Netherlands top scorer side-lined but Arsenal teammate Pelova in Women’s World Cup squad by Michelle
With the Women’s World Cup taking place this summer, in Australia & New Zealand, the Netherlands have announced their 30-player provisional FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 squad. The Women’s World Cup 2019 runners-up will narrow the list down to their final 23 on 30th June, but one thing is certain, their all-time leading goalscorer, Arsenal’s Vivianne Miedema, is not on the list.
Viv, who suffered a season-ending ACL rupture in December 2022, is still a big part of the Dutch women’s team’s World Cup preparations even though she is set to miss the competition, saying “After the game, I discuss the game with Andries (Jonker, ed.) and a few girls. That way I try to be an addition.”
Miedema has scored 95 international goals in 115 appearances for the Netherlands – more than any other male or female Netherlands player, and she was part of Sarina Wiegman’s Netherlands side that won the 2017 European Championship on home soil, as well as the Netherlands squad that came 2nd in the 2019 Women’s World Cup, when they were pipped at the post by the US.
Miedema’s fellow Dutch international and Arsenal teammate Victoria Pelova, who celebrated her 24th birthday at the weekend, joined Arsenal from Ajax in the January transfer window and has been selected for the World Cup 2023 squad. Pelova, like Miedema, was also part of the Netherlands squad that were runners-up in the 2019 Women’s World Cup.
See full squad details in the official tweet below:
📣 SQUAD NEWS!
Met deze 𝘃𝗼𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗲 start op 19 juni de voorbereiding voor #FIFAWWC! 🏆🌏
🗓 𝟯𝟬 𝗷𝘂𝗻𝗶 » Definitieve selectie 📋#NothingLikeOranje pic.twitter.com/p0IlxLo20Z
— OranjeLeeuwinnen (@oranjevrouwen) May 31, 2023
Other Arsenal players unable to play in the Women’s World Cup 2023, through ACL injuries, are captain of the Lionesses Leah Williamson and Viv’s partner Beth Mead – who won the Golden Boot and Player of the Tournament at Euro 2022.
With the Women’s Super League season over, we can’t wait for the Women’s World Cup in July & August!
Michelle Maxwell
Follow Michelle on Just Gooner Women on Twitter for regular updates on the Arsenal Womens Team!
Do you want to read more about the Arsenal Women’s Team? Click here….
