Euro 2012: Painting the continent 'Oranje'
June, 3, 2012
6/03/12
12:31
PM ET
By
Patrick Dorsey | ESPN.com
UEFA Euro 2012, one of soccer's top international competitions, kicks off June 8. In anticipation of this eagerly awaited event, Playbook is teaming up with ESPN FC to offer sights and other delights from each participating nation.
The Dutch national team is known for more than great soccer. Those orange jerseys are just as iconic as -- perhaps even more than -- legends like Johan Cruyff.
So today we're painting Europe orange in honor of the Oranje.
Robert Vos/Getty Images... as in literally painting it orange -- like in this photo before Euro 2008, in the town of Goirle.
AP Photo/Hassan AmmarAll of these players -- (from left) Mark van Bommel, Wesley Sneijder, Gregory van der Wiel, Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben -- made manager Bert van Marwijk's 23-man squad for Euro 2012.
AP Photo/Martin MeissnerSpeaking of van Marwijk, the manager himself looks pretty good surrounded by orange.
Liu Jin/AFP/Getty ImagesCreatures of all kinds love the Dutch national team, like this bear from the 2010 World Cup.
Valery Hache/Getty ImagesEven inanimate objects -- like this statue from Euro 2008 -- love going orange.
Greetsia Tent/WireImage/Getty ImagesSome European musicians, like British singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka, get caught up in the fever.
Getty ImagesDid we say European? Here's Jon Bon Jovi, at a concert in Amsterdam during Euro 2008.
Getty ImagesIt's the fans, though, who particularly love getting oranged out.
David Cannon/Getty ImagesAs we were saying ...
And even more fan shots from World Cup 2010 ...
The Dutch national team is known for more than great soccer. Those orange jerseys are just as iconic as -- perhaps even more than -- legends like Johan Cruyff.
So today we're painting Europe orange in honor of the Oranje.
Robert Vos/Getty Images... as in literally painting it orange -- like in this photo before Euro 2008, in the town of Goirle.AP Photo/Hassan AmmarAll of these players -- (from left) Mark van Bommel, Wesley Sneijder, Gregory van der Wiel, Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben -- made manager Bert van Marwijk's 23-man squad for Euro 2012.AP Photo/Martin MeissnerSpeaking of van Marwijk, the manager himself looks pretty good surrounded by orange.Liu Jin/AFP/Getty ImagesCreatures of all kinds love the Dutch national team, like this bear from the 2010 World Cup.Valery Hache/Getty ImagesEven inanimate objects -- like this statue from Euro 2008 -- love going orange.Greetsia Tent/WireImage/Getty ImagesSome European musicians, like British singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka, get caught up in the fever.Getty ImagesDid we say European? Here's Jon Bon Jovi, at a concert in Amsterdam during Euro 2008.Getty ImagesIt's the fans, though, who particularly love getting oranged out.David Cannon/Getty ImagesAs we were saying ...And even more fan shots from World Cup 2010 ...
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images | Christian Ort/GEPA/US Presswire
David Cannon/Getty Images | Tim Groothuis/Witters Sport/US Presswire
TRIVIA
With the Holland national flag featuring only red, white and blue, why is orange so prevalent in the Netherlands?
Patrick Dorsey | email
PlaybookPatrick Dorsey is a Playbook editor. He has worked for the Web and newspapers, had a cup of craft service coffee in film school, and played in one Division III golf tournament (he shot 105).
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