Dutch national Van der Gragt puts a stop to soccer career after World Cup

Stefanie van der Gragt will put a stop to her career after next summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The 30-year-old defender, who signed for two years with Internazionale last summer but will not serve out that contract, played her 100th international game against Germany in early April.

The highlight in the career of Van der Gragt, who looks back with satisfaction – “Experienced everything I wanted to experience as a professional soccer player” – was winning the European Championship in 2017. She also reached the final of the World Cup in 2019 with Oranje, for which she scored 12 goals.

Van der Gragt began her career with AZ and then wore the jersey of SC Telstar, FC Twente, Bayern Munich, Ajax, FC Barcelona and again Ajax. Both with AZ, FC Twente and Ajax, she grabbed the national title once. The now 101-time international also won the KNVB Cup twice.

National coach Andries Jonker knew for some time about the plans of Van der Gragt, whose partner will soon give birth to their second child. “I praised Stefanie around her hundredth international for her intransigence. That has typified her throughout her career. I am therefore confident that she will give everything for her team until the very last minute of her active career.”