Merel van Dongen had hoped to participate in one more European Championship with the Dutch national team, but head coach Andries Jonker opted not to take her to Switzerland. Van Dongen has now announced her retirement from professional football with the following message:
“A little update from me; I am currently in the extra time of my football life, as I have decided to say goodbye to professional football after the Campeón the Campeionas on July 16 in San Antonio. As I am playing these last minutes, I am so happy with the shirt I am wearing, so happy with the people I am on the with, and so happy with the place where I am experiencing it. And then, when the referee blows the final whistle, I will be at complete ease, knowing I gave it 1000% when I take off my boots one last time. The last dance. And I am enjoying every step of it. Arriba el Monterrey.”
Merel van Dongen Career Highlights
Van Dongen made her debut in the Dutch Eredivisie in 2011 when she played for ADO Den Haag. She spent the 2011/12 season with the club before moving to the University of Alabama to play college football.
In 2015, Van Dongen returned to the Netherlands and signed for Ajax, where she spent three seasons before moving on to Real Betis and later Atlético Madrid. She currently plays for CF Monterrey, having joined the club in 2024. Her final match will be on July 16, 2025.
On the international stage, Van Dongen earned 63 caps for the Dutch national team. Though she often found herself on the bench more than she would have liked, she was known as a strong motivator within the squad. Her last opportunity for a major tournament was the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025, but she was not selected.
Source: Merel van Dongen
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