AMSTERDAM – Three days after the Brussels attacks, the Netherlands and France football teams paid their own tribute to the 31 dead and 300 in jured Friday with a minute’s silence before their international.
With the death of Dutch football legend Johan Cruyff also weighing on the evening, the two teams stood on opposing sides of the centre circle.
Several Belgian flags were waved in the 53,000 capacity Amsterdam Arena. At the end of the minute, Arsenal and France striker Olivier Giroud stood for a while alone with his head in his hands.
Amsterdam is barely 200 kilometres (125 miles) from Brussels. French and Dutch nationals were among the dead and injured in Tuesday’s attacks on Brussels airport and a city metro station.
Source: AFP, March 26
