Lieke Martens, the 30-year-old winger from PSG, has expressed her belief that the Netherlands can emerge victorious in the Women's World Cup. Having been part of the Dutch squad that finished as runners-up in 2019, losing 2-0 to the United States, Martens is now gearing up for her third appearance in the prestigious tournament.
In a recent FIFA interview, Martens shared her dreams of winning the World Cup, stating, "Yes, you do dream about that. And I think it is very good that you keep trying to make that dream a reality." She added, "If we were to win, it would be complete. I would have won everything that I have ever dreamt of winning. It will be a tough challenge, but nothing is impossible. I am going to give everything I can to be as prepared as I can be. I also trust in this team. I just hope we can get into the flow."
Martens boasts an impressive record, having won three successive league titles and the Champions League with Barcelona. She was also instrumental in the Netherlands' victory in the 2017 European Championship, where she was named the UEFA Women's Player of the Year and voted player of the tournament.
Since their Euro triumph, the expectations placed on the Dutch team have increased. Martens acknowledged the growing pressure and stated that her team can thrive and embrace the challenge of this year's competition. Despite being ranked ninth in the FIFA rankings, the Netherlands remains determined to make an impact on the World Cup stage.
Addressing the team's development in handling expectations, Martens said, "Suddenly, after the Euro win, people expect a lot from us. I think we dealt with that well as a team. We have slowly grown into it, and we are still dealing with it. People expect us to always be able to compete for the grand prizes, and we have given ourselves that standard. The character in the team is back, and maybe we can achieve something beautiful again at this World Cup."
Under the guidance of Andries Jonker, the Dutch team will commence their World Cup campaign on July 3rd against Portugal, followed by a highly anticipated match against four-time winners, the United States, on July 27th.
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