Netherlands vs. Japan: Why Memphis Depay deserves to be recognised as a Dutch legend

Netherlands person been blessed with immoderate sensational attackers during their affluent shot history, but it would beryllium just to accidental that Memphis Depay is not mostly successful that conversation.

Johan Cruyff, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Kluivert and Robin van Persie are each examples of the sensational endowment that the Dutch nationalist broadside person had successful attack.

However, it is Memphis that sits astatine the apical of the all-time goalscoring database for Netherlands, having recovered the backmost of the nett connected 55 occasions successful 109 appearances.

Memphis' grounds is conscionable somewhat amended than a extremity each 2 games, portion helium has besides travel up with 36 assists since making his debut backmost successful 2013.

The 32-year-old is joint-fourth with Rafael van der Vaart connected the all-time quality list, with Frank de Boer (112), Edwin van der Sar (130) and Wesley Sneijder (134) the lone 3 players to person represented the Dutch men's nationalist broadside connected much occasions.

Memphis is Netherlands' all-time starring goalscorer

Memphis was captious to Netherlands qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, scoring 10 goals and registering 4 assists successful 7 outings, including a hat-trick against Turkey.

To enactment it simply, Memphis is simply a Dutch legend, but it would beryllium just to accidental that helium gets overlooked by shot supporters arsenic a whole, astir apt owed to his struggles astatine Manchester United.

Memphis showed immense committedness astatine PSV Eindhoven successful the aboriginal stages of his vocation earlier earning a determination to Man United successful the summertime of 2015, but it ne'er happened for him astatine Old Trafford.

In total, the guardant represented the Red Devils connected 53 occasions, scoring 7 goals and registering 5 assists, and helium near for Lyon successful January 2017.

Memphis' endowment was ne'er successful doubt, but helium conscionable could not look to enactment it unneurotic astatine Old Trafford.

Memphis struggled during his clip astatine Man United

Lyon were surely capable to get a tune retired of Memphis, scoring 76 goals and registering 56 assists successful 178 appearances, earlier representing Barcelona betwixt 2021 and 2023, finishing with 13 goals and 2 assists successful 42 appearances for the club.

Memphis' past European nine was Atletico Madrid, netting 13 goals and registering 2 assists successful 40 appearances for the nine betwixt 2023 and 2024, earlier making the determination to Brazil.

The guardant has managed 20 goals and 15 assists successful 79 appearances for Corinthians, but his declaration is owed to expire this summer, and it remains unclear what the aboriginal holds.

"I deliberation I've already spoken enough, I've done enough, I deliberation everyone knows my desire. The club, the fans, they cognize that I emotion Corinthians. I would emotion to stay, evidently it is not that easy, but we are looking astatine the champion mode to negotiate," Depay told reporters astatine the extremity of May.

"Honestly, I spot myself here. These 2 years passed quickly. I retrieve the archetypal clip I was present successful beforehand of you. I retrieve the concern we, arsenic a team, were in. And, 2 years later, it's a wholly antithetic feeling. But inactive far, I think, from what I privation to execute present and what the nine needs. This combat is acold from over.

Memphis deserves to beryllium recognised arsenic a Netherlands legend

"I deliberation I said successful my archetypal property league that I came present with a purpose, but aft 2 years, truthful galore things happened that my intent besides changed. But my feeling is inactive here, astatine Corinthians. So let's see.

"I'm going to the World Cup. And, successful the end, it's a operation betwixt maine and the club, which besides needs to amusement its ambition. What is the ambition for us, for the club, for the fans? Corinthians is simply a immense club. And it deserves, I accidental again, it deserves much titles. It deserves much organisation. It deserves galore bully things. And the fans are immoderate of the radical who merit it most."

Memphis' attraction is presently connected the World Cup, and helium volition beryllium hoping to commencement against Japan successful his country's opener connected Sunday.

The guardant was an unused substitute against Uzbekistan past clip retired owed to a caller hamstring issue, but Netherlands caput manager Ronald Koeman should prime him from the commencement against Japan, who person been tipped arsenic daze challengers for the trophy this summer.

Memphis has scored 3 times astatine the finals of a World Cup, netting successful the 2014 and 2022 competitions.

Netherlands are arguably the champion state to person ne'er won a World Cup, and Memphis would genuinely found himself arsenic a large by starring his squad to occurrence this summer, but helium already deserves to beryllium regarded arsenic a fable of Dutch football.

You tin ticker our preview of Netherlands vs. Japan here: