This post was originally published on Politico.

Belgium recognizes three official languages: Dutch, which is dominant in Flanders; French, spoken in Wallonia; and German, spoken by a distinct community of around 70,000 people along the country’s eastern border.

Much of Belgian public life, including education, health care and the media, is organized separately along these linguistic lines. International sport is a notable exception, providing one of the few occasions when Belgians — regardless of whether they speak Dutch, French or German — rally behind the same flag.

Belgian soccer is “a sharp contrast to how the country is organized politically and culturally” Jeroen Scheerder, professor of sports

Author: By Sonja Rijnen