Netherlands out of Euro 2016, misses tournament for 1st time since 1984

World Cup 2010 finalists. World Cup 2014 semifinalists. Euro 2016 spectators.

Next summer's tournament in France will be bereft of one of the continent's most decorated nations, as the Netherlands' abysmal qualifying campaign came to a crashing halt Tuesday. The Dutch, needing a victory and a Turkish loss on the final day of Euro 2016 qualifying, were defeated 3-2 by the Czech Republic at the Amsterdam ArenA - a result that consigned Daley Blind and his squad of misfit stars to fourth place in Group A, and subsequently, will see the Oranje inexplicably miss the tournament for the first time in three decades.

Cruel as it was, it seemed fitting that Robin van Persie, a player whose career arc has mimicked that of his national team over the past year, scored an atrocious own goal to put the Dutch behind 3-0 in the second half, effectively eliminating any hope of a miraculous comeback.

Related: VIDEO - Van Persie's ghastly own goal caps off dismal Dutch campaign

The result left the Netherlands on a mere 13 points in Group A, five back of Turkey, which claimed an automatic tournament berth as the best third-place team in qualifying.

Related: Turkey secures automatic Euro 2016 berth with stunning 89th minute Selchuk Inan strike

The Netherlands, which has now lost three consecutive home matches for the first time in 54 years, made things interesting in the waning minutes of the contest, getting goals from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Van Persie (this time at the correct end of the pitch), but it was a case of far too little, far too late for a side that, on paper, was one of the best in Europe.