Der Oranje Invasion

Thank you Oranje! Photographing so many matches the past few weeks I had chosen who were my favorite fans this World Cup. My top choice was the Ghana fans, but a close second were the Holland fans. They were passionate and intense, but given the chance to party, not a moment would be put to waste.
I met up with the Netherlands fans and other fans in Cape Town which was a great place for a match.
Unlike Jo'burg where there was no central meeting point or possibility to walk to the matches, Cape Town had created a "Fan Walk" where after fans met up at the festival, they could walk the 2.4 km to the stadium.

It was a great place for fans all over the world to interact.
Blow their vuvuzuela..Grab a seat and a beer...
or 5 or 10....
and make their way down...

with the handful or Uruguayan fans who made the trip.

At the stadium the spirits of the Holland fans were sky-high before the match.
After a tense opening 60 minutes, when Holland scored their third goal the Dutch fans could not sit in their seats any more but had to get up and start dancing throughout the stadium.
When Uruguay scored a late goal there were some tense final moments....
But then the Netherlands fans erupted into celebration!
Carried their clogs sky high...And could feel the World Cup trophy within their grasp.
Even the Oranje General, who has been a fan since 1974, could taste the sweet scent of victory within his grasp.
From the hour long party outside the stadium, the Dutch fans danced all the way out of the stadium...
And partied for a bit with other fans along Long Street in Cape Town...
Before ending up together once again to celebrate their victory.
The Dutch fans also are a bunch of family. Some have been attending matches for years and the celebration was special.
A former secretary of state for Netherlands and the goalkeeper from the Netherlands Euro winning 1988 side partied with the fans...
But the moment, was sweet...
...the emotions, were pure, and the fun was nonstop. My best wishes to the Dutch on Sunday. I hope their long wait for their first World Cup will soon be over.