Wieke Kaptein

Wieke Kaptein

Personal information
Full name	Wieke Hendrikje Maria Kaptein [1]
Date of birth	(2005-08-29) 29 August 2005 (age 18)
Place of birth	Hengelo, Netherlands
Height	1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Twente (on loan from Chelsea)
Number	20
Youth career
	Achilles '12
	Twente
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2021–2023	Twente	40	(3)
2023–	Chelsea	0	(0)
2023–	→ Twente (loan)	19	(3)
International career‡
2019	Netherlands U15	4	(0)
2021	Netherlands U16	3	(0)
2021–2022	Netherlands U17	5	(0)
2022–2023	Netherlands U19	7	(0)
2023–	Netherlands	8	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 March 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 5 April 2024

Wieke Hendrikje Maria Kaptein (born 29 August 2005) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Eredivisie club Twente, on loan from Chelsea, and the Netherlands national team. ^[2]

Club career

Kaptein started playing football at Achilles '12. Already at the age of 15, she received a professional contract with FC Twente Enschede. ^[3]  Capping off her first season with the league title, she also featured in 2021/22 UEFA Women's Champions League qualifying, scoring the goal in the opening game against FC Nike Tbilisi to make it 9–0. ^[4]  Twente, however, lost out to Benfica in the Champions Path final. A year later, Benfica was the last stop on the way to the group stage.

In March 2023, Kaptein was voted one of the nine best talents in the world. ^[5]

International career

Kaptein played some games for the Dutch junior teams from the U-15. With the U-17 team, she took part in the first and second qualifying rounds of the 2022 U-17 European Championship, which was successfully completed in April 2022, where she was captain in the second round. ^[6] However, she was not part of the squad for the finals in May 2022, because she was wanted for the end of the league season. ^[7] With the U-19 team, she qualified in October 2022 for the second qualifying round for the 2023 U-19 European Championship. She was not used in the second round in April 2023, as she was nominated for the senior national team games that took place at the same time. ^[8]

On 11 April 2023, she had her first senior cap. She came on as a substitute in the 81st minute for Lieke Martens in a friendly they won 4–1 against Poland. ^{[9] [10]}

On 30 June 2023 she was nominated for the World Cup finals. ^[11] She is the youngest player in the squad and has the fewest caps of any outfield player.

Career statistics

International

As of match played 5 April 2024 ^[2]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Netherlands	2023	5	0
	2024	3	0
Total		8	0

Honours

Twente

• Eredivisie: 2021–22 ^[12]
• KNVB Women's Cup: 2022–23 ^[13]
• Eredivisie Cup: 2021–22, ^[14] 2022–23 ^[15]
• Dutch Women's Super Cup: 2022 ^[16]

References

1. "FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 – Squad List: France (FRA)" (PDF). FIFA. 11 July 2023. p. 10. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
2. Wieke Kaptein at Soccerway
3. Twente, F. C. "Wieke Kaptein en Sterre Kroezen naar FC Twente Vrouwen". FC Twente (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-07-11.
4. "Twente vs. Samegrelo – 18 August 2021 – Soccerway". de.soccerway.com. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
5. Twente, F. C. "NXGN9 Award voor Wieke Kaptein". FC Twente (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-07-11.
6. Twente, F. C. "Kroese, Kroezen en Kaptein met Oranje O17 naar het EK". FC Twente (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-07-11.
7. Twente, F. C. "Wieke Kaptein geniet van elke wedstrijd". FC Twente (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-07-11.
8. "Folkertsma terug bij Oranjevrouwen; Kaptein nieuw gezicht". www.onsoranje.nl. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
9. "Niederlande vs. Poland – 11 April 2023 – Soccerway". de.soccerway.com. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
10. Twente, F. C. "Wieke Kaptein maakt debuut bij winnend OranjeLeeuwinnen". FC Twente (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-07-11.
11. "Andries Jonker maakt WK-selectie bekend". www.onsoranje.nl. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
12. "Het wonder van De Toekomst blijft uit: Twente Vrouwen voor achtste keer kampioen". 20 May 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
13. "FC Twente-vrouwen veroveren KNVB-beker en geven seizoen toch nog glans" (in Dutch). 18 May 2023. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
14. "Vrouwen Twente winnen ook Eredivisie Cup na doelpuntenfestijn tegen Ajax: 4–3". 5 June 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
15. "Voetbalsters FC Twente winnen Eredivisie Cup opnieuw". 29 May 2023. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
16. "FC Twente wint ten koste van Ajax eerste editie van supercup voor vrouwen". NU.nl (in Dutch). 11 September 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2023.

External links

• Wieke Kaptein at WorldFootball.net
• Senior national team profile at Onsoranje.nl (in Dutch)
• Under-19 national team profile at Onsoranje.nl (in Dutch)
• Under-17 national team profile at Onsoranje.nl (in Dutch)
• Under-16 national team profile at Onsoranje.nl (in Dutch)
• Under-15 national team profile at Onsoranje.nl (in Dutch)