The players of the Dutch women’s national team have reached a new agreement to increase their compensation significantly, reports fifpro.org.
Represented by player union VVCS, the new deal was made with their federation (KNVB) four months after they won the Euro 2017.
“We have had some heated discussions with the KNVB, but we are delighted with this deal,” Arsenal’s Vivianne Miedema said.
“The new agreement shows the appreciation of our achievements this year,” added Lieke Martens, the Barcelona winger recently voted world’s best female footballer.
Specific details were not disclosed by both parties, who did mention that the previous financial compensation has been “multiplied”.
VVCS director Louis Everard stated the agreement is an improvement on agreements recently reached in Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
“Many of our female internationals are playing abroad. They talk with teammates and know exactly what players in other countries are getting. That is why they are satisfied with this deal,” said Everard.
The agreement, which runs through 2019 consists of three parts: fixed compensation for national-team duty, a new performance bonus scheme and a new commercial agreement.
Working conditions such as staff, travel and facilities were already at a “top sport level”, according to KNVB director Jan Dirk van der Zee. “Now the finances are there too.”
Van der Zee explained that the fixed compensation is very important for the team. “Some players at foreign clubs have a decent salary, but others are still studying or a having a side job in a store.”
None of the players attended the negotiations but the players’ council (captain Sherida Spitse, Anouk Dekker, Sari van Veenendaal, Martens and Miedema) was in close contact with the player union.
“They were all very committed and involved, from the first until the last moment,” said Everard. “They knew what they wanted.”
