Numbers add up for free-scoring Miedem - WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

Numbers add up for free-scoring Miedem - WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

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• UEFA Women's EURO 2017 begins on Sunday
• Hosts Netherlands will be looking to 21-year-old Vivanne Miedema for goals
• FIFA.com reveals some of the striker's impressive statistics

Running for three whole weeks and featuring 16 teams and 31 matches, UEFA Women’s EURO 2017 kicks off this coming Sunday in the Netherlands.

The tournament hosts, who face Norway in the opening match in Utrecht, are looking to young striker Vivianne Miedema to fire their challenge. Since bursting on to the senior scene, the Dutch sensation, who celebrates her 21st birthday on the eve of the tournament, has put together some very impressive statistics, as FIFA.com reveals. 
27,000the number of followers Miedema now has on Instagram. With another 7,900 followers on Twitter, she is, despite her young age, the most popular member of the Dutch squad online and one of her country’s favourite sportswomen.

35the number of goals Miedema scored in 61 German Bundesliga appearances for Bayern Munich, the club she left in May 2017 for Arsenal Ladies. While she managed a mere seven goals in an injury-affected first season in Bavaria, she doubled that figure in each of the two following seasons. She was also the joint top-scorer in the 2016/17 UEFA Women’s Champions League with eight goals.

"When I get the ball in front of goal, I don’t over-think things. I know exactly what I need to do," Miedema said in an interview with FIFA.com in 2015.

16one month after making her full international debut against Albania on 26 September 2013, Miedema came on as a second-half substitute in a FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™ qualifier against Portugal and promptly struck a 16-minute hat-trick, her first goals for the Oranje. She heads into the European finals with 41 goals to her name in 51 appearances.
15in 2011, Miedema became the youngest player ever to play in the Dutch first division, at the age of only 15. She ended her maiden season with ten goals in 16 matches.

"I’ve always looked up to Robin van Persie and wanted to be a striker just like him. I’ve always been right footed, but he’s a left-footer. That’s why I started trying to do everything with my left too. Van Persie’s the player I’ve picked up the most from by watching him." Miedema, on her role model.

6the young Dutchwoman made her mark on the UEFA European Women’s Under-19 Championship by finding the back of the net six times, ending the tournament as its most valuable player and leading scorer.

3Miedema scored all of the Netherlands’ goals in their 3-2 aggregate victory over Italy in the Canada 2015 qualification play-offs. Her prowess in front of goal helped the Dutch reach the world finals for the first time in their history.

1.13the number of goals per match (78 in 69 games) that the prolific striker scored for her hometown club, Sportclub Heerenveen, at the start of her career, between 2011 and 2014.