Damaris Egurrola Has No Regrets Over Representing Netherlands In UEFA Women’s Euro

Tonight at the UEFA Women’s Euro, defending champions, the Netherlands play their first match against the highest-ranked team in the tournament Sweden in the most eagerly-anticipated match of the group stage. To the many players who became European champions in 2017, they have added Lyon’s Damaris Egurrola, who made the switch from Spain to play for them earlier this year.

Born in Orlando, Florida to a Basque father and a Dutch mother, Damaris came through the Spanish youth system, winning a succession of medals in world and European championships at various under 17, 19 and 20 age-group tournaments. When she made her senior debut for Spain against Cameroon in 2019, aged just 19, it seemed she had found her place among the glittering generation of Spanish players who now go into this summer’s UEFA Women’s Euro unbeaten in three years and among the favorites to take the Netherlands’ crown as European champions.

What followed is the subject of much controversy in Spain as national team manager Jorge Vilda went public in November 2021 claiming that Damaris refused call-ups to the senior Spanish squad on two occasions. An accusation refuted by the player’s agent who said that these call-ups were only for the u23 side. Either way it was clear that Damaris had opted to transfer her allegiance to another country. The United States inquired about her availability to play for the world champions but it was with the country of her mother’s birth that Damaris opted for.

After filing a one-time switch with FIFA, the process was completed in March with Damaris only making her first appearance for the Netherlands in April coming on as a second-half substitute during a 12-0 win over Cyrpus in her mother’s hometown of Groningen. Now back in the north-west of England, where she played for four months with Everton, she can’t wait to represent the Dutch in a major international tournament.

“Yeah, I’m really happy to be here” she told me. “Once I took that decision, I was really focusing on coming to the Euros. Bringing my game into the team. The girls have had a really good feeling with me also since the first day, so it was really easy going and now I can wait to start the tournament with the team. I think we’re really ready for it.”

Despite resentment from people in Spain who believe they nurtured her talent from a young age, Damaris’ heart has always been Dutch. “Well, my mother’s from the Netherlands. So I think since I’m a kid I always had that thing towards the Netherlands. I had plenty of shirts from the Netherlands supporting them in World Cups. When they played against Spain, I was supporting the Netherlands. Also talking with (head coach) Mark (Parsons) and the girls like Daniëlle van de Donk, my team-mate at Lyon, it was really helpful to have some feedback and how they see me on the team and they’re really pushed me to get this decision and I’m really happy with it because I think it was the correct decision.”

Training in leafy Carrington brings back memories for Damaris of her short time in England during the height of the global lockdown in 2020. “I didn’t really have time to look around a lot. However, these surroundings (in the countryside) I really know it because during Covid we didn’t have much to do. We just went by car around here but my experience with Everton was short, so I cannot really say much. “However, the cool, rainy weather is more familiar to her. “In the Basque Country, I had this weather, I also had this weather in England for four months. Lyon is a little bit better, but it’s perfect weather to play football.”

The Dutch will have the largest travelling support of any of the countries in England, with an estimated 2,500 expected in Sheffield for their first match against Sweden. Following on from the phenomenal support generated when they won the 2017 tournament on home soil, the Oranje fans have organized a fan march from a city-center park to the stadium for the match. Damaris has fond memories of 2017, having been in the stadium when the Netherlands defeated Denmark in Enschede.

“Yeah, actually I was watching the tournament in the Netherlands with my family. I remember I was still supporting Spain because I used to play in Spain and for the national team. So I still remember that when the Netherlands went into final, I was also in the stadium, how they celebrated in the next days, all the streets were orange. I was talking to the players about being there. Now I’m part of the group so it’s something really amazing. For me it’s going to be the first experience with the Dutch fans but I always watched them on TV and people always talk about them so I can’t wait to see all the streets full of orange.”

She insists that integrating into a team of champions at short notice, the core of which has played together for several years has been no problem for her. “Yeah, it was really easy to come into this group. I’m really thankful for the girls for what they did for me. It’s difficult when someone in my situation comes into a group and doesn’t speak the language – I can understand everything – but I’m really happy with the girls. They’re really easy going so that also helps me to perform on the field.”

The midfielder also believes that she has something to add when asked what she can bring to the team. “I think my own game, to be myself, bring that tempo to the game, keep the ball in small spaces, long balls. Just be myself. I think we have lots of talent in the group and we just need to make it happen.”

Motivating the players will be the Netherlands’ official song for the tournament ‘Run Together‘ performed by Eurovision singer Stefani. Damaris and the rest of the squad appear in the music video and she tells me it is regularly played on the team coach. “That was something new for me to have a song for the Euros. We enjoyed it a lot. We also created the lyrics a little within the group, so we’re quite a part of it. Also the video I think is really something to push the fans and the team also. We listen to it before training and after training, so it’s cool to have that.”

In January 2021, Damaris left Everton to make a high-profile move to then European champions, Olympique Lyonnais, her third club in six months. After establishing herself in the team this season, she helped them to reclaim the Women’s Champions League from Barcelona in May and could join a select group of players to become a European champion from their club and country in the same year should the Dutch retain their title in the Wembley final later this month.

On a personal level, she is just happy to remain in one place after signing a deal with Lyon until June 2024. “It’s been two years moving around, but now I’m really I’m happy to be in Lyon settled. I’m happy with all the decisions I took so I have nothing to regret. That’s the most important thing.”