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To some observers, Holland was the best team at France 98 and may well have gone on to win the trophy had it managed to conquer Brazil in the semifinals. With their thousands of orange-bedecked fans screaming them on, the Dutch rightly start as one of the strong favorites to capture the Henri Delauney trophy, although there are bound to be a few hiccups on the way. Friendlies are never the best way to prepare for a major tournament, but the Dutch have squeezed in as many warm-up internationals as possible, and by the time the kickoff comes round, the cobwebs should have blown away sufficiently for the side to target a repeat of their 1988 triumph. Internal bickering, something that seems to plague Dutch teams, this time thankfully appears conspicuous by its absence. Eyebrows were raised when Frank Rijkaard, with no managerial experience, took over the reins in June, 1998, and although critics point to a succession of draws and an 11-match winless streak, Rijkaard's team has shown breathtaking championship class when it matters, not least during a 2-1 victory over Germany during which, according to former German striker Rudi Voller, the home side were on a "different planet." Everywhere you look, the Dutch squad oozes style, from the de Boer brothers to Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Kluivert, although Ruud Van Nistelrooy has been ruled out with a serious knee injury. No one can deny, however, that Rijkaard's credentials as a coach are under more scrutiny than ever, and the home public will put up with nothing less than a place in the last four. Rijkaard will hope that when his team plays world champion France in its final group game, it won't have to win the game to advance. He believes there is very little separating the 16 finalists. "Most national teams have players competing all over Europe," he said. "Everybody can beat everybody else. We can win of course -- provided the spirit is right, the tactics are right and the motivation is okay." Three big ifs...
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Netherlands
