The Dutch national team will play the second group match at the World Cup against Sweden tonight at 7 p.m. While many people from Drenthe follow the match in cafes, at the sports club or on the square, some Oranje fans have also traveled to America.
This also applies to Leon Krohne and Frank van Driel from Eelde-Paterswolde. Together with five friends they cheer on the Dutch team in Houston, Texas. “The atmosphere is fantastic. I have never seen so many people together,” says Krohne from Houston. “I estimate that there are 50,000 people here. In any case, much more than in Dallas.”
Although the match starts at 12:00 local time, the atmosphere in Houston is already good an hour before kick-off. This is not least due to the well-known Orange march to the stadium.
According to the KNVB, approximately several thousand people are participating in the march. This not only concerns Dutch people, but also many Americans and here and there a stray Swede.
Krohne notices that the Americans with an orange shirt in particular seem to be strongly represented. “The Americans we spoke to in Dallas already said that they would also like to participate,” he says.
Text continues under the Orange March: