The Netherlands won the third place at the World Cup with a 3-0 vicotry over hosts Brazil here at the Estadio Nacional on Saturday.

Louis van Gaal's side also kept a clean sheet for the third match in a row and he is to leave Brazil with his head held high for his new job as the manager of the Manchester United.

Captain Robin van Persie put the Dutchmen ahead only three minutes into the game. Arjen Robben dashed into the box from his right and the winger was pulled down by Brazil skipper Thiago Silva.

The referee ruthlessly pointed at the spot and Van Persie stepped in to find the top corner.

In the 17th minute, David Luiz, who replaced banned Silva to captain Brazil in their disastrous 7-1 defeat to Germany, nodded a header straight to Daley Blind to strike it calmly into the roof of the net.

Georginio Wijnaldum made it 3-0 in the stoppage time of the second half.