During the Football Championships and other major sporting events like the Olympic Games, the Dutch supporters are usually the most prominent of all. They are loud, drunk, cheerful and, most of all, eye-catching.
The Dutch usually dressed up in bright orange from head to toe simply cannot be overlooked. Especially during the European Cup and World Cup, whole flocks of orange Dutchies invade the cities where the matches are held, conquering the streets and bars for as long as the “elftal” (as the national team is known) has a chance of winning the cup. Dutch national pride, though usually mute, is most clearly expressed during these events when patriotic passions run so high that it is almost scary. But what lies behind these almost exaggerated expressions of pride and patriotism? After all, the Netherlands are almost too small to be taken seriously, let’s be honest. The sober Dutch live on a small chunk of land they’ve rescued from the sea, nothing to be proud of. So where does this nationalism – fascinating on the one hand and almost absurd on the other – come from? 