Rafael van der Vaart accepts being second best for Netherlands

Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has revealed that he has accepted that he is not Louis van Gaal's first choice for the Netherlands.

Van Gaal has recently used Wesley Sneijder in the attacking midfield role, which has limited Van der Vaart's time on the pitch at international level.

However, having come off the bench to replace an injured Sneijder and score against Estonia on Friday night, Van der Vaart has conceded that he was pleased to have reminded people of what he is capable of.

"I felt good to be important for the team and to show that I am still around," said the 30-year-old. "I know that Sneijder is Van Gaal's first choice and I can live with that, but my goal is to turn that around and become first in line."

Van der Vaart, who currently plays for Hamburg, has made 104 appearances for the Netherlands.