FIFA 2010 World Cup: Dutch fans leave for Johannesburg, a Sea of Oranje
The greatest ambition of the soccer mad football nation of the Netherlands is to win the World cup. Now, after 32 long years they have another opportunity of winning the title that has twice eluded them in 1974 and 1978, both times they reached the finals only to bow out at the last hurdle.
Yet there is optimism that it has to be third time lucky as the 1988 European champions prepare for the final match against reigning European champions Spain.
As excitement touches its peak the entire country is focused on the biggest recent sporting moment for their national team. They are h**l bent on making the most of the moment.
Some of the fans are rearing to go and decided that the only way that they can make the best out of the situation is by being there where the action is.
As demand for flights to Johannesburg, the venue of the Final increased the Dutch airlines KLM put on three extra flights on Saturday to take thousands of Dutch fans to the venue of the final.
As expected the seats were sold out within minutes and the Schipol Airport was a sea of oranje with the Dutch displaying their usual brand of carnival colours and masks ready to bask in World Cup glory.
The passionate fans hope that they will have plenty to celebrate as they witness their team record their first World Cup triumph at Soccer city which will hopefully bring to an end generations of frustration.
The fans remained adamant that their team deserves the gold plated World Cup trophy more than the Spaniards, who have reached their first World Cup final. On top of that the Dutch have remained unbeaten in the qualifying rounds as well as all of their matches in the tournament thus far.
"I think the game will be very difficult and I think we will win 2-1 so I think the Netherlands will be the next world champions", said a 'Dutch Lion' fan.
"I think Holland is world champion. We are so far now. I think 3-1. But we will see. I've got my shirt (shows a lion)" said another fan who felt that his team would dominate the final.
The Dutch nation has a great tradition of football. Some of the players are representatives in leading clubs across Europe yet they have failed to gel in at the greatest sporting spectacle over the years, regularly crashing out in the second round or the quarter-final stage.
The luckless 1970s Dutch team along with the 1954 Hungarian runners-up, is considered as the greatest team not to win the biggest prize in international football. That is in its 19th edition since the tournament was first staged in Uruguay in 1930.
Same is the case with the Spaniards, who also possess some of the leading world footballers in their ranks yet have never been able to get past the quarter-final stage.
Yet both teams have looked full of flair in the tournament and have beaten some of the leading contenders like Brazil and Germany on their way to the final.
Meanwhile, there are big plans of celebrations in both countries, as the winner would be bringing the trophy for the first time and their fans are waiting to give them a rapturous welcome. The plans are already in place in Amsterdam as the authorities in the Dutch capital have confirmed that the national team will be honoured with a canal parade next week if they win the tournament.
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