Joy and sorrow across the border: the Dutch champions and relegates abroad

Almost all major European competitions have now ended. A few play-off matches are still being played here and there, but many countries are taking stock. No fewer than nine Dutchmen became national champions abroad at the highest level.

Of the five biggest competitions in Europe, there are only two clubs where a Dutchman has contributed to the championship. Nathan Ake did not play during the Manchester City championship game on Sunday, but did come to ten base places and four substitutes this season. Georginio Wijnaldum knew long before that he was national champion. He played 31 games for Paris Saint-Germain this season. Xavi Simons appeared in six games for PSG.

The national champion with the most Dutch players under contract is Club Brugge. Trainer Alfred Schreuder won together with Ruud Vormer† Bass Dost and Noa Lang the title in Belgium, by putting an end to the fairy tale of the newly promoted Union St. Gilloise in recent weeks.

Noa Lang celebrates the Club Brugge championship. © BELGA

In Turkey, former Ajax player Stefano Denswil champion. The defender played 28 games for Trabzonspor, finishing eight points above Fenerbahce. Denswil is rented from Bologna.

Kevin Diks crowned himself champion of Denmark with FC Copenhagen. He had a significant share in this with 26 games. In Poland, Lech Poznan can call himself the best in the country and there he stood Mickey van der Hart 16 games under the bar this season.

Degradants
There was of course not only Dutch success abroad, because there were also enough compatriots who relegated from the highest level with their club. Ended up in Germany Jetro Willems and Nick Viergever rigid at the bottom with a gap of fifteen points towards the safe harbor. For Wout Weghorst and Burnley was less close, but on the last day of play the club still pushed under the line. For Tim Krul the curtain fell much earlier. Norwich City already knew in April that they will no longer play in the Premier League next year.

Kevin Strootman were relegated with Cagliari on the last day of play because it did not go further than 0-0 against last-placed Venezia. Strootman did not play and only made ten appearances this season.

Also Javairo Dilrosun relegated in one of the five major leagues. He was loaned to Bordeaux by Hertha BSC, but finished last in France with his club. He could even be relegated twice in one season. Dilrosun also played two games this season for his actual employer Hertha, which still plays in the play-offs against HSV. That also means Jurgen Ekkelenkamp (Hertha) can still relegate.

Godfrey Frimpong (Moreirense, Portugal) and Jordy Wehrmann (FC Lucerne, Switzerland) are in the same boat. They must seize the play-offs to avoid relegation.

The two sons of brand new Manchester United assistant Mitchell van der Gaag, Jordan and Luca have recently been relegated with the top-level Belenenses in Portugal. Also Dutchman Danny Henriques plays there. Leandro Kappel relegated in Turkey with Altay and Robin Schouten left the highest level of Denmark with SønderjyskE.