Dutch football players as the center of a family outing

Erwin Pellemans has a wide grin on his face. Together with 12-year-old Renske Pellemans, he takes a picture with the cup of the European champion from 1988. Behind the two, the team with national heroes such as Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit and Ronald Koeman can be seen. “That European title was very special,” says the Orange fan from Nederweert. “As if it were a liberation.”

Daughter Renske Pellemans has much more to do with the cup on the other side of the field on the KNVB Campus. With behind it on a canvas cheering Orange players such as Lieke Martens, Daniëlle van de Donk and Sari van Veenendaal. The 2017 European champion. It also felt like a kind of liberation for girls like Renske. “I then went to football at RKSV Merefeldia myself,” explains the Limburger. “I have always played football with boys in recent years, but next season I will switch to a girls team at RKVV Eindse Boys.”

For example, one enjoys results from the past and the other still dreams of its own success. The Van der Vliet and De Oude families from Loosdrecht came with three adults and three children. André de Oude goes back in his mind to the 2017 European Championship when he was in Mali as a soldier. “We were allowed to drink two beers after the victory,” he says with a laugh. For his eleven-year-old niece Nora van der Vliet, the success of Orange was one of her first childhood memories. “I would like to meet them myself.”

Dj Sherida Spitse

About two thousand people came to the KNVB complex in Zeist on Sunday afternoon for the fan day of the women of Orange. The team of national coach Andries Jonker is preparing for the World Cup, which starts next month in Australia and New Zealand. The internationals visibly enjoy the meet-and-greet with their fans and sign many autographs. In addition, balls are shot into shopping carts, four against four competitions take place and there is dancing at the silent disco by DJ Sherida Spitse. Orange as the centerpiece of a family outing.

Yet there is one important thing missing: an Orange football match. Not that it wasn’t on the agenda. In fact; it was played. However, the public and press were not welcome at the training match, which took place on the other side of the road an hour before the start of the fan day. A duel between the Orange and a boys’ team from the Amsterdam club De Volewijckers. For fear of a major defeat, large canvases and guards had to prevent images from coming out. Even the results may remain secret.

It turned out to be unnecessary. When the public had long since taken possession of the party grounds, the press information of Orange still announced the result. The Dutch national team had won 2-1 thanks to goals from Esmee Brugts and Daniëlle van de Donk. Ivar Wijna scored against for the Volewijckers. That’s what the media had to deal with. Later in the day it is announced that Kika van Es (PSV) and Tiny Hoekstra (Ajax) will not go to the World Cup.

Less than two hours after the match, Jonker walks with a group of internationals from behind a shielded area to the big stage for an autograph session. Meanwhile, former international Anouk Hoogendijk (38) entertains the fans with a quiz about Dutch football. She was part of the Dutch national team that sparked the ‘Orange madness’ at the European Championships in Finland in 2009.

Missed opportunity

According to Hoogendijk, her generation built the foundation and then the roof was placed on the house under the leadership of Sarina Wiegman. Hoogendijk looks proudly at the development of women’s football and is happy that there is finally respect and recognition for the sport she loves so much. And that many of the current internationals live as full professionals. “I know no jealousy or envy. I’m just glad that a lot of things fall into place”, she explains after the quiz. When Hoogendijk bumps into Jonker and the group of players, hugs follow. The national coach keeps a low profile about the exhibition game with De Volewijckers. “Whether the defense has been tested? It went well.”

Hoogendijk does not really understand the mysterious fuss about the exhibition game with De Volewijckers. “We played against boys almost every week with the Netherlands national team. That was the only way to practice at a reasonable level. And it still is. Maybe they were afraid of the image. That just like that a boys’ team would win against women with a football status. That didn’t happen. So a missed opportunity.”