Spain's fans in Northeast Ohio rejoice over World Cup soccer win

As the national team from Spain won its first ever World Cup Sunday (and another Dutch team lost a final for the third time since 1974) fans from both countries gathered around the world and around Northeast Ohio to scream, cheer and cry for their teams

By Michael Scott and Brie Zeltner Plain Dealer Reporters

Arriba', Espana!

Tough luck, Netherlands -- again.

As the national team from Spain won its first ever World Cup Sunday (and another Dutch team lost a final for the third time since 1974) fans from both countries gathered around the world and around Northeast Ohio to scream, cheer and cry for their teams

"Ole' , ole'-ole'-ole'! We did it, we did it!" yelled Amanda Ruiviejo as she and a house full of friends and family in Cuyahoga Falls celebrated the 1-0 overtime win by Spain, televised throughout the world from South Africa.

The world was well represented in Ruiviejo's living room: She was joined by friends from India, Nicarauga and Mexico as well as first- and second-generation Spaniards.

But the honored guests for Sunday's World Cup final were Ruiviejo's parents, Angels Pastor and Miguel Ruiviejo -- in the final week of a three month stay with their daughter.

"I'm so happy for them and so happy they are here for this," said Ruiviejo, who works with Hispanic families at the Domestic Violence Center in Cleveland and came to the United States from Spain 10 years ago. "There is a big party going on in Spain right now, but I'm so happy right here right now.

"Time to celebrate and maybe make some more sangria -- or maybe we should go straight to the wine!"

Northeast Ohio's Dutch faithful, however, were left crying in their beers.

About 80 Dutch fans gathered at The Boneyard restaurant in Mayfield Heights, where the crowd volume was low and the atmosphere tense throughout the game.

But despite the palpable anxiety over the sporting event, the Dutch also reveled in spending an afternoon with their own people -- nearly all of them decked out in the famous bright orange colors of their team.

Keimpe van den Berg, 48, his wife Sytske Wiersma, 46, and their 12-year-old son Sybren arrived in the United States from Holland on Wednesday.

Their next door neighbor in Hudson, Bernardine van Kessel, was one of the watch party's organizers.

Van den Berg and his family were "very excited to be here and share it with people," particularly because they don't yet have a television.

Pim van den Bergh, 46, visiting Ohio from Winona, Minn., also felt lucky to be with other Dutch. He searched the Internet for Dutch groups in Cleveland to find a place to watch the game.

"I pictured myself sitting alone in a sports bar begging the bartender to put on the game," he said before the two extra time periods began. "This is great."

Fleur Chase, 31, of Cleveland, who grew up in the Netherland's province of Holland, brought her four-month-old daughter, Annelies to the party.

"There's a lot of energy in the Dutch community when they get together in big groups," she said. "It was worth coming to a bar with a young baby to be with this group."

A young Dutch fan tenses up during the scoreless first half of the World Cup Final. About 80 followers of The Netherlands -- many wearing the classic bright orange of the Dutch -- gathered at The Boneyard in Mayfield Heights to watch their countrymen fall short, losing to Spain 1-0.

But when tension turned to despair in the final minutes, some were overcome.

"It's just sad," said van Kessel after the match, wiping away tears. "I'm not ashamed of crying."

Sytze van der Laan, 42, of Cleveland Heights, brought his sons to watch the game and was hoping for a better outcome for his kids.

"Once in a lifetime would be nice," he said.

Van Kessel offered a solution to the Dutch sorrows not so different from the party plans of the Spaniards: "I'm going to get a couple of Heinekens and try to forget this," she said.