The right place for patriotism
I live in a country that is not really a country. We are no longer just The Kingdom Of The Netherlands And Oversees Territories. We are all Europeans. Yet, we still feel Dutch first. We have never been the kind of people that wave their flags in other people’s faces all the time. The idea that a flag should never touch the ground sounds ridiculous to us. So where do these feelings find their outlet? On the football field. Of course there are other occasions (like Queens Day) and sports, but football trumps all that. It’s not just the biggest sport. It’s something that transcends all classes, all ages, anything. And now there’s a European Championship coming up. And the first match will be against Germany (we have a bit of a history with them). And it will be all good. Dutch (national team) fans are not known for hooliganism. They’re known for looking completely ridiculous. And at home it will be visible too. Whole neighbourhoods will be decorated orange. And when they get kicked out – probably somewhere in the quarter finals – everything will return to normal. Like nothing ever happened.
6:55:40 PM 
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