Low Countries derby

The Low Countries derby (Dutch: Derby der Lage Landen, French: Derby des Plats Pays), is the name given in football to any match between Belgium and the Netherlands. The countries have a long-standing tradition of rivalry in football, having played over 125 official derbies so far.[upper-alpha 1] Only Austria–Hungary and Argentina–Uruguay have been contested more often.[2] Not only have the Low Countries met 19 times in the framework of major tournaments, they have also played at least 35 friendly cup duels.[3]

Low Countries derby
LocationUEFA (Europe)
Teams Belgium
 Netherlands
First meeting
  • Unofficial
    Belgium 8–0 Netherlands
    (Antwerp; 28 April 1901)[1]
  • Official
    Belgium 1–4 Netherlands
    (Antwerp; 30 April 1905)
Latest meeting25 September 2022
Netherlands 1–0 Belgium
UEFA Nations League
(Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Statistics
Meetings total128
Most wins Netherlands (57)
All-time recordNetherlands wins: 56
Belgium wins: 41
Draws: 31
Largest victoryNetherlands 8–0 Belgium
(Amsterdam, Netherlands; 29 March 1936)
Largest goal scoringNetherlands 6–7 Belgium
(Rotterdam, Netherlands; 25 November 1951)
Longest win streak Netherlands (5) (three times)
Longest unbeaten streak Netherlands (10)

All Low Countries derbies
The Dutch (foreground) and Belgian teams lining up before a 1962 derby

The full official record between the two countries is as follows:

Correct as of 3 June 2022.[4][5]

Competition Played Results Goals
BelgiumDrawNetherlands BelgiumNetherlands
World Cup qualifiers 12237719
World Cup 211010
European Championship
qualifiers		 200217
European Championship 000000
Nations League 200214
Olympic Games 210143
Friendly* 109372745207251
TOTAL 129413157221289
* Most games between 1905 and 1925 were friendly cup matches - see below.

Belgium vs Netherlands Cups
Main article: Belgium vs Netherlands Cups
Left: The Coupe Vanden Abeele / Right: Illustration of the first Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad-beker duel in Rotterdam in 1905

From their first friendly derbies onwards, Belgium and the Netherlands competed for floating trophies. During the encounters in Belgium the teams played for the Coupe Vanden Abeele until 1925, and in the friendlies in the Netherlands they played for the Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad Beker until 1923,[6] for a total of 39 Belgian-Dutch friendly cup matches (of which 35 official internationals).[3] The cup awarded in Belgium was named after and initially handed out by Frédéric Vanden Abeele Sr., father of the secretary of Beerschot Athletic Club (where the tournament took place).[7] As the Dutch disliked the design of this Belgian cup, they quickly nicknamed it Het Koperen Dingetje, meaning "The Copper Thingy".[1]

Belgium-Netherlands Cup Record
Competition Played Results Goals
BelgiumDrawNetherlands BelgiumNetherlands
Belgium 1905–25 Coupe Vanden Abeele143*382534
Netherlands 1905–23 Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad Beker2155113555
Total358*8196089
* Excluding the four trophies between 1901 and 1904 won by a 'Belgian' selection, as these matches are unofficial.

See also

Footnotes
  1. as of 2014

References
  1. Verkamman, Matty (9 January 1999). "Interlandvoetbal om 'koperen dingetje'/Sporteeuw (2) - 1901". Trouw (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 25 June 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  2. Stokkermans, Karel (6 March 2014). "The "Derby der Lage Landen"". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  3. "Belgium national football team match results". eu-football.info. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  4. Stokkermans, Karel. "Belgium - List of International Matches". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 1 July 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  5. "Head-to-Head: Belgium v Netherlands". FIFA. Archived from the original on 19 May 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  6. "De geschiedenis van het balspel". Leeuwarder Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). 18 March 1932. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  7. Fraiponts & Willocx 2003.

Bibliography
  • Fraiponts, Jean; Willocx, Dirk (2003). Kroniek van het Belgische voetbal / Pioniers en Rode Duivels - 1863–1906 (in Dutch). Antwerp: Assoc. BE bvba. ISBN 978-90-77314-01-2. (Extract consulted online on 30 August 2010 on Beerschot Athletic Club)
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