Vivianne MIEDEMA

Netherlands

Football

Games Participations1

First Olympic GamesTokyo 2020

Year of Birth1996

Biography

Vivianne Miedema's introduction to football was marked by a challenging moment – losing two teeth in a collision with a goalkeeper at just six years of age. However, this setback didn't deter her from pursuing her passion.

"That’s my first memory of football. People might think, ‘You’re crazy to want to play again after losing two teeth,’ but playing football is all I ever wanted to do. I didn’t really do anything else back then – to be honest, I couldn’t really do anything else back then – so it was quite easy for me to go back," she explained on the Arsenal website.

Vivianne Miedema: Early years and journey to prominence

The Dutch goalscoring prodigy was born and brought up in the town of Hoogeveen, Netherlands. She started playing football at age five for HZVV, her local team, inspired by watching her father play. Even though she had to compete against boys on the field, she proved exceptional. In 2009, she joined VV De Weide and continued playing for them until 2011.

As a teenager, she faced a pivotal decision: choosing between staying with boys' teams or joining the top women's league. She opted for the latter.

The striker signed her first professional contract with SC Heerenveen at 14, becoming the youngest-ever player in the Eredivisie Vrouwen, the top Dutch women’s league. In her debut season, she scored 10 goals in 17 games. She later moved to German giants Bayern Munich, winning the Frauen-Bundesliga in her first season, and in 2017, she joined Arsenal.

The Dutch star had a remarkable 2017-18 season in England with the Gunners, winning the FA WSL Cup and becoming the top scorer with 22 goals. She led the team to victory in the Women's Super League the following season.

In 2021, she achieved a significant milestone in her career by scoring over 100 goals with Arsenal in all competitions. She is the all-time leading scorer in the English Women's Super League, with an impressive tally of 78 goals before the start of the 2023-2024 season.

Vivianne Miedema: International stardom

Miedema made her debut for the Netherlands women’s national football team in 2013, and her impact was immediate. She set records for the junior sides, becoming the all-time top scorer in the UEFA Women’s Under-17 Championship with 18 goals.

Her contribution to the senior national team has been tremendous. She played a significant role in the Netherlands' triumph at the UEFA Women's Euro 2017 and their journey to the final of the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. Miedema has established herself as a legend in Dutch football history by surpassing the all-time goal-scoring record for the national team, both for men and women. She achieved this milestone during the World Cup in France in 2019. As of March 2024, her international goals stand at an exceptional 95 from 110 games.

At Tokyo 2020 in 2021, despite the Netherlands' quarter-final exit, Miedema set a record by scoring 10 goals in five games on the Olympic stage.

Vivianne Miedema: Inspired by Dutch legends

Miedema drew inspiration from Dutch men's team football legend Robin van Persie. As a devoted Feyenoord Rotterdam fan, she would travel long distances with her father and younger brother Lars to watch matches featuring the former Dutch national icon.

"When I was younger, I would watch a lot of men’s football, and Robin van Persie was the big example for me, mostly because he was around at the time that I started to watch football on TV," said Miedema.

"He was a great example for me and was probably the most influential striker for me. Then there were the other Dutch players, like Ruud van Nistelrooy and Dirk Kuyt, who were big players as well, so I would watch videos of them."