Netherlands national under-17 football team
National youth football team.
The Netherlands national under-17 football team, commonly referred to as Netherlands U17, is the national youth football team of the Netherlands, managed by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB). This team serves as a developmental squad for young Dutch players, providing them with international experience and preparing them for potential future roles in the senior national team. The team is for players under the age of 17 at the start of the calendar year in which a two-year FIFA U-17 World Cup campaign begins. Players can remain with the squad until they are 17, although some may continue to play at higher levels if selected.
Netherlands U17 has a distinguished history in youth football, having won the UEFA European Under-17 Championship four times—in 2011, 2012, 2018, and 2019—and achieving significant success in other international tournaments. The team first participated in the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 1985 (then known as the FIFA U-16 World Championship) and reached the final in 2005, where they finished as runners-up to Mexico.
The team's success at the European level is particularly noteworthy, with their four championship wins demonstrating their consistent strength in continental competitions. Their back-to-back victories in 2011 and 2012, as well as in 2018 and 2019, highlight periods of dominance in European youth football.
The Netherlands U17 team does not have a fixed home stadium and plays matches across various venues in the Netherlands and internationally.