Rafaela ready to rep Dutch legacy with custom glove for the Classic

In 1988, the Dutch national soccer team won its first and only UEFA European Football Championship -- bear with us, we promise this is a baseball story.

Now, in any international competition, Dutch teams have a built-in aesthetic advantage; if everyone's turning up in their national colors, it's hard to miss the crew clad head-to-toe in an energetic, vivid orange. That year, the national team took it one step further, covering their jerseys in a truly mesmerizing geometric pattern. Think the Astros' iconic "Tequila Sunrise" uniforms from the same era run through a baseball-to-soccer translator.

It was an innovation in uniform design before they won a championship, is what we're trying to say.

With the 2026 World Baseball Classic right around the corner, and the Netherlands headed in looking for its first victory in this tournament, Rawlings re-created the pattern and, in a fit of brilliance, slapped it on a baseball glove. This week, said glove arrived at the Red Sox's Spring Training complex, addressed to Team Netherlands utility man and newly-minted Gold Glover Ceddanne Rafaela.

“I was really surprised and excited," Rafaela told MLB.com's Ian Browne. "When I saw the box, I was like, 'oh, they sent me another glove because I had to have three. They sent me an extra one, and when I opened it, it was a surprise."

"I love it. Growing up in Curaçao, everyone was cheering for the Netherlands. This year is going to be FIFA, World Cup, too, so it’s exciting.”

Although the design will surely inspire nostalgia for plenty around Team Netherlands, ironically, the man sporting the glove won't quite be among them -- Rafaela was born in the year 2000.