Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands has knighted Dutch national coach Bert van Marwijk and the Orange team captain, Giovanni van Bronckhorst. They received their distinctions on Tuesday morning, a day after their return from the World Cup final in South Africa.
During a brief ceremony at the Prime Minister's residence, the Catshuis in The Hague, both men were presented with the official decorations by caretaker Health and Sports Minister Ab Klink. Mr Van Marwijk and Mr Van Bronkhorst are now Knights in the Order of Orange Nassau.
"I'm speechless," Bert van Marwijk said when he left the Catshuis. Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who is bowing out as professional football player, added "We may be slightly disappointed [at being beaten in the World Cup final], but in a little while we will remember all of this with a fond smile".
After an audience with the queen, the entire Orange squad will be helicoptered to the capital Amsterdam for a triumphal boat parade through the city's canals.
© Radio Netherlands Worldwide
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Congratulations to the Dutch national coach Bert van Marwijk and the Orange team captain, Giovanni van Bronckhorst. Reaching the finals with an all win record has been a massive achievement for the men in Orange. Well done.
I am very surprised at the reaction to the Dutch defeat in the World Cup Final. As a neutral observer who had hoped to see a good game it became clear after only 15 minutes that the Spanish team were far superior in all aspects of the game. At that point it was obvious that Holland decided that the only way they had any chance of winning was to destroy Spain with any tactic, legitimate or not. They were a disgrace to the great Dutch teams of the 1970s. To blame the referee is quite ridiculous as Holland were lucky to reach half time with more than 9 players left on the pitch. The referee was extremely lenient towards Holland, presumably because he did not wish to ruin the game for the watching millions. If it had been any other match rather than the final at least two Dutch players would have been sent off in the first half. The referee was intimidated and had to work very hard to control the game. The Spanish were not entirely blameless but you have to accept that it was Holland who destroyed the game as a spectacle. All very very sad.
I can come to the same conclusion about the English team as well - the moment they stepped on the pitch you knew the only way the English were going to make it to the world cup were as referees!