Memphis Depay Joins Exclusive Club as Tenth Player to Reach 100 Caps for the Netherlands

Striker Memphis Depay has made history by becoming the tenth player to earn 100 caps for the Netherlands national team, marking this milestone with his start in Sunday’s UEFA Nations League quarter-final match against Spain.

Depay first donned the Dutch jersey in October 2013 during a World Cup qualifying match against Turkey. At the age of 19, he came on as a substitute for Jeremain Lens in the 89th minute of the 2-0 victory in Istanbul.

In the 99 matches that followed for the national team, he participated in 19 at major tournaments. Currently, Depay sits second on the Netherlands’ all-time goalscorers list, trailing only Robin van Persie, who has netted 50 goals, by a mere four strikes.

After transferring to Brazilian club Corinthians in 2024, Memphis was initially dropped from the national squad. However, his performances in the Brazilian Serie A have been notable, as he played a key role in Corinthians’ successful battle against relegation, scoring nine goals and providing eleven assists in 29 appearances for the São Paulo side.

National team coach Ronald Koeman made the decision to reinstate Depay for the crucial UEFA Nations League quarter-finals against Spain. He featured in both legs, reaching the 100-cap milestone by participating in the second leg on Sunday.

Depay now joins an esteemed group of ten players in Dutch football history to achieve 100 caps. Leading the all-time list is former Inter and Galatasaray star Wesley Sneijder with 134 appearances, closely followed by former Ajax and Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar with 130. Other notable players in this exclusive ‘Club of 100’ include Frank de Boer (112), Rafael van der Vaart (109), Daley Blind (108), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (106), Dirk Kuyt (104), Robin van Persie (102), and Arjen Robben (101).

The 31-year-old forward began his career at PSV and has since played for notable clubs such as Manchester United, Olympique Lyon, Atlético Madrid, and his current team, Corinthians.