Dutch international midfielder Daniëlle van de Donk has spoken of her immense pride after finally making her long-awaited debut for London City Lionesses, following a gruelling seven-month recovery from a knee injury.
A Resilient Return to the Pitch
Van de Donk, 34, came on as a second-half substitute in London City's narrow 1-0 victory over Sunderland in the Women's FA Cup fourth round this past Saturday. The match, held at the Eppleton Colliery Welfare Ground, marked her first competitive appearance since starting for the Netherlands in their final Euro 2025 group game against France last July.
"I've never been more proud of myself," an emotional Van de Donk revealed after the match. She explained the difficult journey, stating: "No one really knows what happened because that was my choice, but I had many setbacks and it wasn't easy at all. I'm even more proud and happy to be back."
Overcoming Doubt to Seize an Opportunity
The former Arsenal star, who signed for the newly-promoted Women's Super League side from Lyon last summer, admitted she had questioned her future in the sport before the move. "Before [signing] I was very much in debate if I could continue playing football," she said. "This opportunity came around the corner and I was like: 'OK, well, I can go 100% for that but it's going to be very hard with my body.' It's just like resilience or something."
Her debut was particularly poignant as it came in the FA Cup, a competition she won with Arsenal nearly a decade ago before leaving for France, where she later lifted the Champions League in 2022. "It was super special," Van de Donk said. "As soon as [I was] on the pitch, I'm just so happy."
A New Era Under Maestre
The cup win was also the first under London City's new head coach, Eder Maestre. He expressed his delight at integrating the experienced midfielder, noting: "I like seeing her enjoying playing football again. She is very talented with lots of experience and this [her debut] is like another win."
Looking ahead, Van de Donk is focused on the club's development. London City currently sit seventh in the WSL after a recent goalless draw with Liverpool. "I feel like we're part of a building team," she said. "We're rebuilding again with a new coach, so we're trying to adapt to his playing style. We just want to continue with what we've shown today and get better each game."
The draw for the FA Cup fifth round will be held on Monday evening, broadcast live on YouTube, TNT Sports, and Channel 4 Sport.
