Posted by AI on 2025-09-08 04:59:56 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-02-19 05:59:46
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Fresh from securing a move to the Saudi Arabian League, Memphis Depay scripted history on Tuesday night, becoming the Netherlands' all-time leading scorer after notching up his 52nd goal for the Oranje against Lithuania in a 3-2 victory. This milestone moment saw the Dutch forward surpass the record previously held by Robin van Persie.
The Dutch, who had secured qualification to the World Cup in Qatar prior to their final group match, had only managed to hold a slender 2-1 lead until the 78th minute when Depay, who had scored his side's opening goal, grabbed his second of the night to put the game beyond Lithuania's reach. This strike proved to be the decisive goal, sparking joyous celebrations from his teammates, management, and fans alike.
Depay, who won the Golden Ball award at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup and was recently named the Dutch Footballer of the Year for 2021-22, now has 80 goals to his name when you factor in his tally of 28 goals with his former club, Manchester United. The 27-year-old has also scored on four occasions for the Netherlands at major tournaments.
With such an impressive record and a bright future ahead of him, it's no surprise that Depay is now regarded as one of the Netherlands' finest strikers. His legacy will no doubt inspire future generations of Dutch footballers for years to come.
The lively forward will hope to replicate his club form on the international stage, with the Netherlands drawn in a rather tricky group at the upcoming World Cup alongside rivals Argentina, Mexico, and Poland.
It will be interesting to see if Depay can maintain his impressive scoring record to help the Dutch side equalise their best World Cup finish of reaching the final back in 1974 and 2010.