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Netherlands women's national football team

Women's national association football team representing the Netherlands From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Netherlands women's national football team
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The Netherlands women's national football team (Dutch: Nederlands vrouwenvoetbalelftal) represents the Netherlands in international women's football, and is directed by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB), which is a member of UEFA and FIFA.

Quick Facts Nickname(s), Association ...
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Netherlands women's national football team in May 2014

In 1971, the team played the first women's international football match recognized by FIFA against France.[6] They played at the final tournament of the UEFA Women's Championship four times and were champions in 2017 as hosts. They qualified for the World Cup three times, reaching the final of the 2019 edition of the World Cup, losing 2–0 against the United States. The result of the 2019 World Cup meant that the Netherlands team qualified for 2020 Olympics where they lost in the quarter-finals.

The Netherlands was one of numerous countries where women's football was banned for a long time, and received scepticism afterwards. The team grew in popularity during and after their surprise victory on home soil at the 2017 Euro's.

The nicknames for the team are Oranje (Orange) and Leeuwinnen (Lionesses).[1] The Dutch women's team logo features a lioness making it different from the men's team logo, which sports a male lion. The team famously plays in bright orange, the historic national colour of the Netherlands. Andries Jonker has been head coach since the conclusion of the UEFA Women's Euro 2022.

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History

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On 17 April 1971, the Dutch team played the first women's international football match recognized by FIFA against France.[6] The match took place in Hazebrouck, France and resulted in a 4–0 defeat for the Netherlands, Jocelyne Ratignier and Marie-Claire Caron-Harant scoring.[7]

In 1980s and 1990s, the team failed to qualify for the final tournaments of UEFA's European Championship and later also for the FIFA's World Championship.[7] The Royal Dutch Football Association began major investments into women's football in the 2000s, culminating in the establishment of the Women's Eredivisie in 2007 (which was merged with the Belgian league in 2012).[8][9] This resulted in the team qualifying for a major tournament for the first time at the UEFA Women's Euro 2009. They finished in third place, together with Norway, behind second placed England and winners Germany (first place).[10] The team again qualified for the UEFA Women's Euro 2013, but did not advance after the group stage.[11]

The team qualified for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup and reached thirteenth place, losing their first match in the knockout stage to Japan.[12]

In 2017, the Netherlands won their first major women's trophy, ending Germany's seemingly unbeatable reign over the UEFA Women's Championship and surprising friend and foe alike by winning the tournament on home soil, beating Denmark 4–2 in the final.[13] The successful campaign in which oranje managed to win all of their matches highly contributed to the popularity of women's football in the Netherlands.[14]

In 2018, the Netherlands finished second in their UEFA Qualifying Group behind Norway. Therefore, they had to go through the UEFA play-off in order to qualify for the 2019 World Cup. Switzerland, Belgium and Denmark were the other teams in the play-off.[15] The Netherlands beat Denmark 4–1 on aggregate in the play-off semi-finals and repeated that result against Switzerland over two legs in the play-off final to qualify.[16] In the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, the Netherlands had another strong performance, reaching the final before losing 2–0 to the United States.

They qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics thanks to their position at the 2019 World Cup where they finished among the 3 best European teams. The Netherlands passed the 1st round at their first Olympic participation, finishing at the top of their group thanks to 2 large victories (10–3 against Zambia and 8–2 against China) and a draw (3–3 against Brazil), displaying an attractive offensive game but a certain defensive frailty (8 goals conceded in the group stages). However, their journey ended in the quarter-finals against the United States, an opponent who had already played the role of tormentor of the Oranje in the final of the French World Cup two years earlier, losing in penalty kicks (2–2, 2 pts to 4). The Dutch will have regrets, Lieke Martens having missed a decisive penalty in the 81st minute of the game when the score was tied 2–2.

Coach Sarina Wiegman left the team after the Olympics and was replaced by Englishman Mark Parsons. The Netherlands reached UEFA Women's Euro 2022 in England with a perfect record of ten victories in qualification. In England, the Netherlands passed the group stage thanks to two victories over Switzerland and Portugal. A draw against Sweden however meant the team had to face France in the quarterfinals. Although they only lost in extra time, they were thoroughly outplayed and it was decided to part ways with Parsons.

Andries Jonker took over coaching responsibilities and was immediately faced with a must-win game against Iceland to avoid the play-offs for the 2023 World Cup. In a tense game, Esmee Brugts scored the desperately needed goal only in stoppage time and the Netherlands qualified for their third World Cup.

At the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, Netherlands were in Group E along with USA, Portugal and Vietnam.[17] It started with a 1–0 win over Portugal, followed this with a 1–1 draw with USA and finished with a 7–0 victory over Vietnam to top the group.

In April 2025, the KNVB announced that Arjan Veurink will succeed Jonker as coach after the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 tournament.[18][19]

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Team image

Nicknames

The Netherlands women's national football team is known or nicknamed as both the "Leeuwinnen" (Lionesses) and "Oranje" (Orange).

Results and fixtures

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The following is a list of matches in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.[20]

Legend

  Win   Draw   Lose   Void or Postponed   Fixture

2024

31 May Euro 2025 qualifying Netherlands  1–0  Finland Rotterdam
20:45
Report Stadium: Sparta Stadion Het Kasteel
Attendance: 9,089
Referee: Frida Klarlund (Denmark)
4 June Euro 2025 qualifying Finland  1–1  Netherlands Tampere
18:00
Report Stadium: Tammelan Stadion
Attendance: 7,677
Referee: Sandra Bastos (Portugal)
4 July Unofficial friendly England XI 1–1 Netherlands XI Zeist
  • Ripa
Stadium: KNVB Campus
Attendance: 0
Note: Uncapped friendly with rolling substitutions.
25 October Friendly[21] Netherlands  15–0  Indonesia Doetinchem
20:45 UTC+1
Stadium: De Vijverberg
Referee: Caroline Lanssens (Belgium)
29 October Friendly Denmark  1–2  Netherlands Esbjerg
18:00 UTC+2
Stadium: Esbjerg Stadion
Referee: Lotta Vuorio (Finland)
29 November Friendly Netherlands  4–1  China Rotterdam
20:45 UTC+1
Stadium: Sparta Stadion Het Kasteel
Attendance: 7,011
3 December Friendly Netherlands  1–2  United States The Hague
20:45
Stadium: ADO Den Haag Stadium
Attendance: 12,503
Referee: María Eugenia Gil Soriano (Spain)

2025

21 February 2025 UEFA Nations League Netherlands  2–2  Germany Breda
20:45 Beerensteyn 13', 66'
Stadium: Rat Verlegh Stadion
Referee: Maria Caputi (Italy)
25 February 2025 UEFA Nations League Scotland  1–2  Netherlands Glasgow
2025-05-21 16:38 UTC Lawton 34' Beerensteyn 54' Grant 64' Stadium: Hampden Park
Referee: Stéphanie Frappart (France)
4 April 2025 UEFA Nations League Netherlands  3–1  Austria Almelo
20:00
Report
Stadium: Erve Asito
Attendance: 9,039[22]
Referee: Désirée Grundbacher (Switzerland)
8 April 2025 UEFA Nations League Austria  1–3  Netherlands Altach
18:15 Report Stadium: Stadion Schnabelholz
Attendance: 2,350[23]
Referee: Ewa Augustyn (Poland)
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Players

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Current squad

The following 26 players were called up for the UEFA Women's Nations League matches against Germany and Scotland on 30 May and 3 June 2025.[24]

Caps and goals correct as of 8 April 2025, after the match against Austria.

More information No., Pos. ...

Recent call-ups

The following players have also been called up to the squad in the past 12 months.

More information Pos., Player ...
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Coaching staff

Technical staff

As of 12 May 2025.[25]
More information Position, Name ...

Head coaches

More information Period, Coach ...

Coaches' records

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As of 13 August 2023
1.^ Includes 70 matches main coach (period 2017–2021), 1 match against Belarus – 8:0 as Interim coach (17.09.2015), 15 matches assistant coach (29.11.2015 – first match and 29.11.2016 – last match). Onsoranje.nl includes 8 matches from 15, coached Sarina by main coach instead assistant, Therefore, it turns out 79 (70+1+8). Main coach – 70 matches + 1 match in 2015.
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Records

As of 12 August 2023, after the match against Spain.
Players in bold are still active, at least at club level.
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Competitive record

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FIFA Women's World Cup

On 27 November 2014, the Netherlands national football team qualified to the final tournament of the FIFA Women's World Cup for the first time.[35] In 2019, they reached the Final and lost to the United States team.[36]

More information FIFA Women's World Cup record, Qualification record ...

Olympic Games

Since the inception of women's Olympic football, UEFA has designated the World Cup as its qualifying tournament for the succeeding Olympic tournament. Because the Netherlands failed to qualify to the World Cup until 2015, the Netherlands women automatically failed to qualify for the Olympics up to 2012. In 2015 Netherlands made it to their first World Cup. Their round of 16 exit was good enough for a post World Cup mini tournament to decide UEFA's last spot at the Olympics. Sweden won that tournament and the Netherlands were eliminated. In 2019 the Netherlands reached the World Cup final and qualified for the Olympics for the first time.

More information Summer Olympics record, Host nation and year ...

UEFA European Women's Championship

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Lieke Martens playing against Germany at UEFA Women's Euro 2013

The Dutch failed to qualify for the final tournament of the UEFA Women's Championship from 1984 to 2005. In 2009, the Netherlands women's team qualified and reached third place.[37] In 2013, they qualified again, but did not advance beyond the group stage.[38] The Dutch women booked a major victory at the 2017 tournament: after a 4–2 victory over Denmark in the final they were the new European champion. Furthermore, Lieke Martens was named the best player of the tournament.[39] In 2022 they were knocked out in the quarter final.

More information UEFA European Women's Championship record, Qualifying record ...
* Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
** Missing flag indicates no host country.

UEFA Women's Nations League

More information UEFA Women's Nations League record, League phase ...
* Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
More information * ...

Competitive results

  • All results list the Netherlands goal tally first.
  • Goal scorers are sorted alphabetically.
  • Colors gold, silver, and bronze indicate first-, second-, and third-place finishes.
More information Abbreviation Key table ...
More information Competition, Stage ...

note:a=Scotland withdrew during the 1989 qualification, their played results were voided.

Head-to-head record

More information Opponent, P ...

updated till end WC '23

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Honours

Major competitions

FIFA world rankings

As of 25 August 2023[41]
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
16 16 15 15 15 15 16 17 17 17 18 17 17 17 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 20 20 17 17 17 15 17 16 16 15 15
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
14 13 13 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 15 11 12 12 12 12 13 13 12 12 12 12 7 7 9 10 7 8
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 3 4 4 5 5 4 6 8 8 8 9 7 7 8 11 11 10

See also

Notes

  1. From Euro 2025 onwards a new qualifying format was introduced, linked to the Women's Nations League where teams are divided into leagues with promotion/relegation between the leagues at the end of each cycle.

References

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