The Dutch fall in love
Photography: Gerrit van Keulen/VI Images/PA Images
The summer of 2017 was a delirious time to be in the Netherlands as the Euro 2017 hosts saw off all and sundry to be crowned champions at home. There was orange as far as the eye could see, and you couldn’t go a full day without hearing some version of Links Rechts.
The Dutch didn’t just embrace the women’s team, they fell head over heels in love with the Oranje Leeuwinnen. From the walks from the fan zones to the stadiums that saw enormous blocks of orange-clad fans sweeping towards the next game to the stadiums that have since sold out in a matter of minutes. The Dutch were there to give a swift and firm rebuttal to every, “No one cares” comment thrown at women’s football; the summer was a celebration of football regardless of gender.
The tournament culminated in a final win for the hosts, the celebrations the next day bringing about some of the most stirring images. The team, still a little jolly from the alcohol consumption, made the brave choice to clamber into a barge and weave their way along the canal, the banks lined with fans, before disembarking onto a stage at the top of Park Lepelenburg in Utrecht. The park was packed with a mass of fans there to celebrate the team.
In one summer, the team had changed the minds of an entire country; women’s football was to be celebrated and revered as the men’s game [and it was awesome].
Words: Sophie Lawson
First published 1 March 2020