At Fairlived, attention is paid to what happens behind the scenes of football and the shocking events on the edge of the pitch. This week is about Indonesian Arnan Benafsihi (48 years old) and his great love for the Dutch national team.
Similar to Wout Weghorst, Arnan Benafsahhi imagines Virgil van Dijk lifting the trophy in the air at his home in Jakarta. The Dutch national team winning a European title would make him the happiest man on earth. “Oh, I can guarantee you it will be really wild in Indonesia,” he says, wearing an orange T-shirt. “When we win, we often take to the streets in a convoy of motorbikes. Not to mention if we actually become European champions. Then it turns into a big madhouse here.”
“Unfortunately, we have to wear a suit to the office these days, but otherwise I would wear an orange shirt every day.”
He would rather wake up every day and go to work in a Dutch national team shirt. “Unfortunately, we have to wear a suit to the office these days, but otherwise I would do that,” he laughs.
Benafsahhi works for a company that manages ATMs, but he also serves as vice chairman of the board of directors Orange EndoThe Dutch national team fan club in the Asian country. After the Netherlands, there is no other place where as many Dutch fans live as in Indonesia. “What city do you actually live in?” Benfashy quickly asks. “Utrecht?” Ah, the city of Wesley Sneijder and Marco van Basten!'
He has a huge obsession with everything related to Orange. His knowledge of Ronald Koeman's formation is greater than that of most Dutch people, as he owns an impressive collection of Orange shirts and has managed to have his photo taken with the greats of Dutch football history, including Louis van Gaal, Ruud Gullit and Arjen Robben.
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