“It’s unbelievable. I feel like I just aged 40 years,” Netherlands coach Olivier Amelink said in the wake of watching his team win a second shootout in a row at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2025™. It took them nine penalties to make it through to the semi-finals on their U-17 debut, and all that after pulling off a miraculous comeback in stoppage time after France had moved 2-0 in front in the 92nd minute.
“I don’t know how to put it into words, because every time when everybody thinks it’s over, this group show something and keep fighting, they work for each other, they believe. I don’t know what it is, but this is a very special team,” Amelink said of his group.
The two players who came up big for the OranjeLeeuwinnen have had their struggles here in Morocco: Rochelity Dap and Ranneke Derks. Dap showed presence of mind right after France extended their lead, pouncing on a misplayed ball and neatly finishing just moments after France’s second goal. Then, in the dying minutes of added time, Derks’ volley shot evened the score and forced the shootout.
“It was a rollercoaster,” goalkeeper Maren Groothoff, who watched this play out from the other end of the pitch just minutes before she would become a hero herself, told FIFA. “When France made it 2-0, I thought, ‘Oh my God, it’s going to be very difficult to score two goals in so few minutes.’ And then we scored and I just felt the team lighting up, just believing that we’re going to score another one.”
Derks came to Morocco with high expectations, having been crowned best player at the UEFA Women’s Under-17 Championship after contributing four goals to the Netherlands’ first European title, including the winner in the final. However, struggles during the group stage led to her starting on the bench both in the round of 16 against the United States and in the quarter-final against France.
“It was difficult for me to start the first three matches and then sit on the bench,” she admitted. “But I came in at the break, did my thing and scored. I showed my coach that I can play like how I played today, that I can score in this tournament. I wanted to give everything to the team, and for me it’s amazing to help the team go to the semi-finals.”
Derks didn’t only score the magical 2-2, but also coolly converted her penalty during the shootout – which wasn’t a given for her. “It was very stressful for me, because the last game against France I missed my shot,” she shared, referring to the EURO semi-final back in May. “But this time I shot to the right and it went in. I was very happy to score that penalty.”
Derks’ exploits earned her the Player of the Match award. But she wasn’t the only player to shine during the shootout; goalkeeper Groothoff saved twice, including the very last of the 18 attempts. “You’re nervous and your heartbeat is rising and you think, ‘Wow, this is going to take so long’,” she reflected afterwards. “The most important thing to do as a team was to keep our minds as calm as possible.”
When it comes to her own role, Groothoff was once again able to keep her cool – just like she did against the US, and back in May against France: “I was a little bit nervous, but mostly just calm. I thought we had it, and we did it again.”
In the moment of victory though, emotions take over. “You feel incredible,” Groothoff described what it was like to save that final shot. “You just run, you scream, everyone is going to jump on you. It’s just incredible. Everything, happy, tears, I don’t know… speechless.”
