MARCO'S DUTCH MASTERY

Van Basten conjures up a brilliant hat-trick as mighty Dutch feast on hapless England

- KEITH WEBSTER

IF England thought they had it bad in the 1970s by not being present, they should ask the Dutch how it felt to fall at the final hurdle. Twice.

It seems unfathomable today, but in 1974 and again in 1978 England had to watch two World Cups from home. Coming on the back of winning it in 1966 and being quarter-finalists in 1970, that was painful.

The Dutch pain was even more acute, though, as they reached the final both times, only to be denied by the hosts on each occasion, losing to West Germany and then, four years later, in extra-time heartache against Argentina.