A fast and technically-gifted striker who is quick on the turn and deadly if given room to operate, van Persie has had a bit of a disappointing World Cup, but he is still key to the Dutch attack as its target man. The Arsenal standout is usually deployed up top alone, and he won’t find things easy against Carles Puyol.

--Ives Galarcep

Strong and smart and more skilled than he gets credit for, Kuyt is a stabilizing force in the Dutch attack. Not a traditional fast winger, Kuyt is an industrious attacker who passes well and is dangerous on set pieces. The Liverpool striker did well against Brazil’s Maicon and must deal with another dangerous right back in Sergio Ramos.

A strong, uncompromising and extremely physical defensive midfielder, De Jong is a terror for opposing playmakers as his style is relentless and tackles are often-times bone-rattling (if not bone-breaking). The Manchester City ball-winner isn’t just a bouncer in shorts though. De Jong moves the ball quickly and usually makes the smart pass on those rare occasions when he is in possession.

Physical, strong, and tactically astute, van Bommel provides a combination of bite and intelligence to the middle of the field. He can pester playmakers just as easily as he can provide a sharp pass from deep in midfield. A one-time teammate at Barcelona of Xavi and Andres Iniesta, van Bommel will need to watch his penchant for fouling with referee Howard Webb likely to call a tight game.

Arguably the best attacking midfielder in the world at the moment, Sneijder’s ability to set up scoring chances, as well as score goals of his own, make him the Oranje’s chief threat. The Inter Milan playmaker already outplayed many of Barcelona’s midfielders when Inter Milan defeated Barcelona in the Champions League semifinals, so he will surely be confident in this matchup.

The most dangerous winger in this World Cup, Robben terrorizes defenders with his speed, shiftiness and deadly left foot. He can attack from the left, right or centrally and the Bayern Munich star will be crucial to the Dutch team’s attempts to crack a strong Spanish defense. Working in his favor is the fact that neither of Spain’s fullbacks are lockdown defenders.

The youngest projected starter (22) among the 11 starting in the final, van der Weil is a dynamic right back who hasn’t attacked much playing behind Robben. He’s quick and certainly capable of getting forward, but his role has been more defensive in this tournament. A transfer target of several top European clubs, van der Weil could be on the move to a major side if he can shut Spain down in the final.

Seemingly around forever, the skillful left back has enjoyed a solid tournament capped by his stunning goal against Uruguay in the semifinals. He’s still an effective overlapping left back who could be in an interesting battle with Sergio Ramos to see who can get forward more effectively on that flank. With Iniesta operating on the right wing at times, van Brockhorst will definitely be tested defensively, perhaps unlike any other time this tournament.

The veteran big man is a strong physical presence in the back, and while he’s susceptible against quicker forwards, his intelligence and positioning keeps him out of most trouble. The Hamburg center back shook off the knee injury that kept him out of the quarterfinals to put in a steady performance in the semifinals. He will be key to defending set pieces, which Carles Puyol showed can be a threat for Spain.

Strong, technical and versatile, Heitinga is an underrated defender who has quietly enjoyed a standout tournament. More skilled than your average center back, Heitinga is capable of playing defensive midfield and right back. The Dutch only need him at center back, where he will be called on to slow down David Villa.

The Ajax product has been solid at times for the Dutch, but he has also fallen victim to some long-range shots that suggest he might be vulnerable. He has good size (6-foot-5) and command of the area, and his match-saving stop of Kaka in the quarterfinals was one of best, and most important saves of the tournament.

Meet Spain's World Cup final team