Why do the Netherlands football team wear orange? Euro 2024 jersey and kit colour explained
THE Dutch football team are instantly recognisable in their orange kit.
You may see them wearing the iconic shirts when the Netherlands take on England in the Euros 2024 semi-finals.
Why do the Netherlands wear orange?
Another name for the Netherlands is l'Oranje.
Orange has been considered the national colour for years as it is also the colour of the Dutch royal family - the House of Orange-Nassau.
Dutch football fans are often referred to as the Orange Legion as they show up in huge amounts at international tournaments.
The team are expected to wear the orange kit during their Euros 2024 match against England on Wednesday July 10, 2024.
Their orange colour isn't just worn when they play football, they also wear it in other sports too.
Meanwhile, they also took on the nickname of the Orange Army in Formula One as they support their number one driver, two-time World Champion Max Verstappen.
Why is the Dutch flag not orange?
Despite the national colour being orange, the Dutch flag is made up of three colours.
At the top, you'll find red, which symbolises bravery.
Then, there is white which represents peace and honesty.
Finally, you'll have blue at the bottom which means truth and justice.
Placed horizontally on top of each other, together they make up the Netherlands' flag.
The red used to be orange before 1664, however, when the Netherlands went through major political changes in their country, they replaced it with red.
It represented the political change that was turning the Netherlands into a Republic and disassociating it from the House of Orange - which is the royal family.
Why is the Netherlands also called Holland?
The Netherlands picked up the nickname of Holland and can occasionally be heard called this name.
The reason dates back to the years between 1588 and 1795 when the Netherlands' was then called the Republic of Seven United Netherlands.
In 1806, Napoleon appointed Louis as King of the country turned into a kingdom.
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The area which was called 'Holland' was the largest contributor to the economy and wealth of the Netherlands.
Most trade deals were made with Holland and that is why it emerged as one of its main nicknames.
Who is Euro 2024's sexiest star?
EURO 2024 has something for everyone from stunning goals, thrilling matches... and the continent's biggest hunks, writes Jack Figg.
Several stars have lit up the group stages with their skills on the pitch - but others are also catching the eye for their looks.
But who is the sexiest?
Thankfully AI boffins have carried out an analysis on the facial attractiveness of all players at the tournament.
And it's bad news for Gareth Southgate's Three Lions who are the fourth UGLIEST in the competition - one place below Scotland.
In fact it's England's group rivals Serbia who have fans swooning the most - boasting an average score of 77.90/100 with defender Strahinja Pavlovic deemed their most attractive.
While Turkey defender Mert Muldur has been ranked as the tournament's BEST-LOOKING player.
But who is England's sexiest star, and who makes the Euros' hunkiest XI? Read our full story.