SPORT {"5 WorldCup viewership low f:ilriilt,filir tThe ll JulyWorldCup finals werewatched by 12,215,000 viewers, ac- cordingto NOStelevision, slightly down fromthe 12.270.000who watchedthe semi-finalagainst Uruguay. Nearly l0 millionpeople watched at homeor with friends,while the rest watched the game in a cafeor ona bigscreen The slightly lowerfinal figureis due to summer ho|dayswith many Dutch on vacation. Thefinal did not lead to absenteeismon Monday,according to healthand safety organisationArboNed. The population ofthe isnearly tz million. VanBronckhorst retires , Ciovannivan Bronckhorst retiredfrom professional football on 25 Julyfrom stadium. Ihe 35-year- oldannounced he wouldretire after a friendlymatch between and RealMallorca (0-l). "This is reallythe last,"said Feyenoord general manager EricCudde after the game, addrng Van Bronckhorsthad"a phenomenal career." VanBronckhorst played his first game forFeyenoord in 1993 against the then dreamteam,FCBarcelona. Van Bronck- horstwas the captain of theDutch team duringthe World Cup, after which he wasappointed Knight of theOrder of Whenreigning Dutch champions FC RKCWaalwiik and Sparta . the next championswill normallynot the battle,the championtrophy (Kam- Oranje-Nassa u. Twenteon 6 Augusttravel to the south It is an openquestion as to whether raisemany eyebrows. Since the introduc- pioensschaal)wil! not esasilyfind a oi the Netherlandsto playRoda JC, the FC Twentecan defendtheir first ever tion of the Eredivisiein 1955.the three new home.There is everychance that 55th seasonof the Eredivisiewill be leaguechampionship, especially after clubshave shared the title between them the newseason will be as excitingand underway. their successfulrnanager Steve McCla- an incredible48 times(Aiax 2l times, unpredictableasever. A totalof 18teams will becompeting renhas left the club. PSVl8 andFeyenoord 9). Thefull fixturelist of all 506matches forthe championship, with 16'old'teams Anyonehaving followed Dutch foof Butwith AZ Alkmaarand FC Twente and moreinformation about the teams and two new additions.De Graafschapballwill knowthat betting on AjaxAm- winningthe lasttwo seasonsand with can be foundon the oflicialEredivisie andSBV Excelsior will replacerelegated sterdam,PSV or Feyenoordas otherquality teams like FC Utrechtin website: http ://www.eredivisie.nl

Rightafter Brazil was sent home by Oranje,DVC started producing a special DutchWorld Cup loss brings flag, saying'Holland Kampioen 2010,' next to a lion'shead. More than a bit risky,as the semi-finalagainst Uruguay laal.c nrnfil stillhad t: th: I ^nA !_..t!"X"{ 1lq IryJ.*gr]l