Oranje mascot who stuck her tongue out was ‘dared to do it by her teachers’

The six-year-old Dutch football mascot who stuck her tongue out for the cameras when Oranje were presented to the crowd ahead of Friday’s friendly against England was dared to do it by her teachers.

‘Teacher Sharon and teacher Jan, said “stick your tongue out when you are on tv” so I thought, I’ll just do it,’ Puck told the AD.

Puck and her sister Dejé , who come from Berkel en Rodenrijs near Delft, were both in the mascot line-up and were told to stand up straight with their hands behind their backs during the national anthem.

Dejé followed the rules, but Puck stuck her tongue out at the camera and made what she said is a peace sign. ‘I always do that on photos,’ she told the paper.

‘I think Memphis Depay (the player who Puck accompanied) thought I was cool because he said “that is my mate Puck”,’ the girl said.

Her parents told the paper they were shocked by the negative reactions from Britain, triggered by the fact the girl’s peace sign was the wrong way round which is considered extremely offensive there.

However, one commentator on Twitter said the girl had done nothing wrong. ‘Look what England fans have been doing in Amsterdam. Can’t compare,’ said Elgan Rhys Jones, referring to the arrest of over 100 fans who caused havoc in the city’s red light districht.

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