The Dutch national football team was named "Dutch Team of the Year" on Tuesday in Amsterdam. Coach Bert van Marwijk was crowned "Coach of the Year".
Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder was nominated for the category Dutch Sportsman of the Year, but missed out on that trophy. The Dutch sportsmen and women voted for 1500 meter speed skating Olympic champion Mark Tuitert.
Van Marwijk was happy to collect a personal prize and a team honour. "I am even more happy with the team prize," he said. Under guidance of Van Marwijk the Netherlands didn't drop a single point in World Cup qualification and made it to the World Cup final in South Africa.
Netherlands' head coach Bert van Marwijk talks to his players during a training session at Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg July 10, 2010, a day before they play Spain in the 2010 World Cup final.
"Oranje" lost the final against Spain 1-0 in extra time, being the only defeat of the team in 2010. With one defeat, one draw and fifteen victories, the Netherlands were statistically the world's best team of the year.
"We experienced an intensive period with the Dutch team in which we became one as a team, technical staff, medical staff, everyone," Van Marwijk said. "Eventually we got the feeling of invincibility and we had only one goal. We were defeated in the final and the disappointment of that defeat was huge and became even huger afterwards. We had chances to win that match. Anyway, thank you for the support and thank you for voting."
Nicolien Sauerbreij became Dutch Sportswomen of the Year. The snowboarder captured Olympic gold on parallel giant slalom at the Vancouver Games. It was an historic medal, the first Olympic winter gold for the Netherlands on a non-skating event and also the centennial gold medal in Dutch Olympic history.