Esmee de Graaf

Esmee de Graaf (born 2 August 1997) is a Dutch footballer who plays as a winger, full-back or forward for Eredivise team Feyenoord in the Netherlands, having previously played for PEC Zwolle and for West Ham United and Leicester City in England.

In this Dutch name, the surname is de Graaf, not Graaf.
Esmee de Graaf
De Graaf in 2018
Personal information
Full name Esmee de Graaf
Date of birth (1997-08-02) 2 August 1997
Place of birth Bunschoten-Spakenburg, Netherlands
Position(s) Winger, Full-back, Forward
Team information
Current team
 Feyenoord
Number 14
Youth career
IJsselmeervogels
2013–2015 SV Saestum
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2018 PEC Zwolle 74 (21)
2018–2020 West Ham 12 (1)
2020–2022 Leicester City 40 (1)
2022– Feyenoord 20 (4)
International career‡
2013–2014 Netherlands U17 5 (1)
2016 Netherlands U19 8 (2)
2018– Netherlands 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 09:54, 11 May 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:37, 21 February 2019 (UTC)

Club career

Early career and PEC Zwolle

De Graaf started her career senior career with PEC Zwolle in the Eredivisie of her native Netherlands having played for IJsselmeervogels and SV Saestum at junior level.

De Graaf finished her full debut season in 2015–16 as Zwolle's joint top-goalscorer with Judith Frijlink and went on to score 21 times in 74 league games during her time at club, eventually captaining the side and reaching the semi-finals of the 2016–17 KNVB Women's Cup.[1]

West Ham and Leicester City

In July 2018 de Graaf transferred to West Ham United from PEC Zwolle.[2] Having featured in 13 games and scoring 3 times in all competitions at the start of the 2018–19 season, de Graaf suffered an ACL injury that would rule her out long term, meaning she missed out on the club's run to the 2019 FA Women's Cup Final.[3]

On 22 August 2020, de Graaf joined the newly professional FA Women's Championship side Leicester City on a free transfer.[4] De Graaf ended her first season with Leicester having helped the side win the 2021–22 FA Women's Championship and promotion to the FA Women's Super League. On 23 May 2022, de Graaf departed Leicester City having achieved survival in the club's first top flight season, playing 53 games and scoring twice across her two years at the club.[5]

Feyenoord

On 24 May 2022, it was announced that de Graaf would be joining Feyenoord in her home country on a two-year contract.[6]

International career

De Graaf won her first cap for the Netherlands in February 2018, appearing as a 73rd-minute substitute for Shanice van de Sanden in a 6–2 win over Japan at the 2018 Algarve Cup.[7]

Honours

Leicester City

Netherlands

References
  1. "International De Graaf verdient mooie transfer naar West Ham" (in Dutch). FC Update. 5 July 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  2. "West Ham Ladies sign Esmee De Graaf and Lucienne Reichardt". BBC Sport. 5 July 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  3. "Medical update: De Graaf set for surgery on ACL injury". West Ham United. 15 December 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  4. "LCFC Women: Meet The 2020/21 Squad". LCFC. 22 August 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  5. "Five Players Set To Depart LCFC Women". LCFC. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  6. "Feyenoord Vrouwen 1 versterkt zich met Esmee de Graaf" (in Dutch). Feyenoord. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  7. Inan, Johan (28 February 2018). "PEC-Zwolle captain Esmee de Graaf is nu écht international" (in Dutch). De Stentor. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  8. "Finale Algarve Cup tussen Oranjevrouwen en Zweden afgelast". NU.nl (in Dutch). nu.nl. 7 March 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
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