EUROs a big opportunity to put women’s football on the map says Arsenal’s Miedema | OneFootball

Arsenal and The Netherlands international forward Vivianne Miedema says that this summer’s UEFA Women’s EURO presents a big opportunity to sell the women’s game to a large audience.

Fans from 99 different countries have bought tickets for the tournament while a crowd of more than 70,00o is expected at Old Trafford for the opening game between England and Austria on 6 July.

Football-fever is set to hit England as the women’s game is projected into the public eye more than ever before. For Arsenal forward Miedema, the occasion feels like one of the biggest opportunities to sell and grow the women’s game.

“This summer is probably one of the biggest chances to put women’s football on the map,” Miedema said when speaking to Inside UEFA. “I think this is hopefully going to be the tournament.

“I hate to say it, but I want to see England do well because it will get people to the stadium, it will make the country itself feel really alive and I hope from there that we get our fan base coming to England because I do think that we’ve got the best fans in the world.”

Miedema was a member of The Netherlands team which won the UEFA Women’s EURO for the first time in 2017. While Miedema didn’t score in the group stage, she kept her best performances for the knockouts, netting in victories over Sweden, England and Denmark as The Orange Lionesses went on to lift the trophy in front of a roaring home crowd.

Reflecting on the heights of 2017, Miedema said that The Netherlands’ achievements were amazing while it opened the door for sold out crowds cheering on the national team.

She said “Looking back, it was something that we really didn’t expect to happen. Playing at the EURO in Holland was really special with all the fans and family there. I think throughout the tournament, we just really thought that this is going to be our year.

“Obviously, in the end we won against Denmark in the final and since then, women’s football has been growing really rapidly, in Holland, to be fair, we get sold-out crowds now. We’ve got an amazing fan base and I hope that we can continue our success over the coming years.”

The Netherlands and Miedema kick-off their UEFA Women’s EURO against Sweden in Sheffield on 9 July. The Dutch will also take on Portugal and Switzerland in the group stage.

Source: UEFA Media Release