While King Willem-Alexander and the Dutch royal family enjoyed a double World Cup triumph during the weekend, British teams were left to watch on from the sidelines. The contrast between the two nations is a stark reminder of what happens when sport is prioritised by government and funded accordingly, or left to market forces and individual determination.
In the Netherlands, the winning of both the men's and women's hockey World Cups in the same weekend is a national achievement of historic proportions. It reflects a system where grassroots funding, coaching pathways, and school sports programmes are tied to national ambition. The Dutch royal family, present at the finals in Amsterdam and Auckland, represented a country that treats sport as a public good, not just a private luxury.
For British teams, the story is a familiar one. Despite pockets of excellence and individual brilliance, the lack of consistent, long-term investment in team sports is laid bare. Hard-working families across the UK, like those in the industrial towns I grew up in, often lack access to affordable sports facilities, qualified coaching, and the time to pursue athletics after a long day's work. The question is not about talent. It is about opportunity.
When the British teams return home, they will face the same challenges that families do in their everyday lives: rising costs, stretched budgets, and a system that too often rewards the few rather than the many. The Dutch success is not just a sporting victory. It is a lesson in what happens when a nation decides that sport, like health and education, is worth investing in for all. For the UK, that lesson is as relevant today as it has ever been.