Orange fever: Dutch women’s football team expects largest-ever crowd

Photo: KNVB Media
Celebrating after a win last summer. Photo: KNVB Media

The European champion Dutch women’s football team is playing in a packed world cup qualifier against Northern Ireland in Eindhoven on Friday night.

Ranked at number 7 against Northern Ireland’s 56, the Dutch are favourites to win.

But their new winners’ status means the pressure is on, players told NOS broadcaster. Forward Shanice van de Sanden said: ‘People expect a lot of us but that is also really great. We know what we can do and we won’t let the world around us make us go crazy. We’ll focus on ourselves and get on with the game.’

They will have plenty of viewers: 30,000 spectators are expected in the Eindhoven stands, which would make it the most popular women’s game in history, according to NOS.

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