Dutch football clubs have entered European association football competitions since 1900, when HVV and RAP took part in the inaugural season of the Coupe Van der Straeten Ponthoz (one of the first European club football tournaments, is considered a predecessor of club tournaments in Europe, namely the European Cup),[4] which was also won by RAP.

In the inaugural 1955–56 European Cup, PSV Eindhoven participated as the national champions.

Feyenoord became the first Dutch club to win the European Cup in 1970.

Subsequently, followed by three consecutive European Cup wins by Ajax.

The third Dutch club to win the European Cup was PSV Eindhoven, doing so in 1988.