The Netherlands: Yibbi’s tears: ‘Feels unfair to get every honor’

It was a special scene, immediately after the Orange Women won the final of the European Championship against Germany. Yibbi Jansen already smiled with the prize for top scorer of the tournament in her hands, when she was called again unexpectedly. This time for the honorary title of the best player of the European Championship. The 25-year-old penalty corner specialist took, accepted the price and visibly emotionally joined her teammates.

Only that second point, only on stage and back, made the moment loaded. Only, apart from the close group, and in the entire spotlights. That she would become a top scorer was no longer a surprise after her hat trick against Spain in the semi -final. But she had not seen the personal selection as the best player. In the aftermath of such a collective performance it no longer felt at ease of her teammates than honorable.

“It is sometimes difficult that I am in the entire spotlight,” she says frankly. ‘There are so many good girls in our team who show good and beautiful field hockey. They don’t always get the attention they deserve. Then it feels a bit unfair and uncomfortable that I get the honor immediately after the final. After all, we really do it as a team. ‘

Cocktail of feelings

A crying Jansen is a rarity. Not after a glorious victory with the Dutch national team, nor after a lost final at SCHC. But Sunday was different. All the tension of the nerve-racking final match against Germany-in which the Dutch defended a 2-1 lead with all their power-the frustration about her green and yellow card and the delighted title celebration with her teammates. It was a cocktail of emotions that could no longer be tucked away.

“Sometimes it’s nice to let your emotions run wild,” she says. “Indeed, that doesn’t happen to me often. Sometimes I want it, but it just doesn’t come. Now the release came out. I was on my cards. The referees whistle very strictly. It gave a bad feeling to my teammates. I’m overjoyed how the team treated it. The girls were also very kind to me, did not blame me and immediately said they would solve it for me. ‘

Yibbi Jansen is surprised at the side after her second green – and therefore a yellow card – against Germany. Photo: Willem Vernes

In the final, Jansen was only able to use her feared penalty corner twice – without a goal this time. But with her own eyes she saw how others made the difference. ‘When you see how Sanne for example [Koolen] and Renée [van Laarhoven] Put it down at the back, how a Lisa Post continues to play in all kinds of different positions, how Xan [de Waard] I was at the forefront and took the team in tow, that is so incredibly valuable. I appreciate this team so much and I want to show that as much as possible. ‘

Team above all

Conversely, the appreciation within the group will also be great. Because everyone who becomes a top scorer at an international final tournament for the sixth time in a row (!) (!) Ontemalistel has played among the great hockey of Global Women’s Field.

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