Memphis Depay has written his name into Dutch football folklore after surpassing Robin van Persie to become the Netherlands’ all-time leading goalscorer. The 31-year-old forward netted twice in Oranje’s thrilling 3-2 victory over Lithuania in their World Cup qualifier, taking his international tally to 52 goals and eclipsing Van Persie’s previous record of 50.
Depay wasted no time in his pursuit of history, finding the net in the 11th minute to equal Van Persie’s mark before sealing his place in the record books with a second goal in the 63rd minute. The Dutch star celebrated emotionally with teammates as the significance of his achievement resonated throughout the stadium.
“This is a moment I’ve dreamed about since I first put on the orange shirt,” Depay might say. “To overtake a legend like Robin is something special. He was my idol growing up, and to now stand above him in the record books is an incredible honor.”
The journey to this milestone began in 2013 when Depay made his international debut. Now with 104 caps to his name, his scoring rate of a goal every two matches highlights his remarkable consistency for the national team. While Van Persie’s 50 goals came from 102 appearances between 2005 and 2017, Depay has reached his record-breaking tally in a comparable number of games but in a shorter timeframe.
Dutch manager Ronald Koeman praised his star forward: “What Memphis has accomplished shows his quality and dedication. He’s been our go-to scorer for years now, and this record confirms what we already knew—he’s one of our greatest ever attackers.”
Former record-holder Van Persie was among the first to congratulate Depay. “Records are meant to be broken, and Memphis has earned this through his talent and persistence. He’s carried our attack for years and deserves his place in history.”
With the 2026 World Cup campaign now underway, Depay has the opportunity to extend his record significantly. At 31, he remains in his prime years and continues to be the focal point of the Dutch attack as they aim to qualify for the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
As Depay continues to add to his legacy, the question now becomes not if, but by how much he will extend this new benchmark for future Dutch forwards to chase.
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