A tournament of passion, controversy and unity. From fan celebrations to social tensions, football demonstrates its power to inspire and divide.
He UEFA European Championship is about to conclude at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, where Spain will face England or the Netherlands for the tournament trophy.
He nationalism in football can manifest itself in radical and divisive ways, often reflecting social tensions broader and is exacerbated by political groups and fan culture.
Throughout the Euro Cup, several matches played in Germany were affected by episodes of nationalistic behavior. Hungarian and German fans were sued for showing Nazi greetingswhile in German cities the Turkish fans doing the ‘grey wolf’ salutea symbol associated with Turkish nationalism.
In Dortmund, Albanian and Turkish supporters waved the flag of ‘Greater Albania’. A photo of German fans buying football shirts with the number ’44’ went viral after the media pointed out their resemblance to the Nazi SS uniforms. Adidas subsequently banned soccer kits.
Croatian and Serbian fans clashed over historical and political symbols, with hate speech accusations and provocative gestures. Austrian supporters also generated controversy by presenting a banner with the slogan ‘Defend Europe’, linked to the ‘Identitarian Movement’ of extreme right Known for his anti-immigrant stance.
Several incidents led UEFA to sanction the players and to renew their calls for stricter measures against nationalist expressions during football events.
Tensions peaked when Austria clashed with Turkey, where the fans Austrians chanted nationalist slogans. Following Turkey’s 2-1 victory on July 2, Turkish player Merih Demiral saluted the ‘grey wolf’, intensifying the tournament’s controversy surrounding nationalist sentiments.
The gesture, with the middle and ring fingers pressed together with the thumb, symbolizes the ‘Gray Wolves’, a ultranationalist movement in Türkiye associated with extremismhe racism and the violence. While not universally banned, its use drew criticism from German authorities and led to Demiral’s two-match suspension.
National pride or nationalism?
Demiral defended his actions as a proud expression of Turkish identity. “The greeting, associated with ultranationalist sentiments and extremist groups such as the ‘Gray Wolves’, has a historical link with acts of violence and intolerance.”
“Although it is stated that it is a Turkish pride symbol, its association with atrocities and right-wing nationalism cannot be overlooked. Those who defend the salute often overlook its darker implications and historical context, including its use during massacres and attacks,” said a Turkish researcher who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
Critics maintain that these gestures they perpetuate divisions and promote exclusive nationalism. Furthermore, the defense of the salute by people aligned with apparently left-leaning parties, such as the CHP (Republican People’s Party), highlights the contradictions of Turkish politics, in which nationalist sentiments can transcend party lines.
According to the researcher, the controversy highlights the social tensions in Turkey over identity, nationalism and the legacy of political ideologies such as Kemalism (also known as Atatürkism), which, despite secular aspirations, have also perpetuated xenophobic and exclusionary attitudes.
Ahead of Turkey’s quarterfinal match against the Netherlands last weekend, the Police disperse the march of Turkish fans in Berlin, due to the representation of the gesture of many fans. The fans, who already had tickets for the match, were later encouraged to head to the stadium, where they were welcomed by thousands of Dutch fans.
“To the left! To the right!”
In a more positive celebration, fans Dutchmen They are causing a sensation on social networks with their enthusiastic dance to the tune of the Dutch party anthem ‘Links Rechts’ by Snollebollekes.
‘Euronews’ interviewed Henk van Beek, president of Oranje Bus, a distinctive orange double decker bus acquired in 2004 to travel to the Euro Cup held in Portugal. Since then, the bus has accompanied Dutch fans to all tournaments, including far-flung destinations such as Qatar and Brazil.
According to Van Beek, the bus was not initially intended for amateur marches when it was purchased two decades ago. “Initially, it was just for friends: park in city centers, play music and see what happens. We thought it could last six or eight years,” he explained.
“On the contrary, He has accompanied us in all the important tournaments of the Dutch national teams since 2004, and we have even had to recover it from the ports of countries where we play, such as Qatar and Brazil,” he added. Online, Dutch fans have captured attention with their synchronized dances, fueled by the song. Links Rechts”, which originally premiered in 2015.
According to Henk van Beek, president of the Orange Bus, the anthem gained momentum during a 2016 away game in Sweden, where 600 fans gathered behind the bus. “Its popularity increased even more during the 2017 Women’s European Cup in the Netherlands, coinciding with the victory of the Dutch team,” she noted.
ADVERTISING“We played it in all six cities during the tournament and it became a instant success. “It is now a classic every time we meet, and we have seen it grow along with the enthusiasm of the Dutch fans.”
Van Beek, who also DJs during fan marches. “In addition to ‘Links Rechts’, I often play another beloved Dutch song from 1988, ‘Wij houden van Oranje’. These songs embody our passion for the color orange“he told ‘Euronews’.
Four weeks of escapism?
When reflecting on football tournaments, many Germans fondly remember the “fairy tale of summer” 2006when the nation gathered in front of the screens to watch the men’s World Cup, which took Germany to the semifinals.
Under the motto “the world as a guest in a friend’s house”, the atmosphere was idyllicif only for a brief month in 2006. However, since then, this cherished “Sommermärchen” has been marred by accusations of corruption, clouding the integrity of the decision to host due to suspicions of improper payments.
Football tournaments, such as the Euro Cup and the World Cup, offer fans a brief break from reality and offer a way to escapism. Therefore, it is not surprising that expectations for this year’s Euro Cup were so high, with the hope of experiencing a second summer fairy tale, a “Sommermärchen 2.0”.
ADVERTISINGHas the tournament lived up to these hopes? According to van Beek, yes. “In these turbulent times, I believe this tournament has fostered unity” he observed. Amid moments of nationalism, the competition also sparked joy, enthusiasm and camaraderie, and Europeans forged new friendships.
The positive atmosphere was so contagious that some fans even changed allegiance and wore jerseys from other countries after their own team was eliminated. It seems that football has managed to unite Europeans a little (even if only for four weeks). People have made friends and lived their own summer 2024 fairy tale.
