Dutch Water Polo Players Juggle Success, Pressure, and High Expectations Amid Sudden Transition to World Cup

The Dutch water polo players can only enjoy their European title for a short time. In less than a week, preparations will start for the next major tournament, the World Cup in Qatar. “It will be a big challenge to recharge.”

She knows the date, time and opponent by heart. “February 4 at 10.30 am we start the World Cup with a match against America,” says Bente Rogge, half an hour after she scored the winning goal in the European Championship final against Spain (8-7 win). Smiling: “I don’t want to think about it yet.”

Normally the European Water Polo Championships are held in even years and the World Cup in odd years. But during the corona period, several tournaments were forced to move, causing the schedule to be confused.

It makes 2024 a unique and incredibly busy year for the successful Dutch women’s team. The world and European champion plays a European Championship (January), a World Cup (February) and the Olympic Games (July-August) in a period of just six months.

Dutch national team coach Evangelos Doudesis already called the cutthroat tournament schedule for his team “super shit” last week. “I don’t know who came up with this, but I don’t like it at all,” the Greek was clear.

After the European Championship final in Eindhoven, Doudesis briefly ponders whether the fast-approaching World Cup is less important this year. “I’ll never say that,” he finally answers. “But the World Cup will be a really tough job for us. We have just become European champions and have to play against the US again in 2.5 weeks. It is a big challenge to recharge after such a great success. “

Photo: ANP

How long do the water polo players have off until the World Cup?

Just after the nerve-wracking final battle of the European Championship in our own country, the World Cup still seems very far away. The players of the Dutch team sing and jump exuberantly to the party songs in the sold-out Pieter van den Hoogenband Swimming Stadium and take all the time for selfies with (young) fans.

“Several people asked me if we are going to celebrate this title,” says Laura Aarts, as she puts her trophy for best goalkeeper of the European Championship on the ground. “Of course we are going to party. Of course we are very happy. But we also keep our feet on the ground, because we know that in six days we will be back in the training pool in Zeist.”

Preparation for the world championship starts on Friday. This means that the water polo players do not even have a week off after a European Championship with six matches in nine days.

“I’m going to get away from it all for a while. Go home for a while. Take some rest,” says Aarts. “But I think it will continue to play in my mind that we have to move on very soon. It is a very strange situation, which we have all never experienced. I find it strange that it happens, but we have not really a choice. Of course we want to play polo at the highest level, so that’s what we’re going to do. But it will be difficult, that’s for sure.”

Daan de Ridder is a sports reporter

Daan follows the Olympic sports towards the Paris Games for NU.nl. Read more of his stories here.

Can the Dutch team peak again at the World Cup?

The golden success in Eindhoven will make the transition easier for the water polo players. The Dutch team remained undefeated at the European Championship and showed in the semi-final against Italy (7-6 win) and in the final against Spain that the team is very strong at the most important moments.

“Of course this European title gives a boost,” says Rogge. “When you win, you get energy from places you didn’t know were there. That will help us enormously towards the World Cup.”

“We don’t know whether it is feasible to peak at the world championships again. But we are fully committed to that, we have agreed on that. It is now up to us to prove that we can do that.”

Playing in Paris is his main goal

A European Championship in your own country is fun and it is nice to defend the world title at a World Cup. But for the water polo players, next summer’s Olympic Games in Paris are by far the most important tournament in 2024.

“We always want to win, we fight for every match and medal,” says captain Sabrina van der Sloot. “But we also know that we are in a process towards the Games. That tournament is really the end goal for our team.”