Forget fancy hotels! Many Dutch fans at Euro 2024 are ditching the city center and choosing a different kind of stay: campsites outside Berlin. Why? Because for them, the fun of the tournament isn’t just about the game, it’s about the atmosphere and meeting other passionate fans.
One such campsite is in Kleinmachnow, a quick 25-minute drive from Berlin’s Olympiastadion stadium. Here, supporters of the Dutch national team, nicknamed “Oranje” after their orange colors, are getting ready for their big clash against Turkey in the quarter-finals.
Imagine this: Gert Grimmius and his friends are relaxing outside their campervan, sipping coffee on a Friday morning. They’re not alone – the campsite is buzzing with anticipation as more and more Dutch fans arrive.
Grimmius, along with his wife and friends, are on a three-week Euro trip, hoping to extend it to four and a half weeks if their team wins! They’re confident about the Netherlands’ chances against Turkey, but that’s not the only reason they’re at the campsite.
“It’s like a holiday for us,” Grimmius explains. “We get to meet other fans, chat, and have fun together. It’s part of the whole football experience.”
He laughs, adding, “We Dutch are a bit famous for having an opinion on everything, especially football! We all think we’re national team coaches, but of course, the final decisions are up to our great manager, Ronald Koeman.”
Grimmius is a die-hard fan. He’s been following the Dutch team for years, and even remembers watching them win the Euro 1988 finals in Munich!
With many Turkish fans expected to travel from Berlin’s Turkish community, campsites around the city are preparing for a big orange invasion. Grimmius, however, sees this as a positive thing.
“The Turkish fans will definitely bring their own energy with their singing,” he says. “But hey, we’re all friends in the end, united by our love for the beautiful game.”
Everywhere you look at the campsite, there’s a splash of orange. Dutch jerseys, t-shirts, and shorts flutter in the breeze, drying after being washed. More and more Dutch cars pull up, ready to join the party.
Tonight, before the big game, the Dutch fans at the campsite have a special plan: a gathering to bond, sing some songs, and get pumped up for the match. It’ll be a sea of orange, a sea of hope, and a sea of Dutch passion for football.
This Euro trip is more than just watching a game for these fans. It’s about camaraderie, creating memories, and being part of something bigger. It’s about the love for their team, the Oranje, and the beautiful game that brings people together from all over the world.