or better yet, "beber former Dutch player who is now dealing with the period 1988-2004 Ajax Amsterdam's club.
Two years ago the Dutch who "appear to be different from the usual" it's up to the final despite losing end as well as from Spain. In Euro 2012, a similar approach seems to be re-embraced the Netherlands - although the pace to get to the Poland-Ukraine they appear relatively offensive. Because, at this time the Dutch will again come up with a determination to be champions, which is also equipped with a crown.
"They want the title. It will be difficult but they have the qualities required to do so," said de Boer.