Uldriķis's move to Heerenveen angers his former Cambuur fans

Latvia national team forward Roberts Uldriķis has stirred anger among fans of his former Dutch club, Cambuur Leeuwarden, after moving to its biggest rival in the Friesland province league, Heerenveen.

Uldriķis previously played in the Netherlands from 2021 to 2024, representing Cambuur, where he scored 23 goals in 88 appearances across all competitions. Cambuur and Heerenveen are fierce rivals partly because their home cities lie just about 30 minutes apart by car, with both clubs representing Friesland province. However, Heerenveen is more strongly associated with the province's flag, anthem and symbols, which has led Cambuur fans to call themselves "city dwellers" while labeling their rivals' supporters "farmers."

Fan backlash and player's response

Former club supporters publicly declared Uldriķis "persona non grata," displaying signs to that effect. The player acknowledged that the transfer happened very quickly and that he initially didn't think much about the rivalry between the two clubs. He explained that his contract with Cambuur expired and the club chose not to renew it, leaving him to consider his career prospects elsewhere.

Uldriķis said he has received both positive and negative private messages from former club fans, but hopes for understanding, stressing that football is his job. The derby between the two clubs is scheduled for December 5 at Heerenveen's stadium - not his first experience with such rivalry matches, having previously played in similarly tense derbies in Latvia, Greece and Germany.

Heerenveen currently sits 12th in the 18-team league with five points from five matches, while Cambuur occupies last place in the standings.