Oranje struggles with long-range shooting ahead of Sweden clash

The Netherlands national team has scored zero goals from outside the 16-yard box in 2026, a stark contrast to the 20% recorded during the 2010 World Cup year. Wesley Sneijder, a master of the long-range strike, expressed concern during a training session in Kansas City. "You need those goals to go far in a tournament," he said. In the current Oranje squad, Cody Gakpo remains the primary long-range threat, having scored most of the team’s five goals from distance over the past two years. The 62 goals scored by Oranje in this period include just five from outside the penalty area, an 8% ratio. Gakpo’s strike against Japan in June came closest to replicating the power of past Oranje legends. The decline mirrors a broader tactical shift in modern football, where coaches increasingly prioritize positional play and statistical optimization over speculative shooting. "Keep combining, men, even to the goal line," is the modern mantra. "Scoring doesn’t happen from far out—it happens up close." Sneijder, who dominated play around the 16-yard box with pinpoint through balls, lamented the absence of players with his skill set in the current squad. "Who in this team still scores goals from 20 meters?" he asked. His remarks were made during a visit to Kansas City, where he observed an Oranje training session. Brian Brobbey has shown improvement under Ruud van Nistelrooij’s guidance, adopting a more balanced shooting technique. Van Nistelrooij has worked with the attackers on refining their approach, emphasizing smaller steps and better balance before striking the ball. Brobbey’s willingness to adapt reflects the learning mindset within ‘the class of Ruud’.

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Tactically, Oranje’s reliance on possession-heavy players has led to a lack of movement off the ball. Players often converge on the ball rather than creating space. Former Oranje manager Ronald Koeman highlighted this issue during the recent World Cup qualifiers. "It’s about the art of staying away," he said. "Don’t always chase the ball—position higher and let the ball come to you." Ryan Gravenberch, who occasionally scores from distance for Liverpool, has yet to replicate that form for Oranje. His shot against Japan in June sailed over, while Tijjani Reijnders, Oranje’s most frequent long-range shooter, has not scored from outside the box in his international appearances. Reijnders’ father, Martin, once incentivized shooting during his AZ youth days by paying him for shots on goal. "Shoot more, son," he told him. "That’s how you stand out. There are too many grey mice in football."

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Tonight’s match against Sweden offers a chance to observe whether Oranje can rediscover the long-range joy. Gakpo will likely attempt it, though opponents are now familiar with his tendencies. Japan’s defensive structure limited his options, but left-back Micky van de Ven’s deep runs could provide the necessary space on the left flank. Sneijder remains hopeful. "You need those long-range goals to progress in a tournament," he said. "Cruijff knew it: if you don’t shoot, you can’t score." Between 2010 and 2014, Oranje scored long-range goals at a rate of up to 24%, a figure now consigned to history.