The heartbreak list
Belt games decided by 3 points or less1,448 belt games have come down to 3 points or less. These are the clubs who got closest without taking it, and the holders who survived by a whisker.
So close: challengers
Lost a belt game by 3 or less
| NAC Breda | 49 |
| FC Groningen | 49 |
| Sparta Rotterdam | 48 |
| Willem II | 43 |
| FC Utrecht | 43 |
| FC Twente | 39 |
| NEC Nijmegen | 38 |
| Roda JC Kerkrade | 36 |
| Fortuna Sittard | 35 |
| ADO Den Haag | 33 |
| Vitesse | 32 |
| MVV | 29 |
Lost it by a whisker
Holders beaten by 3 or less
| AFC Ajax | 56 |
| PSV Eindhoven | 55 |
| Feyenoord | 34 |
| FC Twente | 27 |
| Roda JC Kerkrade | 26 |
| Sparta Rotterdam | 22 |
| NAC Breda | 20 |
| FC Utrecht | 20 |
| Feijenoord | 17 |
| FC Groningen | 16 |
| AZ Alkmaar | 16 |
| Fortuna Sittard | 14 |
Escape artists
Holders who defended by 3 or less
| PSV Eindhoven | 203 |
| AFC Ajax | 193 |
| Feyenoord | 88 |
| Feijenoord | 53 |
| AZ Alkmaar | 48 |
| FC Twente | 41 |
| Roda JC Kerkrade | 36 |
| FC Utrecht | 29 |
| Vitesse | 25 |
| Sparta Rotterdam | 23 |
| AZ '67 Alkmaar | 23 |
| NEC Nijmegen | 21 |
Latest nail-biters
| Sep 20, 2026 | AZ Alkmaar beat Telstar 1–0 | Defense |
| Sep 6, 2026 | AZ Alkmaar beat sc Heerenveen 3–2 | Defense |
| Aug 29, 2026 | AZ Alkmaar beat Go Ahead Eagles 5–2 | Defense |
| Aug 22, 2026 | AZ Alkmaar beat Fortuna Sittard 2–0 | Defense |
| Aug 15, 2026 | AZ Alkmaar beat FC Utrecht 4–1 | Defense |
| Aug 8, 2026 | AZ Alkmaar beat ADO Den Haag 2–0 | Defense |
| Apr 12, 2026 | AZ Alkmaar beat sc Heerenveen 3–0 | Title change |
| Apr 5, 2026 | sc Heerenveen beat Heracles 4–1 | Defense |
| Mar 14, 2026 | sc Heerenveen beat Telstar 3–0 | Title change |
| Mar 8, 2026 | Telstar beat Fortuna Sittard 4–1 | Defense |
| Feb 27, 2026 | Telstar beat NAC Breda 3–0 | Title change |
| Feb 21, 2026 | NAC Breda beat FC Volendam 1–0 | Title change |
| Feb 13, 2026 | FC Volendam beat PSV Eindhoven 2–1 | Title change |
| Feb 8, 2026 | PSV Eindhoven beat FC Groningen 2–1 | Defense |
| Feb 1, 2026 | PSV Eindhoven beat Feyenoord 3–0 | Defense |
| Jan 17, 2026 | PSV Eindhoven beat Fortuna Sittard 2–1 | Defense |
| Dec 21, 2025 | PSV Eindhoven beat FC Utrecht 2–1 | Defense |
| Dec 13, 2025 | PSV Eindhoven beat Heracles 4–3 | Defense |
| Dec 6, 2025 | PSV Eindhoven beat sc Heerenveen 2–0 | Defense |
| Nov 30, 2025 | PSV Eindhoven beat FC Volendam 3–0 | Defense |
| Nov 22, 2025 | PSV Eindhoven beat NAC Breda 1–0 | Defense |
| Oct 31, 2025 | PSV Eindhoven beat Fortuna Sittard 5–2 | Defense |
| Oct 26, 2025 | PSV Eindhoven beat Feyenoord 3–2 | Title change |
| Oct 5, 2025 | Feyenoord beat FC Utrecht 3–2 | Defense |
| Sep 28, 2025 | Feyenoord beat FC Groningen 1–0 | Defense |