This article is part of the Guardian’s Women’s World Cup 2023 Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 32 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from two countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 20 July.
Overview
After the Euro 2022 debacle under Mark Parsons, Andries Jonker has revitalised the team. The Orange Lionesses are once again showing traits of Sarina Wiegman’s golden generation, which peaked in grand fashion in 2017 with European Championship gold and won silver at the World Cup two years later. Unlike Parsons, who only worked part-time in the Netherlands in his first months because of club commitments in Portland, Jonker threw himself into the team 24 hours a day from the start. Moreover, he kept his ear to the ground with his players, each of whom he visited, including the contingent of internationals active abroad.
And the Lionesses reaped the benefits. Jonker considered the heavy workload his top players endured and gave some a rest during international windows. This clever thinking has given the coach a supremely fit squad, barring star player Vivianne Miedema of course, who tore a cruciate ligament before the winter break. The injured forward has played the role of sounding board for Jonker, though, who has had weekly contact with the Arsenal star over the phone in the buildup to the World Cup. It is actions such as these that make his squad a close-knit unit.
Although Jonker wants to keep his playing style and starting line-up a “secret” from his opponents for as long as possible, he gave a glimpse of his formation and tactics during the first serious practice match against Belgium in early July. The almost sacred 4-3-3 in the Netherlands no longer forms the familiar system of the team. With youngsters Victoria Pelova and Esmee Brugts, he has two fast and capable wing-backs who can give the “oldies” in the centre a hand now and then. Both had never played at the back until this season. The speedy Lineth Beerensteyn and Lieke Martens have a free role up front and are supported by Jill Roord.
Though Jonker prefers a 5-3-2 he can always switch to the familiar 4-3-3 if flexibility is needed. The coach wants his defence higher up the field to put pressure on the opposition more quickly. Going into full pressing mode as a team when losing the ball is the motto these days.
The coach
Andries Jonker is football crazy. Although never a great player himself, his CV boasts some big clubs. The Amsterdam native worked as a coach at the federation (KNVB), was assistant under Louis van Gaal at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, among others, and held roles at FC Volendam, MVV, Willem II and Wolfsburg. He was also director of the academy at Arsenal for three years. He has been the national team coach since 2022, after the European Championship in England. He was also the women’s national team coach on an interim basis in 2001. His clarity and expertise are widely praised by his players, who mark the Mark Parsons era (2021-2022) as a lost year.
Star player
Jill Roord is the big name in the Oranje machine in the absence of injured Vivianne Miedema. The daughter of former professional footballer René Roord has eye-catching technique, is two-footed and can pass the ball like no other. Her strike rate is also impressive for a midfielder: 21 goals in 86 internationals at the time of writing.
After a strong season with Wolfsburg in the Frauen-Bundesliga and the Champions League, Roord could not play a significant role in the final against Barcelona, who won in dramatic fashion, 3-2. Barcelona had tried to sign Roord in 2022 but failed. This summer she is moving, though, joining Manchester City for a fresh challenge after the World Cup.
Rising star
Esmee Brugts is the new prodigy of Dutch football. Watch the 19-year-old winger dribble and her street skills shine through. Brugts played in boys’ teams for FC Binnenmaas, near Rotterdam, for as long as she could, before finally signing with PSV Eindhoven. It was Brugts, who made her debut against Brazil on 16 February 2022, who shot the Lionesses to the World Cup in the dying seconds of the home game against Iceland.
Although she has played as a striker all her life, Jonker prefers to use the teenager at wing-back in his 5-3-2 system. Brugts was “frightened to death” when she was told she would be in defence, but after a few training sessions and a friendly match she found out that she still has licence to attack. Moreover, she can play alongside her great idol Lieke Martens on the left flank, making a dream come true. The talented player has just left PSV Eindhoven and says she will go on an adventure abroad.
Standing of women’s football in the Netherlands?
Women’s football is extremely popular in the Netherlands. In a country of 17m people, a million are registered players with the federation and almost 20% (180,000) of those are female. The growth of women’s football has been huge – figures doubled compared to 10 years ago. You can be registered with the KNVB (Dutch federation) from the age of six and training at local football clubs with registered coaches is possible from the age of four. The female registered players are spread across 1,862 clubs in the Netherlands. The popularity of football is also noticeable among TV viewers. Recent figures show that an average of 2.7m viewers watched the Netherlands’ women’s team at either the World Cup or European Championship. The KNVB started the official women’s team in 1971.
Did you know?
One of the Netherlands’ last warm-up matches before the World Cup was against a men’s under-18s team at the KNVB headquarters. The game was played behind closed doors, causing a stir. The Dutch Federation feared bad publicity if journalists happened to see a match where teenage boys beat the national women’s team. The fuss was not necessary – the women won 2-1.
Realistic aim at the World Cup?
The Dutch have been improving game by game in friendly matches and performed very well against Germany, despite losing 1-0. If the Netherlands can match or surpass that form, the team is considered a serious outsider to win it – especially as Jonker’s players appear to be much fitter than under Parsons. Fitness is an obsession for Jonker, who was shocked during the Euros in England, where he thought the Dutch team looked physically inferior compared to top teams such as England, Germany, France and Spain.
Written by Steven Kooijman for De Telegraaf.
