Former Manchester United forward Memphis Depay sparked conversation with his unusual sartorial choice for the Netherlands
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Memphis Depay caused a bit of a stir when he wore a headband during the Netherlands’ victory over Poland with the words ‘who cares’ written on the back (yes, without a question mark).
The message was Depay’s way of hitting back at journalists who had questioned why he wore a headband against Canada in a pre-tournament friendly earlier this month.
That sartorial choice had led to comments from the Dutch media, while Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman had said when asked about it: "I didn't even see it at first. I only noticed the headband just before the game when we went outside. I'll have to sleep on it for a night.”
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Memphis Depay's Euro 2024 headband was a message to Dutch media critics
Memphis Depay started the Dutch side's first fixture (Image credit: Getty Images)
Clearly and, let’s be honest, correctly feeling the reaction to his headgear was the Dutch equivalent of a storm in a teacup – which Wikipedia helpfully tells us is en storm i et glas vand (or 'a storm in a glass of water'), Depay had the message embroidered on his headband in time for his country’s Euro 2024 opener against Poland.
An argument could be made that going to the effort of finding a German-based embroidery company that could turn around the headband at short notice is suggestive that the answer to the question is ‘obviously, Depay himself’.
But the former Manchester United forward explained after another friendly against Iceland in the interim that there was nothing more to the headband than this: "It keeps the sweat away from my head and is therefore functional. My girlfriend says she thinks it's pretty, which is also important to me."
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Steven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication, WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.
