Why the US Should Support the Netherlands for the Rest of the World Cup 2014

Dutch soccer jerseys/Vogler

As the World Cup Soccer (or football as it's called around the world) in Brazil is reaching its final stages, there are still six countries left competing: Brazil that beat fellow South American contender Colombia, and Germany that beat France in today's quarter finales. Then still matching up in tomorrow's quarter finals, Argentina and Belgium, and the Netherlands and Costa Rica.

In the meanwhile, last Tuesday, Team USA was eliminated by Belgium in extra time in a hard fought game.  Now that the US is out, The Wall Street Journal executive editor, Almar Latour, who is from Dutch origins, calls upon US soccer fans not to stop watching the World Cup, but instead to start cheering for the Dutch team because of the many historical ties and similarities between the US and the Netherlands.

Latour states:


" For starters, our flags have the same colors, which means you don't necessarily have to switch fan gear if you switch your support to the Netherlands............

....... Like you, the Netherlands has had fights with Belgians and lost. Granted, ours was in the 1830s while yours was just Tuesday. But we both had great defenders who ultimately could not save us from losing. Yours of course is the mighty Tim Howard, blocker of countless shots at his goal. Ours is Jan van Speijk, a Dutch naval officer who when confronted with hostile Belgians decided to blow up his own gunboat in front of the Belgian city of Antwerp.....

......... Like the Netherlands or not, I think you can legally claim victory in any case if we win. Your grandparents freed our grandparents 70 years ago, so without you guys there would be no Dutch team. We won't forget that......

...........And before I forget: Linguists say that the word "Yankee" very likely derived from Dutch: Some say the word stems from "Janke," or little Jan, once a common name in the Netherlands and in New Amsterdam. Others say it derived from "Jan-Kees," a common first name. Either way, if you're a Yankee, you're practically Dutch already. "


Although, I agree with Latour that it'd be great if US fans would support Holland, be careful who you cheer for tomorrow. Yesterday I cheered for France, and Germany won. Then, I cheered for Colombia and Brazil won. Now I just say, may the best teams win........