Depay was tied on 50 goals with Robin van Persie before Sunday's World Cup qualifier in Lithuania, before the Corinthians striker bagged a crucial brace in the Netherlands' 3-2 win over the European minnows.
Manager Ronald Koeman was proud of his pupil, who has scored 20 of his 52 international goals under the former Barcelona defender.
"We've known each other for a long time. Sometimes you have a bond with a player that is just a little stronger and bigger," Koeman told NOS. "You build that kind of bond together."
"What a terrible winger"
Koeman has been Depay's manager on three separate occasions - twice with Oranje, once in Barcelona. The two know each other well, and Koeman takes his time for the new all-time top scorer of the Netherlands.
"Of course, I also brought him to FC Barcelona once and travelled to Brazil specifically to see if he could still be of sufficient value to the Dutch national team as a Corinthians player. You don't do that for everyone. You can't decide whether to call someone up or not from a distance. I am still able to motivate him."
But Koeman wasn't always a fan of Memphis Depay, who started his career at PSV and Manchester United as a left winger.
"I saw him once with the Dutch U21 team and thought: 'What a terrible winger, all he does is complain.’"