NOS Voetbal•vandaag, 14:22
The year 2024 was already fantastic for Veerle Buurman, but Tuesday evening it became even more beautiful. With her debut for the Dutch national team, another dream came true for the 18-year-old defender.
Buurman also immediately sent a signal with a strong performance. “I’m happy with how things went. There is still a lot of work to be done, but I was able to play relaxed and be myself. I am very proud of that.”
Development
Less than two years ago, Buurman played among the boys at SC Bemmel in Gelderland. At the beginning of this calendar year, she signed her first professional contract with PSV. A position in the main force of the Eindhoven team soon followed.
It didn’t stop there, because last summer she was already picked up by the English national champion Chelsea. For a record amount.
“2024 has been really bizarre for me. The year has passed with all kinds of beautiful moments. Sometimes you can’t realize it all yourself.”
Buurman (18) was able to ‘play nice and relaxed’ at Dutch debut: ‘Super proud’
National coach Andries Jonker is very happy with Buurman. According to the coach, her future looks bright.
“She showed in this match why we think she is such a great talent. It doesn’t surprise me that she can compete so easily, because we already saw during training last summer that the potential is there. There are still quite a few There are some things to work on and refine. But she can look forward to a future in top international football.”
Jonker satisfied with the Dutch team and debutant Buurman: ‘Future at the top’
Despite her transfer to Chelsea, Buurman is still playing in the Netherlands this season. The superpower in women’s football immediately rented her back to PSV. With the Eindhoven team she is chasing the first title in the history of the women’s branch. So far she has played fourteen official matches for the Eindhoven team.
Last summer, Buurman was an important force for the Dutch under-20 team, which finished fourth at the World Cup in Colombia. At that tournament she managed to score as a defender against Costa Rica and Argentina.
“It was quite a tough World Cup. I often had to play 120 minutes. It was a super busy summer anyway with few rest days. I also talked about that with Andries. It’s very nice that they thought along. Now I just feel whole again. good and fresh.”
Buurman’s development is going fast. Isn’t she just going for a starting place at the European Championships next summer? “I’m going to do everything I can. But I still have a lot to learn.”
