Michigan's Tulip Town Decked Out In Orange For World Cup Today
HOLLAND, Mich (WWJ) "Real Men Wear Orange"-- that's The Netherlands' official World Cup slogan, and people in west Michigan won't mind following along.
The area's rich Dutch heritage will have them rooting for their native land in today's semifinal against Argentina.
Look for much of west Michigan to be awash in orange, as the state's Dutch contingent cheers on The Netherlands in today's World Cup semifinal match against Argentina.
Klaas De Boer runs a series of soccer camps in Holland, and served as a diplomat when the Dutch National Team was in the U-S for the 1994 World Cup. He says Tulip Town is decked out in orange.
"In Holland right now, streets are colored in orange, many of the homes here, some of the bars, are covered in orange as well," De Boer said.
De Boer says while The Netherlands has never won the World Cup, that country's intense soccer development program could finally pay off this year.
"Their developmental system is probably the best in the world, so for that reason they can probably compete in games against Argentina, against Germany, against Brazil," De Boer said. "In Holland, every kid that grows up wants to be a professional soccer player."
De Boer, who was born in Holland, said natives are very "proud of their little country."