The Eerste Divisie Netherlands is a top professional football tournament in the Netherlands, organized by the Dutch Football Federation (KNVB). It is the second level competition in the Dutch football system, below the Eredivisie and above the Tweede Divisie.
With the participation of famous clubs such as Jong Ajax, Jong PSV or Jong AZ, this tournament attracts the attention of many football fans around the world. In this article, 2019 Southeast Asian Games will learn about the history, competition format, participating teams and memorable moments in the history of the Keuken Kampioen Divisie Netherlands football tournament.
Introducing the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament
The Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament was founded in 1956 with the original name Tweede Divisie. From 1962 to 1990, this tournament was known as Hoofdklasse. Since 1990, the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament has become a professional tournament and attracted the attention of many football fans.
With the same competition format as other tournaments in Europe, the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament also has two stages: the group stage and the play-off round. In the group stage, teams will compete in a round-robin format, then the highest-ranked teams will advance to the play-off round to compete for the championship.
History of formation and development of the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament
As mentioned above, the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament was founded in 1956 under the name Tweede Divisie. Initially, the tournament had only 16 teams participating and there was no hierarchy between professional and semi-professional tournaments. However, since 1971, this tournament has been divided into two levels: Eerste Divisie and Tweede Divisie.
During the 1990s, the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football league became fully professional and attracted the attention of many football fans. Clubs participating in this tournament have also made many improvements in facilities and coaching staff, thereby helping to improve the quality of competition in the tournament.
Competition format of the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament
The Keuken Kampioen Divisie football tournament is organized in a round-robin format in the group stage, followed by a play-off round to compete for the championship. In the group stage, teams will compete in a round-robin format, with each win receiving 3 points, a draw receiving 1 point, and a loss receiving no points.
After the end of the group stage, the highest ranked teams will advance to the play-off round to compete for the championship. The play-off round is organized in a knockout format, with matches consisting of two matches (first and second legs). The winning team in the match will advance to the next round, while the losing team will have to stop.
Champion team and outstanding players of the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament
> See more: What is the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament?
Throughout the history of the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football league, many clubs have won the championship. However, there are a number of teams considered to “represent” this tournament, including Jong Ajax, Jong PSV, Jong AZ and Jong FC Utrecht. These teams are all owned by famous clubs in the Netherlands and often use this tournament to develop their young talents.
In addition, the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament is also a place for young players to have the opportunity to show off their talent and win valuable minutes. Some famous players who have played in this tournament include Memphis Depay, Georginio Wijnaldum, Virgil van Dijk and Donny van de Beek.
List of teams participating in the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament
Currently, the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament has 20 participating teams, including:
- Almere City FC
- Cambuur Leeuwarden
- De Graafschap
- Den Bosch
- Excelsior
- FC Dordrecht
- FC Eindhoven
- FC Oss
- FC Volendam
- Go Ahead Eagles
- Helmond Sport
- Jong Ajax
- Jong AZ
- Jong FC Utrecht
- Jong PSV
- MVV Maastricht
- NAC Breda
- NEC Nijmegen
- Roda JC Kerkrade
- Telstar
Current situation of the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament
The 2020-2021 season of the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament ended last May, with the championship going to club Cambuur Leeuwarden. This is the second championship in this club’s history at this tournament, after they won the championship in 2013.
Currently, the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament is preparing for the new 2021-2022 season, expected to take place in August this year. Clubs are actively training and recruiting new players to prepare for a promising season.
Achievements of Vietnamese clubs in the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament
Although not a very famous tournament with the presence of Vietnamese clubs, the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament still has a few notable achievements of Vietnamese players.
In the 2017-2018 season, player Nguyen Van Toan had a successful season playing for club SC Heerenveen. He scored 3 goals and had 1 assist in 15 appearances, helping the club win the Tweede Divisie championship and gain promotion to the Eerste Divisie.
In addition, player Nguyen Cong Phuong also played for Maastricht club in the 2019-2020 season. However, he only made 2 appearances and did not make any contributions to this team.
Awards and titles of the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament
The Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament is not only a place for clubs to compete for the championship, but also a place for individuals to shine and win individual awards. Some important awards and titles of this tournament include:
- Top Scorer Award: Awarded to the player who scores the most goals during the season.
- Best Player Award: Presented to the player who made the greatest contribution to his club during the season.
- Best Coach Award: Awarded to the coach with the best performance during the season.
- Best Young Player Award: Presented to the player under 21 years of age who made the greatest contribution to his club during the season.
Memorable moments in the history of the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament
Throughout the history of the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football league, many memorable moments have occurred. From dramatic matches to beautiful goals, this tournament always brings memorable emotions and memories to football fans.
One of the most memorable moments was when Jong Ajax won the championship in 2018. This was the first time in the history of this tournament that a youth club of a big team won the championship. Jong Ajax’s young players played very impressively and proved their talent.
Prospects of the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament
With the presence of youth clubs of major teams such as Jong Ajax, Jong PSV or Jong AZ, the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament is always a place for young talents to have the opportunity to express and develop themselves. This is also one of the important factors that helps this tournament grow and attract the attention of many football fans.
In the future, the Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament will continue to be a playground for young talents and also a place for big clubs to look for potential players for their first team. And certainly, this tournament will bring many surprises and memorable moments for fans in the future.
Conclude
The Eerste Divisie Netherlands football tournament is an important playground for young talents in Dutch football. With a history of formation and development of more than 60 years, this tournament has become one of the leading tournaments in Europe.
With a round-robin format, the Eerste Divisie Netherlands soccer tournament always brings exciting and dramatic matches to fans. Let’s wait for surprises and memorable moments in the upcoming new season of this tournament.