English tourists get an early start at Amsterdam pubs ahead of Euro semi-final

English tourists are making an early start at the Irish pub O’reilly’s in the city center of Amsterdam before their semi-final with the Netherlands. The English started drinking hours before the match, which starts at 9 p.m. and can be seen on several screens in the bar, a waitress told a group of men on the terrace.

Father and son Stewart and Gary Birkitt from Bury (near Manchester) will be watching the game in their England football shirts. “We have received friendly comments from the Dutch people thus far. They called us brave for walking around in our football shirts,” Stewart said.

The men were in Dusseldorf last weekend, where they watched the match between England and Switzerland in the fan zone. They go home on Thursday, which is why they are staying in Amsterdam now. “It is cheaper here because the Airbnbs were very expensive in Germany.” They joked that they brought a coat along with them so that they could cover up their shirts after the game if the Netherlands win.

The waitress is expecting a full house on Wednesday night with both Dutch and English supporters. The pub has 11 screens showing the match.

Paul Robertson, an Englishman who now lives in Dronten, is seated at the bar inside by Steven McFul from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Robertson is wearing an England shirt, McFul dons a shirt from the Dutch national team.

“As a matter of principle, I always wear the shirt of England’s opponent,” says Mcful. Nevertheless, he is fraternally drinking a beer with his English friend. Robertson has traveled to Amsterdam to watch the match with the Irishman, who is currently on vacation here.

Robertson thinks the Netherlands will win on Wednesday night. “They are simply better,” he admits. “I want England to win, but the Netherlands have a better team.”

If England do go through to the final, McFul knows one thing for sure. “Then I will wear Spain’s shirt.”