Sneijder, the diminutive number 10 popped up in the penalty box in the 68th minute to home the winner, 15 minutes after his free-kick from the right went in off the head of Brazilian midfielder Felipe Melo.
The victory capped a great season for Sneijder who was Inter Milan’s most influential player on their way to winning the Italian League and UEFA Champions League.
Sneijder, 26, has now scored 16 goals in 65 games for the Netherlands but has come into his own at this tournament where coach Bert van Marwijk has given him a free-ranging role.
A prodigious passer with both feet, Sneijder also has an uncanny sense of positioning and one of the most fearsome shots in world football, both from dead balls and open play.
Born in Utrecht he learned the game at Ajax where he made his Eredivisie debut at the age of 18.