“Thank you gooners”… more like see ya losers.
Via instagram: @viviannemiedema
Vivianne Miedema is a world-renowned female footballer. Not only is she the WOmen’s Super league all-time leading goal scorer, but is also the dutch women’s National team leading scorer. After a 7-year stint at globally recognized football club arsenal, the club announced in may of 2024 they would be letting the star go.
Every media outlet has flocked to stats when questioning the decision made by arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall to let miedema go, but the announcement is shocking on a much deeper level. sport has always been stat driven, and very rarely until recently do we as an audience get to truly understand a player on a more personal level. but viv miedema is an exception to that lack of personal connection as one of the leaders in the women’s game, and it shows through her personable style of fan engagement.
miedema has become a pillar of mental health conversation while simultaneously rising to fame due to on-the-pitch related success. She made headlines in 2022 for voicing her needs not just as a player but a person and requested time off for her mental and physical health during the peak of her international and club duties, being one of the first female footballers to do so.
In addition to her mental health advocacy, she and her partner beth mead are at the forefront of acl (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) research for female footballers. miedema has spoken publicly multiple times on the greed of fifa uefa and the absurdity that comes with gender discrimination within the sport despite the women’s game success and outwardly talks about the importance of family and inclusion within football club spaces. she is surprisingly even more likable due to her newest title of dog mom to miley (pictured above).
All of this to say, i think that arsenal not only lost one of the most talented footballers of this generation, but has also lost the personable strengths vivianne miedema brings to a club environment. they have given up a huge voice when it comes to speaking on what women’s football culture represents.
viv has recently announced that she has signed with the wsl’s man city and is changing out her gunner red for manchester blues.
as an invested outsider with no real impact on the matter (obviously)… i am looking forward to seeing miedema shine on the field, and off. adding her goal scoring abilities to a club that has recently thrived in the league is important yes, but the potential impact on the game as a whole that miedema possesses is what is most exciting.
Learning about players of this caliber and what they are passionate about in my opinion is the biggest growth opportunity for the female game moving forward. because who wouldn’t root for a player and club that embodies the same ideals that are important to you as a supporter?
vivianne miedema as a player is epic. but vivianne miedema as an INDIVidual provides a new avenue of enjoyment and investment in the game. i believe the gooners (arsenal) might be kicking themselves come september when the 24/25 wsl season begins.
go slay, queen.
