Netherlands Women’s Team Prepares for 2023 World Cup with Unconventional Fixture
The Netherlands women’s team is gearing up for the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, and they have been taking unconventional steps to prepare for the tournament. One of these steps was playing a friendly match against a men’s team, despite fears of “humiliation” and “reputational damage” from the Dutch FA.
The match was arranged by manager Andries Jonker, who believed that playing against a men’s team would help his players improve their skills and prepare for the physicality of the game. The match took place at the KNVB headquarters in Zeist, with the team preparing to head across the globe and adjust to their new time zones ahead of kick-off on July 20.
The Dutch women’s team won the match against Amsterdam Volewijckers Under 18s by a score of 2-1. Esmee Brugts and former Arsenal star Danielle van de Donk scored the goals for the winning side, with local youngster Ivar Wijna scoring for the men’s team.
Playing against men’s teams is not new in football, especially for women’s teams. It is a common practice for women’s teams to play against men’s teams for training purposes, but rarely are these matches made public. However, the Dutch women’s team decided to make their match public, which drew attention from football fans around the world.
Champions League winners Barcelona Femeni have praised the impact of learning from matches against the opposite sex. Their men’s and women’s youth ranks now train together up until under 14 level. This practice has helped both teams improve their skills and prepare for their respective competitions.
The Dutch women’s team has been preparing for the 2023 World Cup since their impressive run in the 2019 tournament, where they finished as finalists. Their last major trophy was the 2017 Euros under England boss Sarina Wiegman.
Oranje legend Arjen Robben has also given the team a unique speech ahead of the tournament. Robben, who retired from football in 2019, played for the Dutch national team for over a decade and was a key player in their run to the 2010 World Cup final.
The Dutch women’s team is expected to be one of the top contenders in the 2023 World Cup. They have a talented squad that includes stars like Lieke Martens, Vivianne Miedema, and Shanice van de Sanden. The team has been working hard to improve their skills and prepare for the physicality of the game, and playing against a men’s team is just one of the steps they have taken to achieve their goal.
In conclusion, the Dutch women’s team has been taking unconventional steps to prepare for the 2023 World Cup. Playing against a men’s team is just one of the steps they have taken to improve their skills and prepare for the physicality of the game. While there were fears of “humiliation” and “reputational damage” from the Dutch FA, the team won the match against Amsterdam Volewijckers Under 18s by a score of 2-1. The Dutch women’s team is expected to be one of the top contenders in the 2023 World Cup, and they have been working hard to achieve their goal.