Dutch Football - National Team - Holland finish 2008 as third in the world

"The intellectualisation
of football has
always foundered
on a simple problem-
-the players. Doing
all your most
rewarding thinking
with your feet seems
to dull the philo-
sophical impulse.
Unless, of course,
you are Dutch.
According to legend,
Europeans played
a moronic, muscular
version of the world's
game, until Holland
proclaimed its vision
of total football in the
1974 World Cup,
and enlightenment
dawned."

From:
Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Football

Holland finish 2008 as third in the world

Wednesday 17 December 2008

The Dutch national football team finish the year 2008 as number 3 in the FIFA World Ranking.

On Wednesday the new ranking of the month December was issued.

Holland have 1338 points and passed previous number 3 Italy who now have 1326 points.

European Champions Spain are still the unchallenged number 1 with 1663 points, followed by the runners up of Euro 2008 Germany with 1381 points.

Brazil and Argentina remain fifth and sixth.

Apart from the two South-American teams the entire top 10 is made up of European sides.

Have a look at the full ranking