shout. On weekdays, Nikki Everr rents out bouncy castles.
On Friday, the goalkeeper will face Sweden in the quarter-finals of the European Championship.
Here is the Belgium squad that includes a group of students, physiotherapists and shop assistants.
As Nikki Evard himself describes it:
– When I pull the plug, the party is over!
The 27-year-old’s role isn’t limited to Belgium’s goalkeeper during the European Championship. She is also the president of a company that rents out inflatable castles for various occasions.
“Just before the corona hit, we tried to organize a sports and soccer camp, including a rubber castle for all the girls and boys,” Evard told HNL.
– When we wanted to buy one, the seller surprised me by asking if I was interested in taking on his business.
“I can live on my own football”
Everr, his club’s team OH Leuven, is hoping for a hit before returning.
– Well, I can live on my football, but on holidays and holidays I need something to do. I can’t just play FIFA all the time, I’m an entrepreneur. So I agreed.
From the start, Evrard had six bouncy castles, now nine. The next step would be to appoint the brother to lighten the workload.
– When you go somewhere with a bouncy castle, everyone is happy and overjoyed. And the guard adds that they like it when I come but they don’t like it when I get home.
Seven players are professionals
In the Belgian EC Squad, in addition to the bouncy castle specialist, you will also find a trained teacher, an economist, a driver, a physiotherapist and shop staff in a sports store.
– About seven professional players. I’m a pro, but I’m learning or working a lot, says Justin Vanheivermaet, a midfielder for Reading on a daily basis.
The league is gradually growing and I hope that one day it will be professional.
A different reality compared to Sweden, where all the players are full-time professionals.
We wish everyone could get a professional contract and live fully in their own football, but Belgium is not the only team that works in this way, says Amanda Illistest.
Shaw: “It can increase interest”
Olivia Schouf is surprised when she hears about the position of the Belgian team.
– I didn’t know that. Chugg says things happen all the time, and it’s going slower in some countries and faster in others.
– But it is positive that some are (professionals) and hopefully when they are doing good tournaments now it can increase the interest so that people realize that they deserve better.
This is the first time that the Belgian women’s team has qualified from a group match in a tournament.
Justin Vanhevermaet hopes that success during the European Championship will give football a real boost in their home country.
With good results we can have a good atmosphere and if we succeed, the younger players can look forward to it, she says.
– If they then want to invest, maybe they can get a chance to sign a professional contract.
For Sweden, it’s important to be careful that Nikki Evard and the gang don’t ruin the party on Friday.