Will Dutch Lion roar again? World Cup finalists face an uphill task to qualify for Russia 2018

Netherland's Memphis Depay (C) exchanges his shirt with Italy's Leonardo Spinazzola (R) during the friendly football match between The Netherlands and Italy at the Arena Stadium, on March 28, 2017 in Amsterdam. / AFP PHOTO /

Last year, their team absent from the European Championship, Dutch football fans sat drinking beer overlooking Marseille’s Old Port under an orange banner which read: “We only do World Cups.”

That seems like wishful thinking now. Halfway through its qualifying campaign for the 2018 tournament, the Netherlands -a finalist and semifinalist at the last two World Cups -is hunting for a new coach and facing an uphill battle to qualify for Russia. The previous coach, Danny Blind, was fired last Sunday, a day after his team lost to Bulgaria 2-0 in Sofia.

With five matches to play in Group A, The Netherlands are fourth, six points behind leaders France and three points adrift of second-place Sweden. Only the group winner is guaranteed a World Cup place.

The attacking “total football” that propelled The Netherlands to two World Cup finals in the 1970s and Ajax to three straight European Cup titles from 1971 is a distant memory.

After a 2-1 friendly loss to Italy on Tuesday night, striker Memphis Depay took off his shirt to reveal a tattoo on his back of a lion, symbol of the KNVB, the national football association.

Depay, once seen as the next big thing, showed flashes of skill against Italy, but did not score. The Lyon striker has only five goals in 28 international matches.

His tattooed back and recent failures to find the net are emblematic for the state of the national sport in The Netherlands.