Nordic countries have weather problem. I don't know how many teams they have per country league these days. Most of the good players move south as early as possible. The women's CL rules also reward countries. Only Ajax two years ago made a run in that competition. Dutch women's teams have the same problem as the men, they lose players early. Ajax have lost three starters from last year already.
Where Netherlands went wrong under Jonker in Euro 2025 failure - ESPN This is up on US ESPN so I don't know if it is available overseas.
78540 Orange Lionesses on Report: defense severely substandard With nine goals against, the Orange Lionesses say goodbye to the European Women's Championship. On Sunday evening, it went wrong five times against France.
Criticism towards the KNVB: https://www.vi.nl/nieuws/sabotage-uit-zeist-knvb-heeft-ek-kansen-van-oranje-weggeflikkerd- Sabotage from Zeist: 'KNVB has dumped away European Championship chances of Orange'
78548 https://nos.nl/collectie/13995/arti...rogressie-bleef-uit-doelstelling-niet-gehaald The Jonker years with the Dutch national team: progress was not forthcoming, goal not achieved. With the elimination of the Dutch at the European Championship, the era of Andries Jonker with the Orange has come to an end. It was a farewell without shine. The shocking 4-0 defeat against England was followed by the final knockout against France (5-2). With his characteristic Amsterdam accent, Jonker has had a suitable answer to every question in recent years. He could not meet the assignment to push the Orange back up. In terms of numbers, the Netherlands is in a worse position than when he started. Calling with three When Jonker signed as national coach in August 2022, he called what he considered to be the three most important players. He spoke with Sherida Spitse, or the player with the most experience, with Golden Ball winner Lieke Martens and with top scorer Vivianne Miedema. It was a way of sharing responsibility. Clarity was what the three asked for, in communication and in the way they played. Jonker was able to offer that. The former gym teacher from Amsterdam-Noord is not considered a 'Van Gaal-light' for nothing. Jonker was assistant to Van Gaal at FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich. In Zeist they met again, one as national coach of the women, the other as national coach of the men. He had and continued to have the support of LvG. Join or leave On the first day of the collection in Zeist, J. got straight to the point. The message to the group of players was: "If you want to participate, you have to work really hard and want to be part of the group. If you don't want that, then you have to leave." That's how you get commitment, according to Jonker. Of course, no one left. Record international Spitse enjoyed J's approach at the first training: "We have to get to work. Jonker makes us work harder. It's nice that it's here now. It makes me smile." After the dismissal of Jonker's predecessor Mark Parsons due to disappointing play, disappointing results and lack of support from the players, the KNVB saw in Jonker the man to lead the Orange to new success, starting with the qualification for the World Cup. most used players by Jonker. To do so, they had to win immediately against Iceland in September 2022. That barely succeeded in the Galgenwaard. The liberating goal only came in injury time. From that happy moment on, Jonker was able to see beyond the issues of the day. One of his assignments was a gradual renewal. The golden generation that became European champions in 2017 and finished second at the World Cup in 2019 did not last forever. That renewal (read: rejuvenation) had already started under Parsons, including the debut of Esmee Brugts. Objectives The Netherlands had dropped to sixth place in the FIFA world rankings when he was appointed. "We want to be structurally in the top ten and strive to participate in every tournament and finish in the top eight," Jonker said the goal. A year later, the Dutch met that goal at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. In the quarter-finals, the Netherlands only bowed in extra time to the later world champion Spain. It was the last game of the robust central defender Stefanie van der Gragt. "Spain was a little better than us," Jonker said. Still, he looked at the tournament positively: "With a 0-1 loss against Germany, 1-1 against America and 1-1 against Spain in regular time, you're there, then you're top again. But very secretly we still want to be the best." By the fireplace Jonker's next mission was to qualify for the Olympic Games. At least, before that, he first gauged the commitment of the players. He did so by the fireplace in Zeist. He had invited six players, three 'oldies' and three 'youngsters'. Jonker suggested that because of the busy schedule, qualification for the Games should be scrapped as a goal. The six players unanimously did not agree to that. "Trainer, are you well?", they wondered. "We just want to be present at every tournament." The road to the Games ran through the Nations League and resulted in one of the most spectacular matches under Jonker. Due to two goals from Damaris Egurrola in injury time, the Orange defeated Belgium 4-0 in Tilburg and stayed ahead of rival England on goal difference. The hope of qualifying for the Games remained alive. Spain and Germany, however, turned out to be a size too big. Jonker blamed the elimination on the absentees. "If we are complete, then we are there. If one or two are missing, it will be difficult." Without Miedema It was a recurring problem in Jonker's years. The most important absentee was Miedema, according to Jonker with Martens the best player he has worked with. Of the 43 games under Jonker, the striker only played 14. She also missed the World Cup. "We still have to take a few steps to be able to keep up with the top," Jonker said. "Especially the fitness can be better. Not in running meters, but in being in the right place at the right time. Understanding the game and being able to physically muster it. There is room for improvement." The Dutch entered the qualification for the European Championship in 2024 knowing that that final tournament would be their last tournament for some. "A number of thirty-somethings will say goodbye in one to four years," the national coach acknowledged. "You have to look for successors." But, Jonker said: "We are not a development team, we are a performance team. There is plenty of room for budding stars to stand on. We have to look for them, recognize them and give them opportunities, as we do with Esmee Brugts, Wieke Kaptein and Daphne van Domselaar." Jonker recognized new energy in his team after missing out on the Games. Due to a goal from the returned Miedema in Norway, qualification for the European Championship became a fact. Martens did not wait for the final tournament and stopped with the Orange. Signature For the KNVB, the qualification was no reason to extend Jonker's contract. In January of this year, he was told that the European Championship would be his last job as a national coach. Jonker would have liked to continue and was "surprised" and "disappointed". He doubted about quitting immediately and not for the first time in his term gauged the mood of players and staff. He had everyone sign an orange shirt to confirm the commitment. When Jonker was accused of staging a "puppet show" at the press conference a day before the European Championship, he became angry, in the style of Van Gaal. The same Van Gaal stood up for him. The KNVB had let Jonker down, according to Van Gaal. A miraculous save was not in the cards. By missing the quarter-finals at the European Championship, the Orange did not achieve the goal. The eleventh place in the FIFA ranking is lower than three years ago. There are several excuses for this, but progress has not been made in that sense under Jonker. Orange under Andries Jonker (2022-2025) Results: 43 matches, 24 wins, 6 draws, 13 defeats Goal difference: 93 for - 49 against Number of players used: 47 in squads, 39 in action Biggest win: Netherlands-Indonesia 15-0 (25-10-2024) Biggest defeat: Germany-Netherlands 4-0 (5/30/2025), England-Netherlands 4-0 (7/9/2025)
That was a pretty good article on Jonker. I don't know if anyone could have gotten better results. Dutch were extremely unlikely to have been drawn into the group they were but that stuff happens in tournaments. The were good against France for the first 55 minutes before falling apart. A couple of bad passes led to quick goals and then the match was pretty much over. Jonker was seen conversing with Miedema in after the third goal and probably told her that he did not want to risk her health by playing her. Telling a manager that he will be replaced after the next tournament six months before it even begins is just awful. I'm sure this unsettled both him and the players. As I noted the other day, other countries have ramped up their women's game. Maybe the Dutch are just going to be in the middle of the pack going forward, it is hard to tell.
Germany, Norway and Sweden are quite consistent, then France, England, Netherlands and Spain rises up. There will be up and down but Netherlands are now behind 6 countries in women football. Hopefully they can rise again; hopefully they can qualify for the World Cup in 2027. US team was up and down but also quite consistent (may not do well in world cup but do well in Olympics and vice versa). They are strong again with new players and new head coach and will be contender again in the World Cup 2027 with those top 6 European countries. Sometimes small team just need to make the most of it if they make it there (like Japan in 2011 World Cup or Canada in 2020 Olympics). Netherlands did it with Euro 2017 but lost to the US in 2019 World Cup. The same is also for the men. They are also in the middle of the pack. Brazil is not strong. Argentine will still be the favourite together with Spain, France. We will see about Portugal, Germany, England and Netherlands but my feeling is an European country will win 2026 World Cup.
I saw that the Swedish league is now ranked below the Dutch league. It used to be top three in Europe. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_coefficient#Women's_association_coefficient To an extent this is a tautology: it is only a major sport when bigger markets are good at this (or dominant). It is not a serious sport when smaller countries are on top. Unfortunately, England has just won the penalty shootout Sad!
80520 Orange Lionesses The new national coach Arjan Veurink of the Orange Lionesses has announced his first selection. His team will play friendly games against Poland and Canada at the end of this month. No decisions have yet been made about the future of Daniëlle van de Donk (34) as an international. On Monday, it became clear that record international Sherida Spitse will be in the selection for the last time. The 35-year-old player from Sneek now has 247 international matches, after she made her debut in 2006 at the age of 16. On Friday, October 24, the away game against Poland in Gdansk is scheduled. On Tuesday, October 28, Veurink's team will play the home game against Canada in Nijmegen. Then they will say goodbye to Spitse. Daniëlle van de Donk is not included in the selection of the Dutch for the friendly matches with Poland (on October 24 in Gdansk) and Canada (on October 28 in Nijmegen). Lieske Carleer of FC Twente has been called up for the first time. "Daniëlle and I have had some good conversations, but there is no decision about her future with the Orange," said the new national coach Arjan Veurink. "She is injured now. As soon as she is fit again, we will talk again. All options are on the table." Record international Sherida Spitse has only been called up for the duel with Canada. Afterwards, she will say goodbye to the Dutch national team.
Spitse has been playing at #6 for Ajax this season and not on the back line. I'm surprised that Keukelaar was called up.
80917 Orange Lionesses match reports Voetbal International: Orange Lionesses do not score: colorless debut Veurink. The friendly game of the Orange Lionesses against Poland has turned out to be a goalless draw. For Arjan Veurink, his debut as national coach was not very memorable. The Netherlands came close to scoring a few times, but the Polish wall was not knocked down. A header by captain Dominique Janssen was cleared off the line by a Polish defender. Poland also had a dot of a chance in the final phase, but Lize Kop was out of her goal in time to prevent a goal against. Under predecessor Andries Jonker, Esmee Brugts often acted as a left back. Veurink opted for a different approach and brought Janou Levels (VfL Wolfsburg) back into the selection after years of absence. Because Levels took over Brugts' position, the Barcelona forward moved to her favorite position on the left front. NOS Football• Friday, 20:40 Veurink sees contours of new Orange, but execution was mediocre: 'Needs time' He is not very enthusiastic, but the debuting national coach Arjan Veurink can live with the play of the Dutch national team against Poland. A friendly match in Gdansk ended in 0-0. "The contours of what we want are slowly becoming visible, but the execution was mediocre," said Andries Jonker's successor. "After halftime it got better. Time is also needed to improve cooperation." Veurink has to shape a new era for the Orange Lionesses. Veterans Sherida Spitse and Renate Jansen announced their retirement from the Dutch national team. In his first week as national coach, he was mainly looking for the right new composition. Veurink fielded the Dutch in a 4-3-3 formation, where his predecessor Jonker often played with three central defenders and wingbacks. Esmee Brugts therefore played on the left front instead of left back again. Veurink gave Janou Levels (selected for the first time since 2022) and Marisa Olislagers both a half a match time chance to show themselves at left back. "They both left a good impression. In the coordination with other players, it could be better," said Veurink. "Brugts was good in terms of willingness, but sometimes she was unlucky." Development All in all, Veurink is not dissatisfied after his first week as national coach. "I mainly focus on the development that I have seen throughout the week and already had in the back of my mind that it would be difficult tonight." The new captain of the Dutch national team, Dominique Janssen, acknowledges that there is still a search for stability. "We have a lot of good players, so it has been a lot of searching for the right combinations during the training sessions." Jill Roord, playing against Poland in the number ten position, is happy with the fresh wind around the Orange Lionesses. "We have put a lot of energy in it. It's been a good week of training." Against Poland, it didn't quite work out. "We did grow into the game. We have to continue that." Next Tuesday, the Dutch will play another friendly game, against Canada in the Nijmegen Goffert.
81001 Orange Lionesses narrowly past Canada at farewell Sherida Spitse: first victory for Arjan Veurink The Orange Lionesses have won the last international match with record international Sherida Spitse. In a full Goffert, the team of national coach Arjan Veurink was too strong for Canada with 1-0. In the 48th minute, the time has come. The audience in the Goffert sees the matrix board with number 8 on the sidelines come up and stands up en masse. Sherida Spitse doesn't even realize it at first. She is still busy with the friendly match in the few minutes after halftime, while she knew that in her 248th and last international match she would play a maximum of 180 seconds in the second half. But when she looks at the sideline herself, she relaxes. The captain's armband comes off and she walks through a tunnel of Dutch and Canadian players to the sidelines. She is replaced by the 19-year-old Veerle Buurman, who was only a few months old when Spitse played her first international match in 2006. It is the end of three days of Spitse celebration with the Lionesses. That started on Sunday morning, when she joined the selection for the last time. From the bench, she had watched Poland against the Netherlands. At that time, she was strengthened in her choice to stop with the Dutch national team. Not because the debut of national coach Arjan Veurink in Gdansk was a difficult and goalless draw, but because she could be with her children during the autumn holidays. On Sunday evening, the Lionesses in Zeist ate sushi together, Spitse's favorite food. They also played the Sherida Spitse quiz (which Sherida Spitse did not win herself) and the best Sherida Spitse imitations passed by. Spitse herself found the last training on Monday messy and she said honestly, as everyone is used to from her. "We had to think a lot. Don't do it, just lost time." National coach Veurink, who sat next to her at the press conference but hardly got any questions, added with a wink: "Sherida lost in training, she's disappointed about that." Just like in training, Spitse really wanted to focus on the last match, which is not just ceremonial. Veurink then has one more international period and then the World Cup qualification begins. "That we also show beautiful football would be the best thing", she said. "The most important thing is that it will just be a very nice evening with a lot of audience and with my loved ones around me. But in the end, I am part of the team. That's how you know me too. Because I know that the cameras are focused on me, but I also think about the team and the football game." Great first half That worked out well in the first half. Spitse was able to keep up with the defensive sprints, sometimes handed in the ball, but was also at the basis of the Netherlands' first chance with a splitting pass. The Dutch played dominantly, as it did against Poland, but in the Goffert there was more conviction in the game. The plans were relatively clear. If it was unclear for a while, there was enough calm in the build-up to at least not lose the ball. Canada is not the least opponent, but the visitors stood by and watched. Especially when the Dutch quickly combined on the left in the 28th minute and Esmee Brugts received the ball in the penalty kick area. The left winger cleverly outplayed her direct opponent, passed low towards the second post, where Lynn Wilms tapped in the 1-0. Difficult second half After Spitse's emotional substitution in the second half, the Dutch pulled the game over the line with some difficulty. The team created plenty of chances, but was very sloppy with them. In addition, the Netherlands had a more difficult time defensively. In the 72nd minute, a great save by Lize Kop was needed to prevent the equalizer. Thus, the 1-0 remained on the scoreboard and national coach Veurink has his first victory. At the end of November, the Netherlands will play two more friendly matches. Those are the last chances for Veurink to perfect the game. In the new year, the selection will come together again for the World Cup qualification. The draw for this is November 4.
81190 World Cup stunt Orange Under 17 (w): after 92 minutes still 0-2 behind, but then improbable comeback follows The Under 17 Orange Lionesses(w) qualified for the semi-finals of the World Cup in Morocco on Sunday evening in an unparalleled way. After 92 (!) minutes, the Netherlands faced a 2-0 deficit in the quarterfinals against France, but an unlikely comeback made it a draw. In the penalty series, goalkeeper Maren Groothoff crowned herself the hero of the Dutch national team. 3 november 2025, 14:04 The Netherlands seemed dead and buried when France had made it 2-0 after a gossamer counter by Luna Laboucarie. With six extra minutes left on the clock, the World Cup seemed to be over for the Orange. But still the unbelievable happened: Rochelity Dap (90+3) and Ranneke Derks (90+8) tied the score. No extra time, but direct penalties. The French national coach changed his goalkeeper to sow confusion in the Dutch camp, but did not succeed. Penalty killer Maren Groothoff stopped the ninth French penalty kick and thus won a ticket for the semi-finals, in which Mexico is the opponent on Wednesday. 'We kept faith' The morning after the spectacle, national coach Olivier Amelink is still enjoying it. "If you put something like that... Two-nil down in stoppage time and we keep doing what we have to do. We just keep going. The quick 2-1 helped, of course, to keep the faith." After the unlikely comeback, the coach felt very calm in the penalty series. "I knew it would be okay. It just had to be that way. I am incredibly proud, this team never gives up. But we don't have much time to reminisce. The sights are already set on Mexico again. We have lived up to our name as European champions. But this is not the end goal. We want more." The semi-final against Mexico starts on Wednesday at 20:00 Dutch time, the other semi-final battle is between Brazil and North Korea.
Congrats to the young Lionesses! BTW what’s up with the North Korean women? The senior team is now ranked 12th, and this U-17 team is in semi-finals? Where has this come from?
81289 The 2027 World Cup will take place in Brazil. 32 countries will participate in the tournament, 12 of which are European. On Tuesday, the draw for the European World Cup qualifying cycle took place in Nyon, Switzerland. The qualification will be completed in three Leagues: League A (16 teams), League B (16 teams) and League C (21 teams). The Netherlands is one of the best sixteen countries based on the FIFA world ranking and therefore already knew that it would end up in League A. In it, the Orange Lionesses are paired with France, Poland and Ireland. The first qualifying matches are scheduled for early March. The four group winners of League A qualify directly for the World Cup. The numbers two and three from those groups go to the play-offs, together with the six group winners of League C and the two best numbers two from those groups. They enter Path 1 of the play-offs. Path 2 of the playoffs consists of the four numbers four of League A and the four group winners of League B who will face the numbers three and four of League B. In the second round of the playoffs, the winners of both paths come together.
The Dutch U-17 team beat Mexico 1-0 and will play the surprising North Korea team in the Final. North Korea beat Brazil 2-0.
I think Ajax have five players on the U-17 team. Lina Touzani who plays for the Ajax first team scored the winning goal today.
I hope they win. The opponent North Korea is 3 times U-17 Women Champions. Their U-20 women also 3 times champions. Unfortunately success does not translate to their senior team.
Well, the 5-0 smashing came about after an early red card. So, keep all eleven on the pitch and with the fighting spirit that descended into these girls I'm a bit optimistic about a WC title.
81565 Orange in World Cup final against North Korean football machine: 'They just keep going, never experienced before' The football players of the Orange Under 17 will take on Saturday evening (20.00 hours) in the final of the World Cup against a striking opponent: North Korea. At least, for the general public a special opponent. In women's youth football, the closed country has been the favorite for international titles for years. How is that possible? With no less than 5-0, the Dutch were defeated in the group stage by North Korea. The Asian team was also too strong for Mexico, Cameroon, Morocco, Japan and Brazil at the World Cup in Morocco. 22 goals for and only 3 against in 6 games. In the final, the Netherlands is again the opponent. And that is of course striking, because North Korea's adult national teams have not reached a quarterfinals at a World Cup since 2007 (women) and 1966 (men). But the Women's Under 17 has already become world champion three times, just like the Under 20. Only Germany and the United States also became world champions three times in the Under 20s. "I've never seen such an opponent," says Kee Hubert, defender of the Orange Under 17 and player of De Graafschap. "They are physically strong, but just don't give up. They are so task-conscious, they just keep going. There is no holding back." Why this is specifically in women's youth football is also still unclear to some Korea experts. The closed country makes little known. But Dr Jung Woo Lee, lecturer in Sport and Leisure Policy at the University of Edinburgh, did have an idea. He told the German medium Deutsche Welle in 2024 that it is deliberate government policy. "International sport is one of the few ways in which North Korea can demonstrate its sovereignty, existence and identity to the international community. In addition, it is used as propaganda in their own country, to praise their leader and emphasize how great their country is." No wonder, then, that in 2024, for once, media were allowed into the training center of the North Korean female youth soccer players. They were allowed to film a training session and interview selected players. Dictator Kim Jong-un also took a picture with the players of the Under 20 team. Near military training In adult professional football, there is little to win for North Korea, because the level abroad is so high. But in youth football, Europe also focuses on fun and training. While for teenagers from North Korea it can be the end point at which the prizes have to be won. In the documentary Hana, dul, sed... from 2009 also showed how the young female soccer players in North Korea have to endure almost military training. "When you're 13 or 14 in North Korea, you participate in a strictly disciplined and professional training regime, so you can excel at a young age," said Jung Woo Lee. Hubert saw that too. While the Dutch team is doing a group activity on Thursday evening and she is doing an interview by phone, she sees the North Korean girls in the same hotel doing exercises and running. "It's not normal. They are like robots." The final is Saturday at 20:00 in Rabat and can be seen here. A crazy idea to think that Dutch football players such as Lina Touzani, Anne Gelevert and Rosalie Renfurm will be seen en masse on North Korean televisions. Probably only if they lose. With a historic world title for the Orange, the images may not make it to the closed country. Match can be seen for free on FIFA +!