United flop breaks international record of legendary Red Devil in strange historical twist

Former Manchester United forward Memphis Depay has dethroned club great Robin Van Persie to claim an incredible Netherlands milestone.

Depay’s time at United

Depay joined United from PSV Eindhoven in 2015 in a deal worth around £25m. Arriving as one of the best prospects in European football at the time, he put pen to paper on a four-year deal.

However, things didn’t pan out as expected, and Depay mostly struggled to live up to expectations at Old Trafford.

During his two-year stint, Depay made 53 appearances, scoring seven goals in that period. He left in January 2017 for Ligue 1 outfit Olympique Lyonnais.

Depay’s time at United yielded no silverware and ultimately proved a disappointing chapter for both player and club.

However, the player has enjoyed relatively more success at international level, where he has been a regular and has consistently scored goals.

He scored his first goal for the Netherlands at the 2014 World Cup, which earned the country a crucial 3-2 win over Australia.

Since then, Depay has notched 50 other strikes for the Netherlands, with his most recent one meaning he has broken Van Persie’s record of 50, taking the top spot.

Depay overtakes Van Persie

Depay drew level with Van Persie’s 50-goal tally after netting twice against Malta in June, and on Sunday, he finally grabbed the strike that pushed him clear.

The 31-year-old became Oranje’s lone top goalscorer after grabbing the opening goal in their 3-2 World Cup qualifying victory over Lithuania.

MEMPHIS, 𝐀𝐋𝐋-𝐓𝚰𝐌𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐏 𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐑! #NothingLikeOranje pic.twitter.com/81wrdx5aEk

— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) September 7, 2025

He completed his brace shortly after the hour mark, which proved to be the winning goal for the Netherlands at the Darius and Girėnas stadium.

HISTORY WRITTEN. #NothingLikeOranje pic.twitter.com/3jBa7TDbuH

— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) September 7, 2025

Van Persie claimed the Dutch scoring record in October 2011 with a hat-trick in an emphatic 8-1 victory over Hungary, surpassing Patrick Kluivert’s previous mark of 42 goals.

Alongside his goal-scoring feats, Depay is on the verge of becoming the Dutch all-time assist king. He is currently tied with Wesley Sneijder.

Featured image Alex Bierens de Haan via Getty Images

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