Robin van Persie, Nigel de Jong and Ibrahim Afellay are guests of honor in the Johan Cruijff ArenA on Sunday during the closing match in the Nations League of Orange against Belgium. The KNVB would like to thank the internationals for their efforts for the Orange squad. Arjen Robben and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar were also invited for the ceremony on the field, but they have announced that they cannot be there.
The former internationals have a meeting in Zeist on Sunday afternoon, where their names will be added to the so-called Wall of Fame. In the Wall of Fame, all ex-players, players and national coaches who played for Orange since 1905 have their own coat of arms.
In addition to Van Persie, De Jong and Afellay, Robben is present at the meeting in Zeist, as are former internationals Gregory van der Wiel, Glenn Loovens, Paul Verhaegh, Romeo Castelen, Urby Emanuelson, Ron Vlaar, Stijn Schaars, Michel Vorm, Daryl. Janmaat, Dirk Marcellis and Dwight Tiendalli.
For the ceremony on the field, the KNVB only chose Van Persie (102 international matches), Robben (96 international matches), De Jong (81 international matches), Huntelaar (76 international matches) and Afellay (53 international matches) because of their long track record. The other former internationals are guests in the stadium.
The Wall of Fame was unveiled in 2019 in the presence of hundreds of former internationals. Due to the corona virus, it was not possible to invite this group of internationals before.
Orange reflects on the death of Writers
Before the start of the match against Belgium, the death of Piet Schrijvers is commemorated. The former goalkeeper of FC Twente, Ajax and PEC Zwolle, among others, played 46 times for Orange. Schrijvers died on September 7 at the age of 75.
Schrijvers lost the World Cup final in both 1974 (as a reserve) and 1978. A few years ago it was announced that Schrijvers had Alzheimer’s disease.
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