It's half past twelve in the afternoon when Vivianne Miedema and teammate/girlfriend Lisa Evans order breakfast at Baked Nation, a café near Arsenal's training facilities. They played away against Manchester United the evening before and after a four hour bustrip they were in bed by half past two. „It changes up your whole day”, says Miedema, who switched tables at the agreed time.

She's been chosen as the best player of the Women's Super League and is The Netherlands' record-holding goalscorer. A down-to-earth and open women. Sometimes she answers questions with a simple ‘yep’, but she can also speak firmly for or against something. „I'm a realist”, she says.

Miedema (23) switched to Arsenal in 2017 – where compatriots Daniëlle van de Donk and Jill Roord also play - after three seasons at Bayern München. She really likes being at Arsenal, she says, scores a lot and has just extended her contract for two years. Arsenal won 4-0 against Fiorentina last week, in part thanks to two goals by Miedema, and the team is close to playing in the round of 16 of the Champions League.

She also found her place at the national team. At the 2015 World Cup she was expected to „get the team to the World Championship title” – both by her fellow players and the staff, a lonely time, she says – these days she doesn't have to do it all on her own anymore. The mood is good, problems are quickly talked over and coach Sarina Wiegman „listens a lot to and takes a lot in from players” and „adapts well to individual qualities”.

Because of missed chances she felt more disappointment than happiness after the World Cup, but Miedema is now happy with getting second place. She calls qualifying for the Olympics in Tokyo (2020) „very special”. „It was my dream as a young girl to participate in the Olympic Games.”

Susannah Ireland

Are you proud of what you achieved?

She crosses her arms. „Well, there aren't a lot of footballers who can say at twenty-three that they've won the European Championship, played in a World Cup final and won championships in England and Germany. I can't complain.”

But do you enjoy it too?

„In the past” - she laughs – „when I was even younger, it was more difficult to. But these days I realize that it's really special what I experience. I feel … more calm. I enjoy it more, yes.”

When did that change for you?

„After changing from Bayern to Arsenal. They were really strict at Bayern. Players weren't allowed to colour outside the lines. This is completely different at Arsenal, where the mood is very open - which suits me a lot. Last season everything I touched seemed to turn into a goal.”

Manon Melis, who you passed as topscorer at the World Cup said: ‘Vivianne is not a big fan of German football.’

„That's right. Bayern drew me because it's a club with ambition. We won two championships and played in the Champions League. Germany was good for my development, both as person and as player. But the way they play is very defensive. After three years I decided that the style of play had been enough for me and that I needed a change.”

Do you consider England your home?

„Yes, more so than The Netherlands. I really like playing for the Dutch team, I wouldn't want to play for a different country. When all those thousands of Dutch supporters are getting behind our team, I think: wow. But aside from that, I don't have a lot with The Netherlands. I've been living abroad since I've been seventeen.”

Miedema grew up in a „football-crazy family” with two children in Hoogeveen (Drenthe). Her grandfather's brother played for Go Ahead Eagles. Her father, who is a salesman in kitchen appliances, at amateurclub HZVV. Her younger brother Lars signed his first pro-contract this month at FC Den Bosch.

When she was five, Miedema joined HZVV. She played in a team with boys, who she quickly outplayed. That was also noticed outside of the club: the KNVB (Dutch FA) invited Miedema to join the regional team for girls under 13 years. „I got there with my Jip and Janneke (Dutch children's books) belt”, she laughs. „The other girls - most of them already at secondary education - thought I was very cute. I made a good entrance.”

She tells that her father „was quite a footballer”. He played on a relatively high level at Hoogeveen, but couldn't accomplish his dream of becoming a professional player after having a double groin rupture.

You sometimes hear about parents who weren't able to achieve their dreams, that …

… „they expect their children to achieve them for them?” She laughs. „Football was my choice, not my father's. But I can't deny that he pressured me. We've argued about that quite often - we still do actually. Then I say: just shut up. I know what's best. Go annoy someone else. But it probably has made me better and got me where I am now.”

You joined Heerenveen when you were fifteen. You played together with some women who were already a mother.

„That was quite difficult. My world was the one with kidsclubs and long divisions. At home and at school [she studied at the havo (higher secundary education) and completed four subjects at atheneum level (secundary education preparing for university)] I was pretty compliant. But on the pitch I wasn't the easiest of people.”

Foppe de Haan, coach at Heerenveen at that time, says about you …

„… that I was quite the teenager!”

That you were hard to figure out. That if you would be more open that you would make it a lot easier for yourself and others.

She tilts her chair backwards and stays quiet for a bit. „At that time, yes. Me being adolescent had to come out somewhere.”

He even sent you away from a training session because you were unmanageable.

„Just once. It might sound arrogant, but in my final two seasons at Heereveen I had some issues with the low traininglevels. I got frustrated when players didn't play in the ball properly.”

De Haan also says: I see her becoming a coach later, she's got footballing knowledge.

„That explains my difference of opinion with coaches. I'm not the quickest player, I won't dribble past everyone from the centre line to score a goal, but I can read the game pretty well. That's why I want to become a coach after my playing career. In ten or fifteen years time. I got my coaching diploma last season in England and after the winter break I'll continue on for the UEFA B license. One evening per week I'll be coaching a youthteam at Arsenal. Either the girls under thirteen or the boys under twelve. I really enjoy working with children.”

Because of winning the Euros in 2017 and achieving second place at the World Cup last summer in France, the popularity of women's football has increased massively in The Netherlands. Miedema says that she's recognized a lot in The Netherlands and that people at the checkout often secretly take a picture. She doesn't mind it too much, „it's part of being well known”.

Being well known nor her good income hasn't changed her, she says. She lives a simple live, with a lot of Netflix. Every now and then she goes on a weekend trip. „I've only bought an expensive flatscreen.”

Susannah Ireland

The book ‘Samen sterk’ by Annemarie Postma talks about not all internationals being properly able to deal with their changed status. Some forgot where they came from and ‘can't interact normally with others anymore’.

„Some girls make the wrong choices because of that. I think that's too bad. You shouldn't be trying to live up to expectations of others.”

Could you give me an example?

„I'll stick to my own club. At the trainingfacilities I see boys at eighteen or nineteen who don't know what to do with the 80.000 pound they earn every month. Cars, brand clothing, bags … it's like they're competing with eachother. There is no more joy in the game, it's just about the money.”

Is it difficult for you to stay normal in the quite abnormal football world?

„No. That is one of my strong points. I haven't been raised with extravagance. And I've got the right people around me, that helps.”

Are you are ware of your demeanor and the reactions it causes?

„That I don't laugh when I shoot/score a goal? That I frown too much? Who cares.”

Johan Derksen (Dutch football talkshow regular) called you ‘a discontented autistic’. Does that affect you?

She sighs. „I can't care one bit. I've never spoken to the guy. He's got no clue who I am. It's fine if he says that I don't play well on the pitch, but he should leave me as a person out of it.”

The transfer to Arsenal, the development at the national team and her relationship with Lisa made her more mature. She was one of the five internationals who, after the European Championships in 2017 entered „tough negotiations” with the Dutch FA about improved rewards for the team. They succeeded, although no amounts were ever made public. She considers herself as „a connecting person” between the younger girls and the experienced players. „I can get along with both of them.” Miedema would never go to court for better salaries, like her American colleagues. „That's not my way of doing things and it'll only hurt yourself.” As long as the coorperation with the Dutch FA remains positive and respectful, she says. Because the team is doing pretty well, aren't they?

Notwithstanding the achievements at the World Cup, Miedema - down to earch as she is - moderates the expections. Qualifying for the Euros and the World Cup, those are the goals according to her. „We can get far with some luck, but it wouldn't be realistic to say: we're going to win those tournaments.”





The article has been translated into English by Max Klaversma, the original article can be found on nrc.nl. The only intention of this page is to provide the interview in English to people who are unable to read it in Dutch - no copyright infringement intended.