The Trouble With Being An Expat Football Supporter In Holland

Expat Football Supporter

During any kind of sporting event that involves countries competing against each other it is inevitable that expats everywhere will be asked the same question. It does not matter which country they are from and which country they find themselves in, the question from the locals is always the same; “Which country are you supporting?”

This may seem like a simple question at first with an equally simple answer; your own country (or another one you really like). However, this is a beginner’s mistake and suggests that the question actually involves some kind of choice.

To be able to answer this question correctly it is first important to understand the many deep layers of what it means. If “which country are you supporting?” is asked by a Dutchman for example the question would actually mean, “Are you supporting Holland?” and, “If not, why not?” as well as, “Aren’t you grateful for everything we have done for you, letting you stay here, letting you eat our stampot, ride our bikes, enjoy our windmills. You better be supporting us.”

It seems that most European countries are happy with you showing up, taking their jobs, their money, and their women and not attempting to learn the language but if you don’t support the local football team there will be some very deeply hurt feelings that might result in you being made an example of.

Saying that you don’t follow the sporting event in question might seem like an easy way to side step this question. However, this simply makes you a free and available resource in the eyes of your host country and means there is even less of a reason for you to not show your support by streaking through the town square wearing nothing but the local flag.

Personally, I try to answer by saying that I am supporting both countries (which in my case means England and Holland). However, this brings its own set of complications and one of two questions. “Which team are you supporting ‘more’?” and, “what if England and Holland have to face each other in the final?”

And of course your team being knocked out is not the end of it. Suddenly the question becomes, “Which country are you supporting ‘now’?” You might be broken and still crying into your beer but that does not change the fact that you are a free resource once again.

At that point the question for yourself becomes, “why not?” It’s not like you have anyone else left to support and if you do they will just keep asking until you don’t. Besides, streaking through the town square might be fun.

Hup Holland Hup

(This post was also read on the radio and can be heard here.)

Stuart

Stuart is an accident prone Englishman who has been living in the Netherlands since 2001. Even his move to the country was an unintentional accident, the result of replying to a cryptic job advertisement he found one day in a local British magazine. Since then he has learned to love the Dutch (so much so that he married one of them) and now calls the country home. He started the blog Invading Holland in 2006 as a place to share his strange stories of language misunderstandings, cultural confusions and his own accident prone nature.

30 Responses

  1. Jules says:

    Eh, it’s easier for women. You just blink twice, look a little confused, and say, “I really don’t know anything about soccer.” And if you call it “soccer” rather than “football” it becomes quite clear that you are to be pitied and nobody will expect anything further of you.

  2. Gez says:

    For me it’s been Hup Holland Hup! since I moved here. I don’t follow footy as a rule, but will watch the euro/world cups. Moved here from the UK, but not supported England at all. I was born in Cornwall, so I’m Celtic :) Quite happily cheered on Germany in the England/Germany game, if only in the hope of a Dutch/German final. Damn the Spanish…

  3. Andrew says:

    I’m supporting Holland in the final.. despite not having moved yet, I was having loyalty to England questioned before they got knocked out, as if I’m doing some sort of Cold-War style defection. The politics of football!

  4. Invader_Stu says:

    Jill – I’m glad I could help :)

    Anita – Awwww. There is always the next world cup.

    Jules – That sounds like cheating to me :p

    Gez – I don’t follow foot ball normally either and now I think about it I did only see one England game. I think I’ve been following Holland all along with out realizing.

    Andrew – Hopefully the party that will happen if Holland wins will not leave the country in a horrible mess before you get here.

  5. French Bean says:

    Ha. I was wondering the other day if it is safe for me to return to France. France has a significant presence of Algerian/North African communities. The US football team knocked out Algeria from the World Cup, and I know that some soccer fans can take their fanaticism to horrible extremes… >.>

    *gulp!*

    -French Bean

  6. Invader Stu says:

    French Bean – I suggest some kind of witness protection thing, a football supporter protection maybe.

  7. Andrew says:

    French Bean – I was on a minibreak to Paris on the day England played Algeria. Although I knew Paris had a significant African population, I hadn’t bargained on them being so fanatically Algerian when I was there. When I dragged my American friend to watch it at a bar, it was quite a surreal experience, coupled with more than a few suspicious looks as I explained the offside rule in the Queen’s.

  8. Dara says:

    Yay a new post, I’ve been reading this blog since my Dutch friend linked me to it :D
    Go the Netherlands! I’ve been supporting them all along but at first just as a backup.. New Zealand #1, being from there and all, then Australia, living there and all, then England, because I like England, then the Netherlands because I like the country :D
    Boo Spain! :D

  9. Wendi says:

    For some reason, my husband is a huge Orange Vutbol (?) fan. We even have hats & shirts. Maybe he just likes the color.

  10. French Bean says:

    I’m actually working on a post that talks about French North Africans, and compared to most French, they really are adamant on sticking to their culture and background.

    In case the occasion comes when I have an Algerian ask me what my nationality is, I know what tactic to use: don’t speak English (my pronounciation isn’t really “American”). I could pass off as an Italian or Spaniard. :-P

    Or: *blinks twice* I’m sorry, I really don’t know much about soccer. *flashes big, stupid grin*

    -French Bean

    And if I get asked about

  11. Invader Stu says:

    Dara – It was great for me as well being able to follow Holland once England was out. Shame about last night but there is always next time.

    Wendi – Or is your husband secretly Dutch? Has he ever looked excited at the sight of a windmill or a wheel of cheese?

  12. VallyP says:

    TIt’s all a bit after the fact now, isn’t Stu, but I do know what you mean. I tried to get out of it myself by saying that with South Africa out, I wasn’t really interested anymore, but of course, I got dragged in and in the end, I find I’ve now taken on the role of defending Holland fiercely against all the Brit criticism about our host countries dastardly and nefarious game tactics…I guess I’ve been both besieged and conquered, although not quite invaded yet ;-)

  13. Invader_Stu says:

    VallyP – I’ve found myself apologising for the English ref in final and sticking up for Holland as well. I thought he was giving a lot of yellow cards to Holland and yet ignoring a lot of the times he should have done the same for Spain. It’s a shame Holland did not win. I would have loved to see what happened if they did.

  14. A Touch of Dutch blog says:

    This is so true. I always did my best to cover my house in orange when this time came around…

  15. Freya says:

    As a American/swedish/Norwigian Living in Norway: I feel your pain. I have been asked That Question quite a few times per country of current residence.
    Well handled!