1/2 Indy (left) and Jolanda van Heumen are confident.
Rotherham will know that the Dutch women’s team will play the quarterfinals of the European football championship there this Saturday evening. In the English city, the Lionesses take on France. Indy van Heumen from Neerloon is there. “I only see people in orange, I think the French supporters are in hiding. That they are afraid.”
The completely orange-clad Indy enjoys it to the fullest. She is one of the many Dutch fans who have crossed the Channel to assist the reigning European champion.
“It goes wild with DJs from Ravenstein.”
“It is already pleasantly full on the fan square where we look forward to the match together with supporters from France. And after six it is completely gone, because the All stars, two DJs from Ravenstein, come to perform. I know them well.” And then the orange march to the stadium had yet to begin.
Indy is not an occasional supporter of Orange. She works for the KNVB and for that reason was involved in the Camping van Oranje on the campus of the football association in Zeist in recent weeks. The Neerloonse knows how women’s football lives.
“My mother is also very fanatical.”
But Indy, who wears an original shirt by Daniëlle van de Donk, plays football for Beuningse Boys herself and is just a big fan. In 2019 she experienced a major tournament herself for the first time, when the Lionesses participated in the world championship in France. Indy attended the quarterfinals and semifinals. And, as the winner of a giveaway from Omroep Brabant, also the final. That final battle, against the United States, was unfortunately lost. “But what a joy it was every day to be there,” she says now. This Saturday is no different and mother Jolanda (51) loves it too. “He is really very fanatical”, Indy knows.
The atmosphere in Rotherham is very good and the French fans may be impressed by the orange sea, how does Indy view the sporting opportunities of the Lionesses? “Difficult…”, she begins. “I think the French are still favorites, but also that they will have a surprisingly hard time. It is a great advantage for us that their important attacker Marie-Antoinette Katoto is not there. But it is still uncertain for us whether Vivianne Miedema I think France hopes that Miedema is not fit yet.”
“Daphne van Domselaar gives more certainty in the goal.”
The Netherlands misses star attacker Lieke Martens and keeper Sari van Veenendaal anyway. Indy: “Well, I think Daphne van Domselaar gives more certainty in the goal. Sari is of course a captain. I think that is our only disadvantage, that we miss her in spirit. But qualitatively I think it is the best when Daphne is on the field. And Lieke … Everyone knows her as a player. Maybe it’s only good that someone else is in it. They can only surprise France.”
Despite the fact that the name (the New York Stadium) suggests otherwise, the game is played in a small stadium. Indy: “Yes, that is a bit disappointing. About 12,000 people can only get in here. I heard that only about six hundred tickets were sold to Dutch fans. That is a bit disappointing. On the one hand, it is a disadvantage if it is so small. On the other hand: this makes it more cozy. Hopefully it is filled with orange as much as possible.”
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