An Oranje Fire

Kerstin Casparij, Netherlands

My name is Kerstin Casparij, I am 22 years old and play for Manchester City. My first season in the WSL has just come to an end. And with that, my first ever World Cup is coming closer and closer. After the season I took a (what I think was) a well-deserved rest to mentally and physically prepare for the upcoming months. But to be honest, I really cannot wait to get started!

I first joined a local football team when I was seven years old. I was already playing at the playground with the boys, and as the years went by more and more girls joined in! In the beginning I was more obsessed with picking flowers and chatting to my teammates than actually playing football. But as the years went by, I started to become more and more obsessed with the game. 

I played in boys teams until I was 15 years old. After that I joined SC Heerenveen in the Vrouwen Eredivisie. I quickly got into the first team and started playing at the highest level in The Netherlands. I made my debut in the Dutch League at the age of 15, which made me one of the youngest debutants in the league.

At 17 years old I moved to Alkmaar to play for VV Alkmaar. That year was a massive turning point for me. I got to experience life away from home and becoming an independent person and young adult. That year was vital to my individual development. But I came to the realisation that, as much as it had brought me off the pitch, Alkmaar was not the place for me. I decided to move back home. 

From this point my career really took off. I still wear the number that I got back then, number 18 - it reminds me of home, my friends, and the love for football. After being back home for two years, I felt like I needed to take the next step. Which became FC Twente! I had two amazing seasons in Enschede. Two league championships, the Eredivisie cup, my Champions League debut, my senior national team debut and my first big tournament with my senior national team. Both on and off the pitch, going to FC Twente was the best decision I had made thus far. Which resulted in me signing for Manchester City after my second season!

What did you try to show with the photos? Was there any wider meaning with the photos?

My family, friends, teammates, and fans from Manchester City are in the photos. Almost everything was taken in Manchester, apart from a few in Malta during an international break. I wanted to show my point of view, so that people can see what I see on a day-to-day basis.  

My favourite photo is one of me and my friends from the Netherlands at the Etihad Stadium. We went to our first Coldplay concert. In August 2022 I got the opportunity to get tickets for Coldplay in June 2023. I asked in our group chat if people wanted to join, not expecting that a lot of girls could, since they all live back home and play football themselves or have full time jobs. To my surprise there were some girls keen to come. So we booked everything 11 months in advance. The fact that the trip actually made it out of the group chat is something I’m very proud of!

What do you always do to prepare before a game?

I have a long list of things I do before games. I am quite the superstitious person. From always eating pasta before a game, to listening to the same song when I go for a pitch inspection (Whatever You Want by Status Quo!) and taping my ring finger. These things help me stay in my comfort zone and help deal with any anxiety I might experience on and around game days. Which I find very, very helpful :)

What are the opportunities and challenges for women’s footballers in The Netherlands and England? What changes have you seen in women’s football since you started playing?

The changes that I have seen since I started playing around eight years ago are absolutely massive. There have been a lot of investors who saw the potential and helped clubs grow and develop. More TV rights have been sold and there are weekly games. The Dutch league is growing, slowly but surely. I hope that one day, we can have the same attention and love for the women's teams as we have for the men’s teams. 

Looking at England, where I play now, the overall respect for women’s football was quite a shock for me. I had not experienced that before. The Ajax women could not be celebrated for winning the league, because the men were feeling sorry for themselves. I would not see that happen in England. Clubs are united - the men’s first team, women's first team, and academy. Everyone is involved. Of course there is still room for improvement, but they are on the right path. Whoever wins, wins for the club, with pride and the badge on that shirt. So they will get celebrated, because the club is proud of ALL of its teams. 

What role does football play in your community and Dutch society? 

Football is one of the main sports in the Netherlands. Dutch people take a lot of pride in their respective football clubs. Football is also a big help in the community. The Johan Cruyff Foundation plays a big part in this. They have around 275 football courts and another 60 courts that are especially for children with disabilities. 

I always used to play football on Johan Cruyff pitches in the neighbourhood. We also had school tournaments in which Johan Cruyff was also involved. We finished second out of all the teams in the Netherlands and the prize was awarded by Johan himself! 

Football is something that brings people together, all over the world, but definitely in the Netherlands. 

What does football and representing your country mean to you? 

Representing my country means more to me than I could ever imagine. I have been wanting to represent my country since I found out it was possible when I was around 10 years old! The immense pride and passion ignite a certain fire in me every time I put on that Oranje shirt.  

I can say with 100% certainty that the Dutch fans helped me with this fire. Witnessing first-hand how much it matters to our country and our people, our fans have given me a strength I did not know I had. If I had to describe my passion for my country, I always refer to the Italian national teams and the way they sing their national anthem. I feel the same passion as I think they feel. 

What are your personal ambitions for the future?

When it comes to my personal ambitions, it usually comes down to the same answer: winning. All I have wanted to do is to win. If I had to put something on the top of my list, it would be winning a major tournament with my national team. I don’t think I need to explain that :)

I hope we can make our country proud and make the Netherlands love their women's national team again. If we can make that happen, I will be a happy player and person!

What does the future look like for women's football? What do you want/expect to change after the 2023 Women’s World Cup?

There is still room for a lot of development in the women's game. Take the TV rights that have not yet been bought in several countries. I hope those types of things change after the World Cup. 

I also hope we see a massive growth of the popularity of women's football in Australia and New Zealand. Not just for their national teams, but also for their national leagues!