Dutch Football
Soccer (we’ll call it soccer, since we are in Canada) is the #1 sport in The Netherlands. In the later part of the 19th century, British immigrants introduced the game. A 14-year-old boy, Pim Mulier, founded the first club in 1879. By 1889, the Koninklijke Nederlandse Voetbalbond (KNVB) was founded, formally organizing all the clubs. The sport quickly became a national pastime and a cultural phenomenon. The first official international match was played in Belgium on April 30, 1905, with the Dutch winning 4-1.
The Dutch continued to dominate the sport. By the 1950’s, the athletes were getting frustrated that KNVB refused to pay them as professionals. Many talented players left the league to go play for other countries and get paid for it. In 1954 KNVB caved and began to pay their players. KNVB had also supressed women’s teams, penalizing any club that allowed women to play. The ban was finally lifted in 1971, and the KNVB launched the professional women’s league Vrouwen Eredivisie.
The 1970s saw the Dutch pioneer “Total Football” (Totaalvoetbal) which changed the way the game was played. The idea is any player, except the goalie, can play any position, which gives them a great advantage on the field. It requires a great deal of skill and adaptability of each player.
KNVB made it’s first appearance at FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) in Italy in 1934, being eliminated by the Swiss in the 16th round. After their second appearance in 1938, KNVB did not show up to FIFA again until 1974, where they lost in the final game to West Germany. They have been to FIFA 12 times, almost winning as well in 1978 and 2010.
The Dutch continue to be passionate about their beloved “Oranje” and we hope they do extremely well at the upcoming games, but maybe not as well as Canada! The iconic chant “Hup, Holland, Hup!” which means “Go Holland, Go!” continues to be the rallying cry of Dutch fans around the world.
What do the Dutch enjoy eating while watching the game? One of the most popular treats are Frikandellen. These are delicious, and not difficult to make.
