Netherlands women's national football team facts for kids

The Netherlands women's national football team (in Dutch, Nederlands vrouwenvoetbalelftal) represents the Netherlands in international women's football. The team is managed by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB), which is part of UEFA (Europe's football body) and FIFA (the world football body).

In 1971, the team played its first international match recognized by FIFA against France. They have played in the final tournament of the UEFA Women's Championship five times, winning the championship in 2017 when they hosted the event. They have also qualified for the World Cup three times. In 2019, they reached the final but lost 2–0 to the United States. Because of their strong performance in the 2019 World Cup, the Netherlands team qualified for the 2020 Olympics, where they made it to the quarter-finals.

For a long time, women's football was not allowed in many countries, including the Netherlands, and it faced a lot of doubt. However, the team became much more popular during and after their surprising win at the 2017 European Championship, which they won on their home ground.

The team is known by the nicknames Oranje (Orange) and Leeuwinnen (Lionesses). The Dutch women's team logo features a lioness, which is different from the men's team logo that has a male lion. The team famously wears bright orange, which is the traditional national color of the Netherlands.

Quick facts for kids
Netherlands

Nickname(s)	Oranje (Orange) Leeuwinnen (Lionesses)
Association	Royal Dutch Football Association (Koninklijke Nederlandse Voetbalbond)
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Head coach	Vacant
Captain	Sherida Spitse
Most caps	Sherida Spitse (247)
Top scorer	Vivianne Miedema (100)
FIFA code	NED
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	7 3 (7 December 2018)
Highest	3 (July – December 2019; April 2021)
Lowest	20 (June – September 2008)
First international
(unofficial)  West Germany 2–1 Netherlands  (Essen, Germany; 23 September 1956) (FIFA recognised)  France 4–0 Netherlands  (Hazebrouck, France; 17 April 1971)
Biggest win
Netherlands 15–0 Indonesia  (Doetinchem, Netherlands; 25 October 2024)
Biggest defeat
Sweden 7–0 Netherlands  (Borås, Sweden; 26 September 1981)
World Cup
Appearances	3 (first in 2015)
Best result	Runners-up (2019)
Olympic Games
Appearances	1 (first in 2020)
Best result	Quarter-finals (2020)
European Championship
Appearances	5 (first in 2009)
Best result	Champions (2017)
Nations League Finals
Appearances	1 (first in 2024)
Best result	Fourth place (2024)
Medal record FIFA Women's World Cup Silver 2019 France Team UEFA Women's Championship Gold 2017 Netherlands Team

Netherlands women's national football team in May 2014

History of the Team

On April 17, 1971, the Dutch team played their first international football match that FIFA officially recognized. This game was against France in Hazebrouck, France. The Netherlands lost 4–0.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the team struggled to qualify for major tournaments like the European Championship and the World Cup. To help women's football grow, the Royal Dutch Football Association started investing a lot in the 2000s. This led to the creation of the Women's Eredivisie league in 2007.

These efforts paid off when the team qualified for their first major tournament, the UEFA Women's Euro 2009. They finished in third place, sharing it with Norway. They qualified again for the UEFA Women's Euro 2013, but did not get past the group stage.

The team then qualified for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. They reached the Round of 16, where they lost to Japan.

A huge moment came in 2017 when the Netherlands won their first major women's trophy. They hosted the tournament and surprised everyone by winning all their matches. In the final, they beat Denmark 4–2. This success greatly increased the popularity of women's football in the Netherlands.

In 2018, the Netherlands had to play in a special play-off to qualify for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. They won their play-off matches against Denmark and Switzerland to secure their spot. At the 2019 World Cup, they performed very well, reaching the final before losing 2–0 to the United States.

Their strong performance in the 2019 World Cup also earned them a spot in the 2020 Summer Olympics. In their first Olympic appearance, they topped their group with big wins against Zambia (10–3) and China (8–2), and a 3–3 draw with Brazil. However, their journey ended in the quarter-finals against the United States, who won in a penalty shootout after a 2–2 draw.

After the Olympics, coach Sarina Wiegman left the team. Mark Parsons took over and led the team to the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 in England. They had a perfect record in the qualifying rounds. In the tournament, they passed the group stage but lost to France in extra time during the quarter-finals. After this, Parsons left the team.

Andries Jonker became the new coach. His first big challenge was a crucial game against Iceland to qualify for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. In a very close match, Esmee Brugts scored the winning goal in stoppage time, securing their spot in the World Cup.

At the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, the Netherlands was in Group E with the USA, Portugal, and Vietnam. They started with a 1–0 win over Portugal, then drew 1–1 with the USA, and finished the group stage with a huge 7–0 victory over Vietnam, topping their group. They reached the quarter-finals before being knocked out by Spain.

It was announced that Arjan Veurink will become the new head coach after the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 tournament.

Team Nicknames

The Netherlands women's national football team is often called the "Leeuwinnen" (Lionesses) and "Oranje" (Orange).

Recent Matches

Here are some of the recent results for the Netherlands women's national football team.

Legend

      Win       Draw       Lose

• July 16, 2024: Norway 1–1 Netherlands (Euro 2025 qualifying)
• October 25, 2024: Netherlands 15–0 Indonesia (Friendly)
• October 29, 2024: Denmark 1–2 Netherlands (Friendly)
• November 29, 2024: Netherlands 4–1 China (Friendly)
• December 3, 2024: Netherlands 1–2 USA (Friendly)
• February 21, 2025: Netherlands 2–2 Germany (Nations League)
• February 25, 2025: Scotland 1–2 Netherlands (Nations League)
• April 4, 2025: Netherlands 3–1 Austria (Nations League)
• April 8, 2025: Austria 1–3 Netherlands (Nations League)
• May 30, 2025: Germany 4–0 Netherlands (Nations League)
• June 3, 2025: Netherlands 1–1 Scotland (Nations League)
• June 26, 2025: Netherlands 2–1 Finland (Friendly)
• July 5, 2025: Wales 0–3 Netherlands (Euro 2025 Group Stage)
• July 9, 2025: England 4–0 Netherlands (Euro 2025 Group Stage)
• July 13, 2025: Netherlands 2–5 France (Euro 2025 Group Stage)

Players

Current Squad

The following 23 players were called up for the UEFA Women's Euro 2025.

Caps (games played) and goals are correct as of July 13, 2025, after the match against France.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Daphne van Domselaar	(2000-03-06) 6 March 2000 (age 25)	37	0	Arsenal
16	1GK	Lize Kop	(1998-03-17) 17 March 1998 (age 27)	15	0	Tottenham Hotspur
23	1GK	Daniëlle de Jong	(2002-10-11) 11 October 2002 (age 22)	1	0	Juventus
2	2DF	Lynn Wilms	(2000-10-03) 3 October 2000 (age 24)	55	1	Aston Villa
3	2DF	Caitlin Dijkstra	(1999-01-30) 30 January 1999 (age 26)	30	1	VfL Wolfsburg
4	2DF	Veerle Buurman	(2006-04-21) 21 April 2006 (age 19)	8	1	Chelsea
18	2DF	Kerstin Casparij	(2000-08-19) 19 August 2000 (age 24)	48	0	Manchester City
20	2DF	Dominique Janssen	(1995-01-17) 17 January 1995 (age 30)	128	6	Manchester United
22	2DF	Ilse van der Zanden	(1995-07-25) 25 July 1995 (age 29)	4	0	Fiorentina
6	3MF	Jill Roord	(1997-04-22) 22 April 1997 (age 28)	111	30	Twente
8	3MF	Sherida Spitse (captain)	(1990-05-29) 29 May 1990 (age 35)	247	46	Ajax
10	3MF	Daniëlle van de Donk	(1991-08-05) 5 August 1991 (age 33)	171	38	London City Lionesses
14	3MF	Jackie Groenen	(1994-12-17) 17 December 1994 (age 30)	128	10	Paris Saint-Germain
17	3MF	Victoria Pelova	(1999-06-03) 3 June 1999 (age 26)	63	6	Arsenal
19	3MF	Wieke Kaptein	(2005-08-29) 29 August 2005 (age 19)	24	2	Chelsea
21	3MF	Damaris Egurrola	(1999-08-26) 26 August 1999 (age 25)	43	7	Lyon
5	4FW	Romée Leuchter	(2001-01-12) 12 January 2001 (age 24)	23	5	Paris Saint-Germain
7	4FW	Lineth Beerensteyn	(1996-10-11) 11 October 1996 (age 28)	117	39	VfL Wolfsburg
9	4FW	Vivianne Miedema	(1996-07-15) 15 July 1996 (age 29)	127	100	Manchester City
11	4FW	Esmee Brugts	(2003-07-28) 28 July 2003 (age 21)	49	11	Barcelona
12	4FW	Chasity Grant	(2001-04-19) 19 April 2001 (age 24)	20	1	Aston Villa
13	4FW	Renate Jansen	(1990-12-07) 7 December 1990 (age 34)	72	8	PSV
15	4FW	Katja Snoeijs	(1996-08-31) 31 August 1996 (age 28)	38	12	Everton

Coaching Staff

Current Coaching Staff

Head Coaches History

Over the years, many coaches have led the Netherlands women's national football team. Some notable coaches include Sarina Wiegman, who led the team to their Euro 2017 victory and the 2019 World Cup final, and Andries Jonker, who helped them qualify for the 2023 World Cup. Arjan Veurink is set to become the new head coach after the Euro 2025 tournament.

Team Records

Here are some interesting records for the Netherlands women's national football team. Players in bold are still active with the Netherlands team.

Major Competitions

FIFA Women's World Cup

The Netherlands women's national football team first qualified for the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2015. In the 2019 tournament, they made it all the way to the Final, where they played against the United States team.

• Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Olympic Games

The Netherlands women's team qualified for the Olympics for the first time in 2020.

Summer Olympics Record
Year	Round	Pos	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1996	Did not qualify
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020	Quarter-finals	5th	4	2	2	0	23	10
2024	Did not qualify
Total	1/8		4	2	2	0	23	10

UEFA European Women's Championship

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

The Dutch team did not qualify for the final tournament of the UEFA Women's Championship from 1984 to 2005. In 2009, they qualified and reached third place. In 2013, they qualified again but did not get past the group stage.

A big win came at the 2017 tournament: after beating Denmark 4–2 in the final, they became the new European champions. Lieke Martens was named the best player of the tournament. In 2022, they were knocked out in the quarter-finals. In the recent 2025 tournament, they were eliminated in the group stage.

* Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

** Missing flag indicates no host country.

UEFA Women's Nations League

The Netherlands team has also competed in the UEFA Women's Nations League.

League Phase											Finals
Season	Lg	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	P/R	RK		Year	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
2023–24	A	6	4	0	2	14	6		4th		2024	4th	2	0	0	2	0	5
2025	A	6	2	3	1	4	4		8th		2025	Did not qualify
Total		12	6	3	3	18	10	4th			Total	0 Titles	2	0	0	2	0	5

* Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Team Honours

Major Competitions

• FIFA Women's World Cup
  • Runners-up (1): 2019
• UEFA Women's Championship
  • Champions (1): 2017

FIFA World Rankings

The FIFA World Rankings show how well national teams are doing compared to others around the world.

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	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	10	11

See also

In Spanish: Selección femenina de fútbol de los Países Bajos para niños

• Sport in the Netherlands
  • Football in the Netherlands
    • Women's football in the Netherlands
• Netherlands women's national under-19 football team
• Netherlands women's national under-17 football team
• Netherlands men's national football team