SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Dutch fans fly in for World Cup final

Record ID: 455725

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Dutch fans fly in for World Cup final
  • Date: 11th July 2010
  • Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (JULY 10, 2010) (REUTERS) HOLLAND AND SPAIN FANS AT JOHANNESBURG'S OR TAMBO AIRPORT DUTCH FANS ARRIVING AT AIRPORT (SOUNDBITE) (English) DUTCH FAN KESH (WHITE JACKET), STANDING WITH BROTHERS AND FATHER, SAYING: "This is the most exciting time because since '78, the Dutch team hasn't been in the final. So it's been a long time, and we have a good team, we know, and that's why my two brothers and my father are here, they flew in specifically for this historic event for the Dutch team. (Brother Mark saying: 'Just to see the Dutch team win.')" (SOUNDBITE) (English) DUTCH FAN KESH (WHITE JACKET), STANDING WITH BROTHERS AND FATHER, SAYING: "We'd rather play Germany because we get 100 percent more energy playing Germany, (Kesh's father saying: It's a little bit of a disappointment for us that the Germans are not in the final. That was the big match: Germany and the Dutch.)" (SOUNDBITE) (English) DUTCH FAN MICHEL, SAYING: "When we were last in the final I was only one year old, so for me this is my first big chance to see Holland in a World Cup final, so yeah, it's amazing that we have a chance to win it." (SOUNDBITE) (English) DUTCH FANS ELKO (LEFT), INGRID (CENTRE) JAN (RIGHT), SAYING: "(Jan saying: 'We're traumatised, we must win it this time, Spain has never made it to the final, we have made it twice, we lost twice and now it's our turn to win it'), (Elko: 'I think they should try a couple of times before they deserve to win'), (Ingrid: 'But it's already a big party back in Holland so already having made it to the final is a good thing.')" DUTCH FANS LEAVING AIRPORT ARRIVALS AREA
  • Embargoed: 26th July 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA38OD948S7W88VB8OVSS0S5MUC
  • Story Text: Dutch soccer fans arrived at Johannesburg's international airport on Saturday (July 10) 24 hours before their country has a chance to win the crown of soccer world champion.
    Holland will face Spain on Sunday (July 11) in Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium as Africa's first World Cup draws to a close.
    Dutch fan Kesh, from Cape Town, met his two brothers and father who had flown in from the Netherlands for the match Dutch soccer fans have waited over three decades for.
    "This is the most exciting time because since '78, the Dutch team hasn't been in the final. So it's been a long time, and we have a good team, we know, and that's why my two brothers and my father are here, they flew in specifically for this historic event for the Dutch team," he said.
    "We'd rather play Germany because we get 100 percent more energy playing Germany," he added, given the local rivalry between the two countries.
    Germany will play Uruguay in the third place play-off on Saturday after the Germans were defeated in the semi-final by Spain.
    "When we were last in the final I was only one year old, so for me this is my first big chance to see Holland in a World Cup final, so yeah, it's amazing that we have a chance to win it," said Michel.
    Holland and Spain are both aiming to win their first World Cup title with the golden era of Dutch soccer and Johan Cruyff coming close in 1974 and 1978, losing in the final to the host nation on both occasions.
    "We're traumatised, we must win it this time, Spain has never made it to the final, we have made it twice, we lost twice and now it's our turn to win it," said Dutch fan Jan.
    The Dutch knocked out hotly favoured Brazil in the quarter-finals on their way to the final.
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