Merel van Dongen explained

Merel van Dongen
Fullname:Merel Didi van Dongen
Birth Date:1993 2, df=yes
Birth Place:Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height:1.72 m
Currentclub:Monterrey
(on loan from Atlético Madrid)
Clubnumber:5
Position:Defender, fullback
Youthyears1:2012–2014
Youthclubs1:Alabama Crimson Tide
Years1:2010–2011
Clubs1:Ter Leede
Years2:2011–2012
Clubs2:ADO
Caps2:10
Goals2:2
Years3:2015–2018
Clubs3:Ajax
Caps3:71
Goals3:9
Years4:2018–2020
Clubs4:Real Betis
Caps4:46
Goals4:5
Years5:2020–2023
Clubs5:Atlético Madrid
Caps5:71
Goals5:6
Years6:2024–
Clubs6:Monterrey (loan)
Caps6:9
Goals6:5
Nationalyears1:2010–2012
Nationalteam1:Netherlands U19
Nationalcaps1:15
Nationalgoals1:4
Nationalyears2:2015–
Nationalteam2:Netherlands
Nationalcaps2:63
Nationalgoals2:2
Pcupdate:13 October 2021
Ntupdate:1 December 2023

Merel Didi van Dongen (in Dutch; Flemish pronounced as /ˈmeːrəl ˈdidi vɑn ˈdɔŋən/, born 11 February 1993) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a defender for Liga MX Femenil side Monterrey on loan from Spanish Primera División club Atlético Madrid and the Netherlands national team.[1]

Club career

She played for Ter Leede and ADO Den Haag before going to the United States where she played for Alabama Crimson Tide. She returned to the Netherlands in 2015 and signed with AFC Ajax.

College career

In Van Dongen's two years at Alabama she managed to become the Tide's single season assists leader registering 10 in 2014. She is No. 1 on Alabama's career assists per game list with 0.30 through 44 games, and her 10 assists in 2014 allowed her to take the No. 1 spot on the single season assists per game list with 0.53 through 19 games. Van Dongen converted four penalty kicks during her career with Alabama, which ranks fourth on the career penalty kicks made list.

In her last season with the Crimson Tide, she was selected to the CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-American team and All-District 4 First Team and named a member of the All-SEC Second Team.[2]

International career

As a junior international she played the 2010 and 2011 U-19 European Championships.[3]

Van Dongen made her senior Netherlands women's national football team debut in a 7–0 friendly win over Thailand on 7 February 2015.[4] She was one of the last three players to be cut from national team coach Roger Reijners' final squad for UEFA Women's Euro 2013 in Sweden.[5] When Mandy van den Berg subsequently suffered knee ligament damage, Van Dongen was called up as a late replacement.[6] She was also part of the Dutch squad at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.[7]

On 31 May 2023, she was named as part of the Netherlands provisional squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.[8]

International goals

Scores and results list the Netherlands goal tally first.[9]

Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 20 May 2015 Sparta Stadion, Rotterdam, Netherlands 3–0 7–0 Friendly
2 22 October 2021 AEK Arena, Larnaca, Cyprus 8–0 8–0 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifier

Personal life

She is in a relationship with Ana Romero.[10] They are engaged since December 2021.[11]

Honours

ADO Den Haag

Ajax

Atlético Madrid

Monterrey

Netherlands

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Profile . https://web.archive.org/web/20150612101843/http://www.fifa.com/womensworldcup/players/player=386917/index.html . dead . 12 June 2015 . FIFA.com . 24 June 2015.
  2. Web site: Two Former Alabama Soccer Standouts Named to 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup Roster . 22 May 2019 . rolltide.com . 11 June 2019.
  3. http://www.uefa.com/womensunder19/matches/season=2011/round=2000095/match=2008020/index.html Last-gasp Rudelic grabs victory for Germany
  4. Web site: Merel van Dongen. 23 July 2013. 17 July 2013. VrouwenvoetbalNederland.NL.
  5. Web site: Trio miss cut in Netherlands squad. 30 June 2013. 23 July 2013. UEFA.com. UEFA.
  6. Web site: Van Dongen replaces Van den Berg for Oranje. 1 July 2013. 23 July 2013. UEFA.com. UEFA. Berend. Scholten.
  7. Web site: List of Players - Netherlands. FIFA. 31 May 2015. 16. 30 May 2015. 10 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160410062327/http://www.fifadata.com/document/FWWC/2015/pdf/FWWC_2015_SquadLists.pdf. dead.
  8. Web site: Mark White . 2023-06-05 . Netherlands Women's World Cup 2023 squad: 30-player preliminary team named . 2023-06-19 . fourfourtwo.com . en.
  9. Web site: Profile . Dutch . onsoranje.nl . 16 December 2017.
  10. News: Merel van Dongen: graag was ik als eerste man uit de kast gekomen. NRC. 11 January 2019 . Greven . Koen .
  11. Web site: SHE SAID YES! Ajax will forever be part of their love story. YouTube.
  12. Web site: Finale Algarve Cup tussen Oranjevrouwen en Zweden afgelast. 7 March 2018 . nu.nl. Dutch. 7 March 2018.