Excelsior Rotterdam

Eredivisie Women

Excelsior Rotterdam is a Dutch women's football team from Rotterdam which competes in the Vrouwen Eredivisie, the top league in the Netherlands.

Signature Fun Facts

What makes Excelsior Rotterdam what it is.

She made history at age 12 as one of the very first girls permitted to train within the boys' youth academy at Excelsior Rotterdam.

Chelsea made a dream debut for Excelsior in the 2022/23 season; she came on as a substitute in the Rotterdam Derby against Feyenoord and scored the winning goal.

More Fun Facts

Quirky facts from the Excelsior Rotterdam squad.

Janneke is a product of the prestigious PSV Eindhoven academy, where she spent several years and signed her first professional contract in 2022.

She made her professional debut for Excelsior on September 28, 2024, starting in a league match against FC Utrecht.

She is known for her resilience; after a series of injury setbacks in early 2025, she stated she was "immediately determined to come back stronger."

Off the pitch, she is a fan of coastal destinations and frequently shares photos of her summer holidays at the beach with friends.

During her time at PSV, she was part of the "Beloften" (Academy) team that made history by reaching the final of the KNVB Beker Women, defeating several Eredivisie senior sides along the way.

Her mother was initially hesitant about her playing football because she viewed it as a "boys' sport," but her brother eventually won her over.

She began her football journey at local club v.v. TEC in Tiel before being scouted for professional academies.

Her transition to the first team came as a surprise to her; she was officially promoted after impressing Head Coach Mathijs de Groot during Thursday training sessions.

Her former coach at Gent, Jorn Van Ginderdeuren, described her as an essential locker-room presence who motivated her fellow keepers to reach higher levels.

She is a natural leader on the pitch, often describing her own playing style as a "director" who likes to organize the defense and set the lines for her teammates.

She is an alumna of Toyo University, a school well-known in Japan for its competitive women's football program.

Mahiro has a truly global footballing background, having played in the Japanese second division, the Swedish third division, and now the Dutch top flight.

Isa has a strong connection to her roots in Wormer and often returns to the North Holland region during her time off to visit family.

Lieke has been a fixture in the Oranje youth teams, earning a total of 17 youth international caps for the Netherlands across the U16 and U19 levels.

Nicole Deurholt, Head of Women's Football, praised Veerle for her mental resilience and her "excellent shot and scoring ability," noting how quickly she refocused on her recovery.