Sherida Spitse

Dutch footballer (born 1990) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sherida Spitse (Dutch pronunciation: [ɕeːˈridaː ˈspɪtsə]; born 29 May 1990) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Ajax.[2] She has made 248 appearances for the Netherlands national team, making her the most-capped Dutch and European player of all time.[3]

Full name Sherida Spitse[1]
Date of birth (1990-05-29) 29 May 1990 (age 35)
Place of birth Sneek, Netherlands
Height 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Quick facts Personal information, Full name ...
Sherida Spitse
Spitse with the Netherlands in 2014
Personal information
Full name Sherida Spitse[1]
Date of birth (1990-05-29) 29 May 1990 (age 35)
Place of birth Sneek, Netherlands
Height 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Ajax
Number 8
Youth career
2004–2007 VV Sneek
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2012 SC Heerenveen 100 (13)
2012–2014 Twente 38 (26)
2014–2017 LSK Kvinner 65 (16)
2017–2018 Twente 23 (8)
2018–2020 Vålerenga 61 (15)
2021– Ajax 65 (8)
International career
2005 Netherlands U15 4 (1)
2006 Netherlands U17 9 (1)
2006–2025 Netherlands 248 (46)
Medal record
Women's football
Representing the  Netherlands
FIFA Women's World Cup
Runner-up2019 France
UEFA Women's Championship
Winner2017 Netherlands
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 14 January 2024
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Club career

Spitse started her career at VV Sneek before joining SC Heerenveen when the Eredivisie Vrouwen, the Dutch women's professional league, was established in 2007.[4] In five seasons at Heerenveen, she played in 100 matches and scored 13 goals.[5] In 2012, as the Dutch and Belgian leagues merged to form the BeNe League, Spitse moved to FC Twente in May 2012.[6] At Twente, she won the BeNe League titles in 2012–13 and 2013–14. She was also the club top scorer in 2012–13 with 16 goals.[4]

In December 2013, it was announced that Spitse would transfer to Norwegian Toppserien club LSK Kvinner FK from January 2014.[7] This was the first paid transfer for a Dutch women's football player.[8][9][10][11] With LSK Kvinner, Spitse became a Norwegian League and Cup champion at the end of the 2014 season. She was also voted on to Norway's Team of the Year at the annual NISO awards ceremony in Oslo.[12] She remained in the club for the next two seasons, through 2016, winning the league and cup in both seasons.[13]

On 19 December 2016, during the 2015–16 Eredivisie winter break, she moved back to the Netherlands, agreeing to a contract with FC Twente for the second half of the season.[14] On 16 June 2017, she extended her contract with FC Twente for one season.[15]

During the 2017–18 Eredivisie winter break, on 27 December 2017, she signed a two-year contract with Vålerenga, returning to the Norwegian league.[16]

On 20 November 2020, it was announced that Spitse had returned to the Eredivisie, joining Ajax in January 2021.[17] Spitse was voted player of the year in 2023 and 2024 by Ajax supporters and technical staff.[18]

International career

Spitse made her debut for the Netherlands under coach Vera Pauw on 31 August 2006, in a 4–0 World Cup qualifying defeat to England.[4][19] At the time, she was 16 years old and still playing with the VV Sneek boys team.[20][21]

At the UEFA Women's Euro 2009, she was a member of the Dutch squad that reached the semifinals.[22]

In June 2013, national team coach Roger Reijners selected Spitse for the UEFA Women's Euro 2013 in Sweden.[23]

On 7 February 2015, she earned her 100th cap for the Dutch in a match against Thailand.[24] Spitse helped the Netherlands qualify for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup and was selected for the final squad.[25] She played all four of Netherlands' matches in the tournament.[2]

Footballer Sherida Spitse in an Ajax kit on a football pitch. Taken August 2021
Spitse with Ajax in August 2021

Spitse was part of the Dutch championship team in the UEFA Women's Euro 2017,[26] playing in all matches and being selected for the Team of the Tournament. After the tournament, the team was honoured by prime minister Mark Rutte and minister of sport Edith Schippers and made Knights of the Order of Orange-Nassau.[27]

In the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, she reached the final with the Netherlands, losing 2–0 to the United States.[28] In 2019, she became the all-time leader in caps for the Netherlands, passing Annemieke Kiesel.[29][30]

Spitse suffered a knee injury in July 2021, forcing her to miss the rescheduled 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.[31] In June 2022, Spitse earned her 200th cap with the Netherlands.[29]

On 31 May 2023, she was named to the Netherlands provisional squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.[32] Spitse was the captain of the Dutch team and appeared in all five of her team's matches.[33][34]

Spitse announced her retirement from international football in October 2025 and played her final match for the Netherlands on 28 October 2025, in a 1–0 win over Canada.[35]

Career statistics

Scores and results list the Netherlands' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Spitse goal.
More information No., Date ...
List of international goals scored by Sherida Spitse[19]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
122 November 2006Yanmar Stadion, Almere, Netherlands Russia4–05–0Friendly
229 October 2009Oosterenkstadion, Zwolle, Netherlands Macedonia8–013–12011 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
319 December 2010Pacaembu Stadium, São Paulo, Brazil Mexico2–12–12010 Torneio Internacional
42 March 2011GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus New Zealand1–04–12011 Cyprus Women's Cup
53 April 2011Kras Stadion, Volendam, Netherlands Scotland4–16–2Friendly
66–2
724 November 2011Kyocera Stadion, The Hague, Netherlands Croatia2–02–02013 UEFA Women's Euro qualifying
815 February 2012Stade des Costières, Nîmes, France France1–01–2Friendly
91 March 2012GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus Scotland1–01–22012 Cyprus Women's Cup
1024 October 2012Jan Louwers Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands France1–01–1Friendly
1125 November 2012Telstar Stadion, Velsen-Zuid, Netherlands Wales2–02–0Friendly
1229 June 2013Telstar Stadion, Velsen-Zuid, Netherlands Australia3–13–1Friendly
135 April 2014Pankritio Stadium, Heraklion, Greece Greece5–06–02015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
147 February 2015Polman Stadion, Almelo, Netherlands Thailand1–07–0Friendly
154 April 2015Korinn Stadium, Kópavogur, Iceland Iceland1–01–2Friendly
1617 September 2015De Vijverberg, Doetinchem, Netherlands Belarus5–08–0Friendly
177–0
184 June 2016Mandemakers Stadion, Waalwijk, Netherlands South Africa1–01–0Friendly
1925 October 2016Scholz Arena, Aalen, Germany Germany1–22–4Friendly
203 March 2017VRS António Sports Complex, Vila Real de Santo António, Portugal Australia2–32–32017 Algarve Cup
2120 July 2017Sparta Stadion Het Kasteel, Rotterdam, Netherlands Denmark1–01–0UEFA Women's Euro 2017
2224 July 2017Koning Willem II Stadion, Tilburg, Netherlands Belgium1–02–1UEFA Women's Euro 2017
236 August 2017De Grolsch Veste, Enschede, Netherlands Denmark3–24–2UEFA Women's Euro 2017
2424 November 2017NTC Senec, Senec, Slovakia Slovakia2–05–02019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
256 April 2018Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands Northern Ireland4–07–02019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
266–0
2710 April 2018Tallaght Stadium, Dublin, Republic of Ireland Republic of Ireland2–02–0 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
288 June 2018Shamrock Park, Portadown, Northern Ireland Northern Ireland4–05–0 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
299 November 2018Stadion Galgenwaard, Utrecht, Netherlands Switzerland1–03–0 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
3019 January 2019Green Point Stadium, Cape Town, South-Africa South Africa1–02–1Friendly
3130 August 2019A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia Estonia3–07–0UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying
324–0
333 September 2019Abe Lenstra Stadion, Heerenveen, Netherlands Turkey3–03–0UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying
344 October 2019Fazanerija City Stadium, Murska Sobota, Slovenia Slovenia3–24–2UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying
354–2
368 November 2019Bornova Stadium, İzmir, Turkey Turkey2–08–0UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying
378–0
3812 November 2019GelreDome, Arnhem, Netherlands Slovenia1–14–1UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying
392–1
4010 March 2020Stade du Hainaut, Valenciennes, France France2–03–32020 Tournoi de France
4123 October 2020Euroborg, Groningen, Netherlands Estonia4–07–0UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying
4215 June 2021De Grolsch Veste, Enschede, Netherlands Norway2–07–0Friendly
438 April 2022Euroborg, Groningen, Netherlands Cyprus9–012–02023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
442 July 2023Parkstad Limburg Stadion, Kerkrade, Netherlands Belgium2–05–0Friendly
4525 October 2024De Vijverberg, Doetinchem, Netherlands Indonesia3–015–0Friendly
464 April 2025Erve Asito, Almelo, Netherlands Austria3–03–12025 UEFA Women's Nations League
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Personal life

Spitse married Jolien van der Tuin in 2018.[36][37] The two met in Emmen when Van der Tuin played for SC Angelslo [nl].[38] Van der Tuin gave birth to the couple's two children, Jens, born in 2017, and Mila, born in 2020.[39][40] Spitse and Van der Tuin divorced in 2024.[41][42]

Honours

FC Twente

*During the BeNe League period (2012 to 2015), the highest placed Dutch team is considered as national champion by the Royal Dutch Football Association.[43]

Ajax

LSK Kvinner

Vålerenga

  • Toppserien: 2020
  • Norwegian Women's Cup: 2020

Netherlands

Individual

References

External links

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