Overall record at finals: Played 32, Won 17, Drawn 8, Lost 7

Best performance: Champions in 1988

Most appearances at finals: Edwin van der Sar (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008) - 16

Most goals at finals: Patrick Kluivert (2000); Marco van Basten (1988) - 5

European Championship high: Marco van Basten's stunning volley that sunk the USSR side and took Rinus Michels' men to glory in 1988.

European Championship low: At the height of Total Football in 1972, the Dutch failed to reach the final tournament when they were unable to beat Yugoslavia, who finished top of their group.

European Championship legend: Marco van Basten, who scored five in 1988, is the all-time top scorer for Netherlands with 16 in qualifying and the finals. The AC Milan legend was named Europe's best player three times during his career but could not recreate his success as a manager in a four-year stint in charge of the national team between 2004 and 2008.

The story so far: Unable to get into the tournament pre-1976, despite the arrival of Total Football and Johan Cruyff at the turn of the decade, the Oranje finished third on its debut. The Netherlands was eliminated in extra time by Czechoslovakia and didn't make another impression until 1988, when Rinus Michels -- and the likes of Marco van Basten, Frank Rijkaard and Ronald Koeman -- led the Dutch to their only international trophy. Reaching at least the quarterfinal stage in every every European Championships since, the Dutch have not looked back, although a run of a run of five shoot-out exits in six major tournaments between 1992 and 2000 suggested a weak spot. A run to the 2010 World Cup final has Netherlands firmly back among the favorites for the Euros.

Qualification: Netherlands blew the likes of Hungary and Finland in Group E out of the water as it recorded nine straight wins before blotting its copybook with a 3-2 final-day defeat by runner-up Sweden. With 27 goals in 10 games, the Orange were the highest scorers in qualifying and recorded a huge 11-0 win over lowly San Marino in Eindhoven. Striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar also finished atop of the scoring charts for the group stages, tallying 12 goals in his eight matches. "We have won nine in a row and advanced as group winners," coach Bert Van Marwijk said after sealing progress against Moldova. "Still, the feeling in the dressing room was one of disappointment. There was champagne, but no one drank it. I think that is a positive thing."

Qualifying record: P10, W9, D0, L1, F37, A8, Pts 27

Most appearances: Gregory van der Wiel, Joris Mathijsen (10)

Top goalscorer: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (12)