The Netherlands:

She seemed with three goals in the Semi -finals of the European Championship against Spain (3-1), as we know her. Only this tournament is something else with Yibbi Jansen: she plays this EC with her first name on her back. The first hat trick for ‘Yibbi’, with a decent star status both on and outside the field.

The first push hard on the left against the board, the second half high in the corner of the line stopper and the last one again on the left, but almost perfect in the side network. A lot of sharper could not have been possible. Three goals in the semi -final, as much as she made this in the three polar competitions.

Yibbi Jansen is clearly happy to be the hero for a while. The hero who helped Orange to a final ticket. But she is also critical. “Opponents know me. Know I’m going to push. They come with a response. And it’s up to me to anticipate. I needed more corners, the other games to score. I am happy that so today all fell. It’s a good time, “she says.

Against Ireland, for example, the Dutch reached eleven corners – Jansen did not take all of them for her account, of which only one target was done. The figures in the semi -final were much better. The Netherlands used three out of six. “Sometimes you need a few corners to play the game with the defense,” she described. “But our corner was sharp. For example, the death was super good and the timing of the stop was perfect. Then I had a little extra time to avoid the outrarners. ‘Her favorite? “I thought the third looked very nice. He was just difficult with the right height, “she smiled.

Afraid of falling behind?

The Netherlands started the semi -final against Spain, with two small opportunities for Fay van der Elst. Still, the team fell after five minutes: a brilliant tip-in from Patricia Alvarez made it 0-1. That was a bit of a shock for the Dutch, who last remained nine games ago. It took some time to get over the disappointment.

But it didn’t make Jansen restless. “I really thought: it will fall on its own,” she looks back. ‘Spain was quite low. We tried to attack a lot, but there was little room to make field goals. So we had to rely on the penalty corner, “says the match winner. And so that went smoothly. Great timing, because it was a bit of a search of this tournament. ‘Eventually I look at the corners that I get in the competition. If we get a total of 11 against Ireland, I am critical of the corners I have pushed out of it. For me it is about the number of opportunities I get in the competition and what choices I have made. I could have done things better, so I was really critical. ‘

‘It is a nice, positive turn for me that I no longer play with Jansen on my back. I thought it was unique. And it is also a kind of my own brand.

Not Jansen but Yibbi

Scoring still succeeds for her. She dominates the top scorers list on the European championship with six goals. With or without a last name on her back, because it does not play with Jansen, but with Yibbi. “I just enjoyed it and also had many nice reactions,” she says about her striking choice. “It is recognizable. So many people are called Jansen in the Netherlands. I am happy with my first name, “she says. ‘It is a nice, positive turn for me that I no longer play with Jansen on my back. I thought it was unique. And it is also a kind of my own brand. ‘

Photo: Willem Vernes

After her Golden Olympic Games, Jansen enjoyed an impressive career: she was named World Player of the Year by the FIH, Voted Sportsswoman of the year by FHM, was the star of the Hockey India League and in the meantime more than one hundred thousand followers gathered on Instagram. Her career is booming, so she decided to make her first name her own brand.

All devised on the Hil, earlier this year. In India everyone plays by the first name, so Jansen also received a shirt with Yibbi. She liked that, so she started to think and ask around.

Yibbi soon also at SCHC

Because this is also allowed in the Netherlands? The answer: Yes. For a year you can choose the name on your sweater, as long as it is in your passport. So she chose her first name. A choice she keeps. Also at SCHC, because she is planning to appear in Bilthoven with her first name on her back.

Photo: Willem Vernes

In Veldhockey we just have to be happy with someone who is recognized by something. Nobody disturbs when I play with a white hair band.

The Yibbi brand naturally includes her white hair band. Part of her trademark. And exactly that debate is under discussion. “During our first game I heard that I can’t always play with that band,” she says. Here is the thing. If she plays in orange, with a white hair band, the most important color of the opponent may not be white. “I think that’s really super sinful,” she says.

‘In Veldhockey, on the other hand, we must be happy that someone is recognized by something. Nobody disturbs when I play with a white hair band when I wear an orange sweater. If it was worrying for the opponent or referee, I could understand it, but in my eyes this is not a problem, “she starts her plea. “I would actually support it as a sport. I am advertising with field hockey, “clarifies them.

She is wearing a hair band. Anyway.

Because she only learned about it during the tournament, she didn’t have time to make agreements. Something that bothers her. ‘I think something about it, but then I would have told you two weeks earlier. Then I could have arranged something, “she says. “The white hair band is mine. We have to be happy with that instead of breaking it down, right? “She asks out loud.

‘If we play in the final against an opponent with a white sweater, I will definitely wear a hair band. Anyway. ‘