1/2 Cheering in the Old Dutch Bar in Breda after the first goal.
Delirious joy in the pubs on Monday evening and on the couch with many people from Brabant after the Orange victory over Senegal. Thousands of fans watched the first match of the Orange at the World Cup in Qatar, with PSV’s Cody Gakpo giving the Dutch national team the lead in the final minutes.
“Hup Holland go, don’t let the lion stand in his shirt”, it echoes from the speakers in the Old Dutch Sports Bar in Breda on Monday evening. There is dancing, singing and jumping. After many chances, the Orange finally treated the tense visitors to a goal in the 85th minute. The second goal followed in the very last second of extra time.
“Cody Gakpooo!” shouts one of the visitors excitedly. “I cried at that first goal. The first half was so bad and at the last minute it became all the fun. Enjoy this.”
Most fans think it took way too long for the game to get going. “But better late than never,” one of the fans responded with relief. “In the first half I thought, here we go again,” says another football fan. “But now I think we will at least make it to the semi-finals.”
“In the end, we are all cheering when we win.”
The start of the World Cup is different this year than usual. No orange colored streets, but only a few full bars this year. And not on a folding chair in the sun, but in a thick sweater, the supporters watched as the Dutch national team entered the first match. Moreover, this year’s championship is overshadowed by scandals. But most supporters didn’t drink a beer less on Monday evening.
“Enough has already been said about that”, says one of the fans at the start of the match in the Papa Jim Sports Bar in Tilburg. “Point behind it and we go for the game.” Another is of the opinion that it no longer has to be about this. “No matter how you look at it, the ball will still roll. And in the end we are all cheering when we win.”
