Today the Netherlands team faces England, this time in purple. The two teams will play in the semi-finals of the European Championship in Dortmund. But it’s not just on the pitch that the two countries face each other. Around 47 thousand British citizens live in the Netherlands. This also includes Joshua Vince from England, who lives in Zwolle with his wife Bertine.
Because Dortmund is the Dutch team’s ‘home stadium’, England play in purple away kits. But there’s a lot of fuss about England’s white home kit. And it’s precisely the fuss over the shirt that shows how competitive the English are, according to Esther Janssen, general manager of Culture-inc, an agency specialising in cultural differences. “England is part of the United Kingdom,” she told Editie NL. “They had to fight hard to become a country. They’re proud of that. This history has made them quite competitive.”
But what does the shirt have to do with it? Plenty, Janssen explains. “The England shirt is a reference to the St George’s cross on the English flag. And the cross is a reference to the struggle that they have fought for. Nike have given the cross a creative twist for this European Championship.” Instead of being red on a white background, the cross is a mix of red, purple and blue on a blue background. “Then the turnips are cooked, don’t touch the English cross.”
According to Janssen, they did feel they had to fight for something. “That’s a very different attitude to ours. We Dutch are more comfortable with this game. We like to party, even when we lose.”
Joshua from England and Bertine Vince from the Netherlands also have similar sentiments. “I’m really looking forward to it, I can’t wait to have this legendary fight,” Joshua said. “We’re a great fit.” While he said the English are more polite, the Dutch are more sociable. “They just want to have fun.”
He also believes it will be a competitive match. “Football is very important for England, we haven’t won the European Championship yet. But who knows, we have so much talent this year.”
Completely finished
If England lose, Janssen believes his players will struggle. “Just look at Beckham. When he missed the penalty in 2004, he was completely finished. That also says a lot about their culture. If you do well, you are a hero and if you don’t do well, you are written off. Maybe that’s why they are a bit more cautious.”
The Dutch are a bit more relaxed, he says. “They can do something crazy. The English don’t tend to do that because there’s a greater chance you’ll make a mistake.”
“Falls down a lot. General tv buff. Incurable zombie fan. Subtly charming problem solver. Amateur explorer.”
