European Football Cup 2008’s Weblog

The Netherlands’ 4-1 win against France prompted high praise from the European media – and also persuaded one supporter to propose marriage to his girlfriend.

‘TGV train’
The Group C draw had seemed cruel for Marco van Basten’s side, lining them up against world champions Italy, France and Romania, but last night’s victory in Berne – combined with the earlier 3-0 success against the Azzurri – sent the Dutch into the last eight in quick time. It also earned plaudits from the international press. Fast and creative, the Oranje’s 4-2-3-1 formation has bewitched audiences worldwide. “So the title is going to Holland,” wrote German newspaper Bild. L’Equipe in France called the Dutch “extremely powerful and full of self-confidence”, while England’s Guardian has renamed UEFA EURO 2008™ “Holland’s tournament”. Back home, De Telegraaf said the Oranje looked like a “high-speed TGV train speeding past the French” while De Volkskrant wrote: “It is a fairy tale. One thinks this can’t be real, but it really is true.”

Wedding bells
The real fairy-tale stuff, however, was happening in the stands at the Stade de Suisse Wankdorf. Observant fans would have spotted the orange flag draped over the side of the stadium reading: “Cyn, als we winnen trouw ik met je” (Cyn, if we win, I will marry you). It belonged to Danny van der Logt, who had planned to display it at the Italy game but could not do so due to the number of Italy supporters in his section of the stadium. His girlfriend of 20 years, Cynthia, accepted the unusual proposal, although Van der Logt was almost tempted to move the goalposts. “I could tell her that I meant winning the whole tournament, but I won’t,” he joked. “Seriously, after 20 years together, the time is right, so we will certainly get married.”