DUTCH fans were in great spirits ahead of their country’s Euro 2024 opener against Poland.
But one unfortunately found himself down a pint after being whacked by a stray ball.
Thousands of supporters rocked up to Hamburg decked in their famous Oranje kits.
In footage captured before the match, beaming fans could be seen clutching pints in the stands.
As one noticed a camera panning across, with pints in both hands, he gleefully raised one of them towards it… only to quickly be left in shock.
In his big moment, the Dutch supporter was struck by a stray football, presumably a wayward warm-up shot.
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It struck the fan in the chest, before rebounding onto one of his hands, knocking one of his pints flying and leaving him seeing stars.
Incredibly, however, his other pint remained remarkably intact.
Despite the initial shock, he managed to retain a sturdy grip on his remaining drink.
The fan’s pal to his left, who was gripping two pints, also managed to avoid any spillage.
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Reacting to the moment on social media, one fan wrote: “Well held sir.”
While a second erroneously echoed: “Not a drop spilled, well played sir.”
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Another added: “Fair play he still held the beer! Knight this man.”
The stunned fan’s afternoon threatened to get worse within the first 20 minutes of the match, when Adam Buksa headed in Piotr Zielinski’s corner to give Poland a shock lead.
Things got better for the Oranje on the half-hour, however, when Cody Gakpo’s deflected shot fortuitously found its way into the back of the net.
Boss Ronald Koeman eventually threw on Wout Weghorst, with the former Manchester United loanee providing an instant impact.
With virtually his first touch, the lanky forward swept home Nathan Ake’s through ball to seal his side’s 2-1 win.
Netherlands Euro 2024 guide
RONALD KOEMAN has overhauled Holland’s playing style after returning for a second stint in charge.
Captain Virgil van Dijk will be expected to be a stalwart in defence while Xavi Simons will be hoping for a breakout tournament. But they may miss injured Frenkie de Jong.
MANAGER: Ronald Koeman
Ex-Barcelona and Everton boss was the scourge of England as a player when he knocked Graham Taylor’s side out of World Cup qualifying in 1994.
STAR MAN: Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool star has won everything there is to win at club level and will be counted on to keep things tight at the back.
How Holland attack
The Netherlands will play with a typically Dutch patient possession-based build-up.
They will stagger their positions to play through the lines, but can be overly individualistic in the final third.
How Holland defend
The Dutch will play with a medium block, allowing the opposition to break the first line before engaging in the midfield area.
They can run into problems when they fail to protect the middle of the pitch.
Read the full Netherlands 2024 guide here, including predicted line-ups, odds and Wags
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
