Former assistant Arjan Veurink announced as the next manager of the Oranje Leeuwinnen

Arjan Veurink has been announced as the new manager of the Netherlands’s women’s football team. He will replace Andries Jonker after this summer’s European Championships, who will be leaving the position after three years in charge. Veurink signed a contract up to the European Championships of 2029 and will manage his first games in charge during the international break in October of this year.

Veurink, a 38-year-old who was born in Ommen, was the manager of FC Twente’s women’s team from 2012 to 2018. He won the women’s league, the BeNe league, on two occasions while managing the team.

He then went on to work as an assistant manager for the Netherlands national side for four years under Sarina Wiegman. During that time, The team won the European Championship in 2017 and finished second at the World Cup in 2019.

Veurink then followed Wiegman as she became manager of the England women’s team. The English side also won the European Championship and finished second at the World Cup.

The Dutch football association, the KNVB, will formally present Veurink as manager after the European Championships in Switzerland in July.

“This is not only a fantastic challenge and a great new adventure, it also feels like the right next step in my career,” Veurink said via the KNVB. “I have never made a secret of my ambition to be the manager of the Dutch national side. With over eight years of experience at the highest level as Sarina Wiegman’s assistant, first with the Netherlands and now with England, I am ready to stand on my own two feet,” Veurink said.

He added that it is extra special that he is being given this opportunity in the Netherlands. He wants to close off the last few months with England in style before starting the next chapter in Zeist.

Nigel de Jong, the director of top-level football, spoke of his happiness with the appointment. “Arjan has a rich history in women’s football and has closely monitored the developments within international women’s football in the last 15 years. He knows the demands of the highest level, but he also knows how important it is to stay connected with the basics. We are happy that he is ready for the challenge.”

Jonker was told at the end of January that his time as national team manager was over after this summer. He was said to be “surprised” and “confused” by the decision. Oranje reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2023 under his management after he was appointed in 2022. Spain was the eventual champion of the tournament.