A throng at Eindhoven’s Stadhuisplein, so much smoke that you can’t see anything, and a deafening noise from the speakers. Meanwhile, the trophy is passed from hand to hand on the steps of the town hall.
The celebration of PSV is a reality, driving tens of thousands of people packed together in the sun into a frenzy of joy. The presenters individually announce the players’ names and count down the shirt numbers. “Number twenty, Guus Tilllllll.” Six white smoke plumes shoot up from beneath the stage to emphasise this. Finally, Luuk de Jong is introduced. He shows the trophy to the ecstatic crowd.
Disappointment
Anyone who thought it couldn’t get crazier after last year is mistaken. The PSV championship seems to be celebrated even more. It is hectic in the city centre of Eindhoven, along the route where the flatbed truck passed.
Notably, almost everyone remained completely confident. “I was sure we would still become champions,” says a young man in an old PSV shirt. Even after the setback against Ajax, optimists still believed in PSV’s 26th championship. “I was convinced Ajax would drop points,” confidently states a woman in a wheelchair. She has front-row seats, right in front of the stage.
Player Joey Veerman revealed just before the celebration that he was unhappy with the driver of the ‘flatbed truck’. He claimed they had driven too fast, causing the team to arrive at the Town Hall Square earlier than expected. Veerman said, “Haha! I think he had to get home on time…” But then he provided a serious analysis of the recent period. “We came back from a completely defeated position. Only in the last few matches did we start to believe again. It’s wonderful that we are here again now. I want to experience this a few more times!”
Marcel Brands, managing director of PSV, also felt a release after considerable stress. “After the defeat against Ajax, to be honest, I didn’t have much confidence left. But suddenly, we started winning again, and apparently, they became nervous in Amsterdam. It’s, of course, bizarre that we are now champions after all.” This is already Brands’ fifth title with PSV: “This joy of celebration never gets old!”
Exciting
Next year again, perhaps? That is the question posed to a man singing loudly as the players are called up to the stage individually. “I’m fine with that,” he laughs. “But perhaps a bit less exciting than this season.” A steward, who has worked at PSV for about thirty years, agrees with him. “Every championship is special, but I enjoy this one more. I can’t bear to think they were celebrating in Amsterdam now!”
Source: Studio040.nl
Translated by: Kirti Singh
