Stefanie van der Gragt

Stefanie van der Gragt (; born 16 August 1992) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a defender for the Netherlands national team. She represented her country at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup and 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Club career

Her career started at the youth teams of amateur club Reiger Boys in Heerhugowaard. She then played for Kolping Boys youth team, another amateur club in Oudorp.

A move to AZ Alkmaar in 2009 started her professional career, as she was able to play in the highest professional national league (Eredivisie). After two seasons at the club, in 2011, she joined Telstar where she played for the next four years. In 2015 she moved to FC Twente and after one season she joined the German Bundesliga team Bayern Munich. Due to injuries, she had few opportunities to play in Germany and in 2017 she moved back to the Netherlands, signing with Ajax.

On 4 July 2018, she joined Spanish side FC Barcelona. On 12 June 2020, she moved back to join AFC Ajax. On 5 August 2022, Van der Gragt joined Italian club Inter Milan.

In April 2023 she announced her retirement after the 2023 World Cup to join back AZ Alkmaar as manager.

International career Her debut for the Netherlands women's national football team came on 8 March 2013 against Switzerland in a 2013 Cyprus Cup match. playing all matches in both tournaments. After the 2017 tournament, the whole team was honoured by the Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Minister of Sport Edith Schippers and made Knights of the Order of Orange-Nassau.

At the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup,

On 31 May 2023, she was named as part of the Netherlands provisional squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. She scored in the Netherlands' opening match of the tournament against Portugal which was the only goal of the match. It meant Van der Gragt scored in successive World Cups.

International goals Scores and results list the Netherlands goal tally first.

Personal life She had a daughter in 2020 and a son in 2023 with her girlfriend Maryze Borst.

Honours AZ Alkmaar Eredivisie: 2009–10 KNVB Women's Cup: 2010–11

FC Twente Eredivisie: 2015–16

AFC Ajax Eredivisie: 2017–18 KNVB Women's Cup: 2017–18, 2021–22

FC Barcelona Primera División: 2019–20 UEFA Women's Champions League: runner-up, 2018–19 Supercopa Femenina: 2020 Copa Catalunya: 2018, 2019

Netherlands UEFA Women's Euro: 2017 Algarve Cup: 2018 FIFA Women's World Cup: Silver Medal 2019

Individual Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau: 2017