A draw was probably the fair result this time around, as the 2010 World Cup finalists did battle once more, this time at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam.
It took Andres Iniesta’s extra-time winner to separate the sides back then. He’s long gone, but Spain have Sergio Canales now.
The former Real Madrid playmaker was unlucky not to get a call up to that tournament as a teenager, but he scored his first goal for La Roja on Wednesday night.
The Real Betis midfielder drilled home after good work by Alvaro Morata, but Donny van de Beek equalised for the Netherlands in the 47th minute.
“Of course you want a victory as soon as possible,” Holland coach Frank De Boer told NOS, having drawn three and lost one of his first four gams in charge since Ronald Koeman left for Barcelona.
Luis Enrique, of course another former Barcelona coach, was happy with the team’s performance, the one big negative an injury to Jose Luis Gaya, although the Valencia left-back seems to be fine after clashing heads with Hans Hateboer.
“It was a very hard and painful blow but not too serious and I am okay,” said Gaya after the game.
“I’m a bit better, thanks to the doctor. It’s much better, we have to see if (the wound) closes well and I have to get better as soon as possible.”
Spain were the better side but Holland might have won it when Memphis Depay had all the time in the world, but his effort was saved by Unai Simon.
Sergio Ramos’s late introduction earned him his 176th international cap, levelling Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon - as the most for a European nation. Egypt’s Ahmed Hassan holds the world record, with 184.