Dutch Footballer (19) Delights in Teammate's Debut for Oranje: 'She Can Already Hold Her Own Against France'

Buurman, who debuted a year and a half ago, suddenly found herself the 'most experienced player' in the backline. "I'm still a young girl, you know," the 19-year-old Buurman states resolutely with a wide grin. "No, she filled the role fantastically. Renee and I have been friends for a while, as we've played together since the Dutch U16s. We were separated for a bit due to Renee's ACL injury, but we've hopefully shown now that the two of us can hold down the central defense."

Before the match, Buurman was also one of the Lionesses who reassured Van Asten. "I told her to just enjoy it. I also had my first international match, and you're on the field with all the big names, but you just have to enjoy it. Your mistake is my mistake too; we do it together. I think that's very important," she continues.

In the past fourteen international matches, Buurman primarily played alongside experienced players like Dominique Janssen or Sherida Spitse. What was it like to take on that role? "You always play your own game, but I think it helps to have two friends next to you," says the nineteen-year-old Chelsea defender. "You understand each other well, accept a lot from each other, and can help each other a lot with coaching."

Remarkably, Van Asten was not only crucial in her defensive duties but also opened the scoring after eleven minutes. "She's probably going through a rollercoaster, which is beautiful. Renee already made a good impression in training, and she confirmed that. The fact that she's capable of showing this level with so little experience deserves a huge compliment," says Veurink.

For Buurman, Van Asten's strong performance came as no surprise, as she had already made a significant impression throughout the week. "She really did fantastically. That's why Arjan and the team felt: she can hold her own against a top nation like France. She's certainly shown that now," explains Buurman, echoing national coach Veurink. "When you see how she plays a ball, looks over it, and gets involved. Then you realize: she has a real understanding of the game," Veurink concludes with praise.