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The Netherlands: Orange Clad Cheerleaders

Kateri Jochum interviewed Martijn PelleApril 11, 2006
https://p.dw.com/p/8Fea
Martijn Pelle from the Dutch Soccer Fan ClubImage: Martijn Pelle

DW-WORLD.DE: Which Dutch fans will be coming to Germany?

Martijn Pelle: It will be the Oranje fans who come to every game. They are the ones who get all dressed up in national color, cheer the team on and basically just have a good time. There are other soccer fans in the Netherlands, but they usually only support their own division team. But I think that they will take part in the World Cup as well. They will drive to the big fan festivals in the Ruhr area and get in on the fun.

How many fans do you think will make the trip?

Officially, there will be 3,000 Dutch here -- that was the number of tickets we received. But of course there will be other Dutch fans coming to Germany as well. Germany is really close by. We think that about 6,000 additional fans will come to the first game in Leipzig. And if the first game goes well, then I am sure that around 20,000 Dutch will travel to Frankfurt to see the match against Argentina.

How far will the Dutch make it?

I am a bit of a pessimist -- not very far. We play so badly and our players are not well known. I don't think we will make it very far.

What is your favorite team at home?

Go Ahead Eagles Deventer, the play in the Eerste Divisie. It is called the First Division, but really it is the second Dutch division. The first is called the Honor Division.