Missouri town goes all out for Netherlands national team before World Cup training
By Eric Graves
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RIVERSIDE, Missouri (KMBC) — Riverside, Missouri’s more than 4,000 residents are getting ready to welcome one of the biggest fandoms in world soccer.
The Netherlands National Team will soon drive into town to practice at the KC Current’s training facility.
Even though the team won’t be staying in town, Riverside is going all out to make the Dutch feel as welcome as possible.
Welcoming everyone to town right now are giant wooden cutouts of some of the most prominent Dutch players, a lion and the message “Welcome Oranje Legion.”
On the roads around the art, orange soccer balls have been painted onto the road, street posts have banners proclaiming “Oranje” and even restaurant employees are wearing orange shirts.
“I’d say we’re pretty ready here in Riverside,” said Shannon Rousseau, the Communications Director for the City of Riverside.
The Dutch national team will arrive in Kansas City next Tuesday, June 9, and they’ll start training at the KC Current’s practice facility on Wednesday, June 10.
Rousseau said they’re hoping the team takes note.
“I know that we are trying to rework their route to potentially come through the city so they can see everything we’ve set up,” Rousseau said.
If not, the 60 goodie bags the city has made for each player and coach on the Dutch national team might deliver the message.
“It has local items from our businesses,” Rousseau said. “So, we’ve got bourbon balls from down the street, we have Hallmark ornaments.”
The Riverside local businesses have all bought in.
For nearly 40 years, the Corner Cafe has been an institution in Riverside and the Kansas City metro.
Owner Jason Rule said they’ve added more orange in the landscaping, decorations and the staff are even wearing orange shirts.
One thing they aren’t changing is the food. Rule said he thinks Dutch visitors will want to try classic American eats like their cinnamon rolls and pie.
“Anytime that you visit another country, you want to embrace the food and the culture and I believe that, yes, the Dutch will be here in force,” Rule said.
The first training session for the Netherlands in Riverside will be open to the public.
Riverside is giving out 120 free tickets to Riverside residents.
“We have had 1,300 responses so far,” Rousseau said. “So, we’re going through the list verifying who is actually a Riverside resident, because that is exclusive to our residents who we’re going to pick.”
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