The European Football Championship is fast approaching and the Netherlands is falling under the spell of the Dutch team! Orange outfits are being brought out everywhere and streets are being decorated in anticipation of a promising summer for the Dutch national team. As fans prepare for the tournament, we investigated which players are generating the most online attention on Instagram.

Our social media analysis shows that Memphis Depay, Virgil van Dijk and Matthijs de Ligt are true crowd pullers not only on the field, but also online. There are five players with more than five million followers on Instagram. Frenkie de Jong, who had to drop out this week due to an injury, would otherwise have been in second place.

Partners of football stars shine next to the European Championship

As the European Football Championship approaches, the spotlight is on not only the players, but also their partners, who have built a loyal fan base online. Mikky Kiemeney and Annekee Molenaar, partners of Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt respectively, have each amassed a significant audience. These ladies are more than just 'football wives'; they are successful influencers and fashion icons. Mikky Kiemeney will not be present at the European Football Championship, because her husband Frenkie de Jong had to withdraw due to an injury.

First generation of football women

At previous European and World Cups of Dutch football, when players like Rafael van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder were the big stars, their partners also stepped into the spotlight: Sylvie Meis and Yolanthe Cabau van Kasbergen. They are perfect examples of how football women from a previous era became media icons. Van der Vaart and Meis as well as Sneijder and Cabau are no longer together.