GET HAPPY! Jill Roord talks about everything…

At 28, Jill Roord has played for some of the biggest, most glamorous clubs in Europe, across three countries. And she’s now come back to her hometown club, Twente.

So what makes the Netherlands midfielder tick? And has she finally found what she was looking for after starring for Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Wolfsburg and Man City?

Roord tells Helen M Jerome that she’s had some of her most successful moments and some of her darkest days playing abroad. But she felt the pull to come home again.

Her family are all around her there, her father René is Twente’s technical director, and the standard of the Dutch league – the Eredivisie – is much higher now. Plus, crucially she has found love and happiness with fellow Dutch athlete, hockey player Pien Sanders.

We spoke about all of this and much more…

Have you been following the recent success of two of your previous clubs, Man City and Arsenal?

I mean, especially City, it’s quite recent so it feels like my club. So I’m very happy for the girls and the team. I think the last the past two seasons we were very unlucky.

The first year we finished with the same amount of points, but Chelsea had more goals and last year we had so many injuries, so I had a feeling that this season could be their season… and well, it looks like that’s happening.

It’s all gelled, everything’s come together…

Yeah, I think so.

I mean the City team has been together for quite a while now, and even when I was there we’ve been playing very good football, but we were always missing something at the end.

And it looks like it’s definitely there now.

Yeah, they have so many qualities so it’s lovely to see, I’m very happy for all the girls.

I imagine, because some Arsenal players have been there a long time, you probably played with people like Kim Little?

Yeah, yeah, especially Kim Little, she’s such a big player and especially for Arsenal, she’s the face of the club in my eyes, and for her to have this success in the last few years of her career…

I’m very happy for her and she deserves it.

You’ve been playing for more than 10 years. What do you think of the progress of women’s football and women’s sport in general in the time you’ve been playing?

Yeah, huge.

And it’s great to see.

Especially the league in England now, but also if you look at the Champions League and national team tournaments, the level is so high.

And I feel like it’s only getting better and better.

It’s a big difference from 10 years ago (below left, v Barcelona in 2016; below right in 2017).

The level is so high now and many young players have been training very well and in the right way, and you can see that they can also get to the level of the first team players.

So I think the youth is very important.

In terms of what you’ve got used to – facilities and coaching and maybe even the way the media cover it – you must have seen massive changes in that?

Yeah, massive.

I mean, I’m almost happy that I got to have both, because when I was young it didn’t matter about the facilities; it was all about team togetherness and winning and performing.

But nowadays, it’s unthinkable that there are no good facilities, and the staff is so much bigger and all these things.

Yeah, you see now it’s just so important and football cannot live without it anymore, so it’s a huge difference.

Now, something that you’re perceived as now – and you’ll probably agree – is you’re seen as very cool and you radiate confidence, and is that something you had to work on, or did it come quite easily to you?

I mean I think it’s definitely in me because I think I’ve always had it. But obviously the older you get and the more experience you get, you feel more confident, and things get more normal.

I’ve had many clubs, so every time I went to a new club obviously you need to be confident because if you’re not you lose your place in the team. So I think also doing that made me more confident.

And it’s just a matter of faking it sometimes, and at some point you believe it.

I love that.

Something we talk about a lot with various coaches, particularly in the WSL, is football being an entertainment product. Because in the end people are paying to come and watch something because it gives them joy. I wonder how important you think it is that entertainment should be the main aim?

I think especially in women’s football, it’s necessary.

So I think we are not there yet if the entertainment isn’t there – that the same amount of people show up.

I think for now it’s really important and I also like it’s a part of the sport and football, so I don’t mind it.

It’s the same if you watch basketball or other sports, there’s even more entertainment and people don’t just come for the football they also come for the entertainment, so I think it’s important definitely.

Because of the entertainment and also the standard of football, young girls growing up can have female role models now, whereas definitely when I was young and possibly even when you were young, this did not exist. You might see some Olympic hero and that would be it for four years.

Yeah.

So what do you think about being a female role model yourself and how that shows how the game has grown?

Yeah, I always find it weird… I know I am, but I don’t feel like I am.

I feel very normal.

But at the same time, I see how people look at me or other players.

I think that’s also very, very important because I think that motivates girls to get there and to become better and better.

So I think having that now is amazing.

It really is, isn’t it? I mean, I took an eight-year-old girl to her first ever match, and she met all the players after. She could not believe how lovely everybody was.

Yeah, and I think that’s also women’s football.

And I think that’s also important that it stays like that.

I think we’re very… Everybody’s very open and kind and normal and I think that helps us also fill the stadiums.

So I think that’s something. We always say: we want to get to where the men are, but I think with this we should stay ourselves.

I think that’s key.

That’s something else that people talk about a lot is women’s football having its own identity and not just copying the men basically.

Yeah, I think that’s very important because I hear that all the time that the parents, for example, are like: it’s so much nicer than with men’s football because they don’t look at you.

And I get that also, because the crowd is crazy, insane there.

But I think for us it’s very important to stay in touch with our fans because they’ll come back that way.

Now you’ve come back to Twente, done a full circle moment.

How would you say your life and career goals have changed and shifted as you’ve moved from country to country to country, as you’ve said?

I mean, I’ve always been someone… I don’t think too much, I don’t like setting goals, I don’t like looking forward too much.

I’m just in the moment trying to be the best in every team and trying to win with the team.

So I think every club I’ve been at, and every year I’ve focused on that.

And it’s the same now.

Obviously I am here the experienced player and people expect a lot from me, but I just enjoy playing here.

I still want to become better, and I also want to win games for the team, with the team and win the league.

Because of where Twente is geographically, you’re quite far away from all the hubbub.

Yeah.

Can you be a little bit out of the spotlight or is that not possible for you?

No, I’ve actually noticed that since I’m back in the Netherlands, the spotlight is way bigger.

That was, I don’t know if that was a little unexpected, but yeah, it’s fine.

I like to be inside my house anyway, so it’s fine.

I also read that you had offers from Ajax and PSV as well. And I presume it was because of all sorts of home ties that you chose Twente in the end.

Yeah, well… when I decided to go back and I spoke about it with City, I had no idea which clubs, and what they could offer me.

There were three options for me in the Netherlands and those were Ajax, PSV and Twente, because they fight for first place.

Obviously my dad, he’s the technical director for Twente. I just spoke to Ajax and spoke to Twente and Twente is where I’m from and they wanted me really bad, and I had the best feeling there and I felt like this is where I should be.

So that’s actually the feeling that made me decide to go there.

Do you think this will be your last club? Would you like to play here till the end of your career?

Yeah, that’s so hard to say because I’ve said many times: oh, I’m going to stay at this club, or I don’t want to leave anymore or I never plan to go to Twente.

But yeah, I don’t know.

For now, I’m happy here.

I enjoy playing football here.

I enjoy my life.

But never say never.

I wondered with a player of your style, whether you have ever been tempted to play in Spain or maybe the NWSL?

Yeah, fair enough.

Definitely Spain always interested me.

Maybe not so much right now, because as I said, I also really live in a moment.

The NWSL never really interested me that much, but I have to say lately, the clubs and the league is amazing there.

And if you speak about entertainment, I think they’re very good at it.

So it’s definitely a very interesting league.

I know you’re very close to your father, René (above), as you mentioned.

Yeah.

I wondered as well if you could tell me a bit more about your mother and I think you have brothers too.

Two, yeah.

How competitive you were growing up in sports, but also I’m thinking at home, with board games, you were probably all just trying to win?

Yeah, I think we’re a very competitive family anyway, because my mum used to play basketball at quite a high level.

And both my brothers played football.

What I know from my youth is that we played football all the time – and that got heated sometimes, but in a healthy way.

Same with board games! I don’t remember, but I got told that I was the worst if I didn’t win.

I only know one story on holiday that we played cards, and I didn’t win. I threw the cards in the swimming pool, so we didn’t play again. So yeah, that was the five of us, but it was fine.

When you left the Eredivisie last time, you said the league wasn’t good enough, but I think that may have changed, and I presume that’s why you’ve come back?

I think, as I said before, women’s football has developed so much, and also here in the Netherlands.

The league here is young, but the players are good.

I didn’t really know what to expect when I got here in terms of the level and everything.

But yeah, I enjoy the level.

As I said, it’s young sometimes. The way they play is young, but at the same time, the energy and intensity and the technical ability is high.

And also in the Champions League, I think we did quite well.

I think in every game we were in the game (below, v Chelsea, which ended 1-1)

That’s a big step because I remember when I played at Twente, and we would play in the Champions League, I played Lyon a couple of times and we would lose 6-0, no chance at all.

So I think there’s a big difference.

Everybody loses to Lyon 6-0, by the way. There’s nothing quite like their forward line right now.

No, true.

I think Melchie Dumornay is one of the best players I’ve ever watched

Just… I agree!

A couple of weeks back you scored a hat-trick and when you were at Twente before you were the Eredivisie top scorer. Your goal record was amazing (77 goals in 134 games). Almost like Bunny Shaw, more than a goal every two games.

Yeah.

So do you give yourself these targets?

Yeah, I mean, sure, but I have to be realistic.

Obviously, as a player, I would like to score every game.

But I’m a number 10, I’m not a number 9, so I’m also the one who has to pick up and play the ball.

I’ve noticed since I’m back I have made many assists and normally, for example at City, I would score more and have less assists. Now it’s a little bit the other way around.

So I think the way we play at Twente, the way I play and also I’m not the same player as I was before when I played at Twente. I was very much almost like a false 9 and now (below) I’m more like an 8 / 10, so I think being top scorer is not the target, but I do want to make a lot of goals.

You mentioned City and you had the highest of highs and lowest of lows, I think, when you were there.

People change jobs all the time, but they don’t tend to have to move countries to do that.

That’s quite rare. I think maybe sport is one of the few things.

Can you tell me what it’s like when you are suddenly in a completely different place with different weather, different language… you must speak all the languages now.

Yeah, I do.

I think for everyone it’s different.

I’ve done it for eight, nine years and I was quite good at it.

I’m fine with being on my own – and I’ll be fine on my own.

But obviously it’s different.

It’s kind of a lonely feeling, I would say, because on one hand you play for an amazing club and you’re very focused on that and getting better and making sure you play and making sure the team and the club is happy with you.

But then you come home and there’s nothing because you don’t know anybody.

Your job is finished for that day and you’re just waiting for the next training and you’re depending on the club and your teammates, but there’s not really a social life next to it.

Obviously you can make that social life, but yeah, I was in my 20s.

I didn’t know anyone. I was not really the type.

I’m sort of a famous person.

I’m not going to just approach people and be like: hey, do you want to be friends?

So it’s a bit strange because you have your work. But then there’s no social life and I think that’s what I struggled with after a few years, doing it for so many years.

There’s just no social life and also we didn’t have many days off. And in the summer we would have a tournament.

So yeah, on one hand it’s amazing because you play for an amazing club, on the other hand it’s very lonely and sometimes a little bit depressing.

Yes, I can understand that. So was there a hardest moment for you that you faced?

Yeah, I found the COVID time very difficult because we weren’t allowed to travel at all at some point, so I didn’t come home for a very, very long time.

And after that, when I did my ACL, obviously that’s a nightmare for every player, but I was very tunnel vision on getting back fit.

I live by myself, so I did all that by myself also, and the rehab is obviously not fun at all.

So when I got out of it, I think it all came back to me and I was like: woah, this has been a lonely road and now I’m back and I should be happy, but I’m not really feeling it because I miss my people.

And I think after that is when I started thinking: does this still make me happy?

I think that’s underrated as well. People think because you are a star you can get all the money and success and fame in the world. But if you’re not happy, what’s the point, basically.

So are you the sort of person that when you are facing this, retreats into themselves?

Yeah, I would say so.

And obviously… Maybe that didn’t help, but that’s the way I am.

Nowadays there are many players and people in general who talk to people.

And I think that’s very, very important.

But I’ve also noticed that that doesn’t really work for me.

I can talk to someone, but I have to know that person and completely trust that person and feel close to them.

And yeah, I didn’t really have that.

So yeah, it’s difficult.

Now the really good news is obviously you found happiness with your partner, Pien [Dutch hockey player Pien Sanders].

So tell me how that happened and how that made your homecoming much easier.

Yeah, I think we got to know each other about one and a half years ago, I would say.

I’d been playing then again for some months, so it was after my ACL, but not directly, after a couple of months.

Yeah, we just bumped into each other in the Netherlands, and we started talking and we got together quite quickly.

She’s an athlete as well, but not into football, which is quite nice, actually.

She hasn’t played abroad, but she knows also the difficult side of sports and performing and pressure and everything.

I was already thinking: how long am I going to be playing abroad? How long do I want that?

Then, when I met her, I was like: okay, what’s most important in life and what makes me happy?

And it was quite clear that it was being with her, being with my family, playing in the Netherlands.

And also, the other pull is, in my opinion, your Dutch fans are some of the best in Europe. You see the orange everywhere.

Yeah, true.

I saw them when you played against France in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Euros and they took over Rotherham (above), with the bus and the people with cheese and clogs on their heads, and it’s nuts. Why are the Dutch fans so blooming full of fun?

Yeah, good question.

I don’t know.

I think it’s a bit that we are very outspoken people, I would say.

We’re just ourselves.

We’re not shy at all.

So I think, when we come together, we’re proud of our little country.

When you do play for your country, because you’ve got over a hundred caps now, how does that feel? How do you feel when you put the shirt on?

Yeah, it’s a bit clichéd because everybody always says this is the proudest moment when you put on a jersey.

But I actually do really feel that way.

I’ve had so many caps, but it’s just a very special feeling.

Also, especially when we play at home, now that I play in the Netherlands, my family is always there.

But when you play with the national team, I think for every player, the whole family is there because it’s just special for them as well.

Yeah, that’s just the feeling you get from playing.

I also know, for example, when you play for your club and then there’s a FIFA window and players are nervous, am I being picked or not?

It’s just a big thing, I think, in your career.

Yeah, it’s just a very proud feeling.

One of the nice things about playing for the Netherlands now is you’ve got Arjan Veurink as the new head coach who you used to play under at Twente. So you’ve got that instant rapport.

Also when Sarina Wiegman was in charge of the Netherlands, and you won it in 2017, you were part of the squad. So you must have almost a shorthand relationship with Arjan?

Yeah, especially for my time at Twente, I think, because I was 15 years old, and then Arjan took me into the first team.

And I worked with him there for four years and that’s the years that I grew up.

He’s also from my area. So now I know him very well.

I was very happy to hear that he came to work with us because I always feel a special bond with him because of my youth with him.

Obviously I’ve changed a lot over the past few years – and so has he in terms of playing and in terms of how you are as a person – but when I spoke with him before he came, I directly had this this feeling of our bond again. So it’s very nice to see him there.

We are going to miss him though in England.

I understand.

Whenever you saw Sarina, you always saw Arjan in the same shot.

You’ve got our old assistants now.

Yes, she’s got a good team. I think she’s Dame Sarina now, she’s become a bit English.

Yeah, I think so, yeah.

Okay, going back to the clubs you played for since Twente and before returning.

Can you tell me about them, starting with Bayern, the first time where you had a new culture and a new language.

Yeah, I think that was the most difficult one.

I remember that when they already asked me to sign there a year before, but I didn’t feel ready, so I didn’t go.

Then, I was almost a bit scared to go away from home, away from my comfort, all the way on the other side of Germany.

But I felt like it was necessary for my career.

Yeah, how do I look back?

Bayern made me grow up very fast.

It was hard.

It was probably the hardest of all the clubs I’ve played with because it was very… strict culture.

There was not a lot of laughing at the time.

It was very serious.

I know it’s very different now, but that’s what it was back then.

But I did really enjoy playing for such a big club, because it was the first time with the facilities and everything.

It was amazing.

But it was a difficult time also being so young.

Arsenal?

Then I went to Arsenal.

Yeah, Arsenal was completely different from Bayern.

Well, English people are very different from German people.

I think English people are very open and nice and it’s very easy to live there, to be there.

You said the WSL was possibly the best, most competitive league. Do you think that’s still true?

Yeah, for sure, definitely.

I think even more now than when I played at Arsenal.

Yeah, I really enjoyed Arsenal.

I liked the team.

The only thing was COVID was there.

So it was two messy seasons because of that.

But I was very happy with that step.

Wolfsburg?

Well, then Wolfsburg came (Roord in line-up, above right), they approached me and I felt like well, I got a good offer and the whole picture seemed like something for me.

Plus it was an old coach of mine as well, Tommy Stroot. I’d worked with him, so I thought this is a good step for me.

With Wolfsburg, I enjoyed it there, I enjoyed the way they played because I had a lot of freedom, which I really liked.

And we were very successful.

We won the league, we won the cups.

But it was in the middle of nowhere and there was absolutely nothing to do.

So that was a bit boring.

But it was also three-hour drive away from my family.

So I got to go home a bit more.

And you knocked Arsenal out of the Champions League (below).

We did.

Yeah, we got into the final.

We lost in the final.

But I think those were the two most successful years of my career in terms of winning things and in Champions League.

Those years were very good.

Man City?

Then City came. And yeah, I went to the rain!

With City I really enjoyed when they came. I was at first like: should I do that?

But then I talked to the coach and watched their games and the way they played. And it fitted me perfectly, so yeah I went there, and I think from all the clubs I’ve been to – obviously, I was older as well – I was the most at peace there.

I really liked the team, I think everybody, the whole club and staff were really nice… a very warm feeling.

When you’re from abroad and you go – well, I was Dutch and I went to an English club – I think it’s difficult to get a very homey feeling.

But from all the clubs I had that the most there.

I really appreciated all the people there.

And yeah, I enjoyed my time, apart from the injury.

I was very glad you did so well at City, because you were in my fantasy team. You got me a lot of points. So thank you for that.

No worries.

In the recent Champions Cup, we watched this player called Gabi Zanotti, Corinthians’ captain.

She was the goal scorer and player of the match against Gotham. And she’s 40 years old.

[Jill looks shocked!]

That was exactly my face when they told me about her. Then I saw her play, and it was remarkable.

I’m not saying you should play till you’re 40, but I wonder if you think about those things in the future… about how long you might play?

Yeah, I mean, now as I’m getting older, I do.

I’m turning 29 in April, so I do, but I couldn’t answer that question.

Obviously I say that, but generally, I see myself playing for another couple of years because I feel good physically as well.

I think that’s for me the key – that I feel physically good and also that I enjoy it still.

I’m not the person who is going to play forever and gonna play when I’m not good anymore or when I don’t like it anymore. That’s not me.

So I’m not gonna play till I’m 36 or whatever. Definitely not.

But for now I feel good, I feel happy, I signed for three years here, and I definitely see that happening, and from there we’ll have to see.

I wondered if, because you know them well, people like Arjan and Sarina, and of course your father, I wonder if they make you think about becoming a head coach yourself. Have you done any coaching badges?

No, I haven’t.

Obviously, that’s also something I’ll start thinking about now.

I do see myself, yeah, working in football, doing something in football, not necessarily a coach, but something else.

But it also depends on… what offers I get obviously.

Would that be like something in the media, because a lot of players go into that?

Yeah, I don’t mind that.

I do find that world interesting, so maybe, yeah.

Because you have a very good way of expressing yourself. And you can work in different languages, which I think is an underrated talent.

Yeah, true.

I always, especially the last few years, I’ve liked the media world and I find it interesting, yeah.

If you were describing yourself, what’s your USP, your unique selling point as a player?

Yeah, I would say my ball possession; I don’t lose the ball much.

I think that’s one of my qualities, that I’m very calm on the ball. And probably as a midfielder in my goals.

You’ve said sometimes that you’re lazy. I don’t think that’s true.

I think you’re one of those deceptive players who looks like they’re faffing around, but can make a sudden sort of surge.

Your statistics suggest you’re anything but lazy or are you being a little self-deprecating?

Yeah, I mean, I agree with you, and I think especially maybe when I was younger, I was a bit lazy off the ball, but not with the ball.

But as I got older and especially now like obviously we have GPS every day and actually I’m one of the players that runs the most; I’m always in the top three.

So I think either that changed or people said it to me, and I started believing it, but it’s definitely not true the past few years.

In your playing career, you’ve played with loads of different midfield and forward partners. I wondered which ones you’ve enjoyed playing with most and why.

I mean, I think definitely Vivianne Miedema (below left, with Roord).

We’ve been playing together since we were very young.

I think we always have that connection on the pitch.

But the past few years I’ve played with Yui Hasegawa (below, centre) and she’s amazing.

I think she’s one of the best in the world.

Yeah, I would definitely say that.

And it’s actually the same playing with Bunny Shaw (above, right) up front.

She’s really good.

If you think about the whole of footballing history, who would be your dream midfield partner?

Good question.

I mean, when I was a bit younger, like 10 years ago, obviously at some point Marta got really big.

And I was definitely looking up to her.

I don’t have many players that I looked up to because I was very down to earth, but Marta was definitely one of them.

This must be something in the Brazilian water Marta is 39 and Gabi Zanotti is 40 and they’re still at the top of the game. I don’t know how they do it.

Yeah, it’s great.

My last question is about fashion because I’ve noticed more and more you appear in things that take the culture of football and the culture of fashion and blend them together. I wonder if that’s something you might want to explore more?

Yeah, I do find fashion very interesting, and as you say I think also in men’s football now, that’s a big thing in social media and I really enjoy that.

So that’s also definitely something I’m interested in, yeah.

Do you have favourite fashion people or labels?

No, not necessarily. I do like to look at it on Instagram.

For example, players like Virgil van Dijk; I like his Instagram and his styling.

I just find it satisfying to see players working with that.

And when you’ve been in cities like London and Manchester, and now back in the Netherlands, are there places you seek out to find fashion?

To be honest, I go online much more than I actually go into town or into stores.

I look on Instagram, look on TikTok and it’s in my algorithm.

So yeah, it just works like that for me.

That’s good. Fashion is in your algorithm. I think maybe that’s the title. Jill Roord: Fashion is in my algorithm.

Yeah, that’s fine. That’s a good title.

Photos: FC Twente Media, Helen M Jerome