“This fervor is incredible”, before the match against the Blues, the “Oranje” wave has already swept over Leipzig

The French team faces the Netherlands this evening in Leipzig, the second match of Group D. If Didier Deschamps’ men will be able to count on around ten thousand supporters, be careful not to be overwhelmed by the Dutch fans who have literally invaded the city. Reporting.

Sitting on a terrace in the city center, this family traveled 700 km from Rotterdam to come and support the Netherlands in Leipzig for this second Dutch Euro match… which is being played against the France team. “There are seven of us, we took two cars to come here“, relates Floris, “oranje” outfit, the nickname of the starfootball teamfrom head to toe, from socks to glasses, including the hat.

With a very clear objective: “We like to party, we like to drink, and we like football, it’s the best possible combination.” he explains, mug of beer in hand and hat in the colors of the Netherlands on his head.

A feeling shared by his girlfriend: “I always wonder what I’m doing there, I love being with them because we party, we drink, we have fun!“

‘On the day of the match, football is the priority, but before, it’s not! The atmosphere is incredible, we feel united as a country.’

A Dutch fan, crossed in Leipzig

at FranceInfo

The Dutch wave crossed throughout the day in the city center of Leipzig will quickly become a tidal wave: some 60 to 70,000 supporters are expected… And most of them without tickets. “I have been traveling with the supporters for ten years“, says Daniel, suit and tie “oranje”, crest of the Batavian selection on the heart, all in delicious French.

For him, these massive movements are in the country’s DNA: “The Dutch love it, we are a small country, kind ofunderdog’, outsiders, but we don’t have very high quality players. We’re not far either, 6 hours by train. The atmosphere will be superb!“, he promises.

There were more than 30,000 in Hamburg for the first match, “an exceptional atmosphere, this fervor is incredible”, whispers a Dutch supporter wearing an orange hat. Friday June 21, against the Blues of Deschamps, they will therefore be almost double, with a meeting announced for 1 p.m. this Friday, in the fan zone located in Wilhelm-Leuschner-Platz. Double-decker buses, DJs and techno music: Leipzig will have the feel of an open-air discotheque.

When we tell Peter, meeting in the city center with several of his colleagues from Gröningen, that there will be “only” 10,000 French people, his response is not long in coming: “Honestly, stay home!“, he laughs.

But there is no question of staying at home for the French players, who intend to block the “oranje” wave. And for this, the French team has a secret talent named… Didier Deschamps. The Blues coach has indeed won 7 of his 8 matches against the Netherlands.