The Aruba women’s national team is about to embark on a new phase of their journey in the ‘Concacaf 2025-2026 W Qualifiers’

Is this team maybe the first fruit of the hard work on the field and behind the curtain that started a few years ago?

–

This is a new era, no doubt, where Aruba is not a small team anymore in the Concacaf region, they want to continue to grow and make progress and get good results. This phase of qualifying is also the beginning of a process to reach the ‘2026 Concacaf W Championship’ and eventually also ‘World Cup Brazil 2027’ and the ‘Olympic Games 2028’ in Los Angeles, including the upcoming ‘W Nations League’ and ‘W Gold Cup’. Just to emphasize, that these are not ‘friendlies’, but these matches will determine where the teams will rank which will play a big role for qualifying for all the tournaments mentioned.

–

–

Building for success

Almost a decade ago our female national squad was still lingering without direction in the group phases in Caribbean and Concacaf tournaments, we would be happy to just score a goal to save face, that was a big accomplishment on many occasions, “participation is what counts anyway”, that was the mentality. But that is no more; dedicated people in the football governing body started to install order and system, training of coaches and leaders, physical and mental preparation of the young players. A total overhaul of the old system in order to produce a competitive team with a ‘winning mentality’, Aruba’s football is now moving in a different direction, different than in the past, thanks to the implemented changes.

Succes is not necessarily immediate, it is not an overnight thing, but it should not be temporary either, it has to be sustainable. The foundation is set, the wheel of the system is turning. In the youth divisions (U14 and U15), Aruba became much more competitive, faster than expected, but more than that, they managed to reach some finals and even win titles. Look what a ‘switch in mentality’ does, but it is the system that eventually will bring fruits to harvest to enjoy, because you can dream of a success but to reach there you need a plan of action, a system to take you there.

–

The senior national team

The women’s national team also started to feel the effects of the switch in mentality, organization and preparation, together with the young players, they are all part of the system, destined for better things, even big things, but before that it is important to make progress. Nowadays, many members of the national team are playing for different clubs in the Netherlands and other European countries, including as of recently; De Graafschap, FC Utrecht, Nec Nijmegen, Ado Den Haag and Club Brugge among others, all these experiences (albeit on an individual basis) count as a benefit to the national squad in the long run.

In the last two years the senior national team also started to be more successful by winning a tournament in Curacao against the host themselves and also Trinidad and Tobago, and don’t forget, the recent triple friendly matches in Suriname. In most of the recent matches of the national side, they have shown better stuff on the field, and when you do good things, it becomes habit, and more better things start to happen, with discipline, dedication and motivation those better things will happen. There is a lot of prospects and talent, there is more expectation as well, the preparation is good, the system is now implemented, it is now up to ‘body and soul’ and ‘love for team’ to do the rest, to reach as far as possible than ever.

–

Players called for the national squad:

Goalkeepers: Hadassah Kock, Betealie Stamper, Richdienne Croes

Defense: Dyvienne Henriquez, Genesis Hazel, Joya Tromp, Sofia Mora, Michaella Netto, Jayla Croes, Delilah Croes, Niamh Tromp

Midfield: Tarianna Doornkamp, Amy Henao, Izaline Angela, Aisse Gumbs, Soraya Verhoeve, Adannayah Breinburg, Joyce Chen, Denicienne Maduro

Forwards: Bonny Lammers, Vanessa Susanna, Zyana Rogers, Jill Dreischor

–

Aruba starts this new quest with the ‘Concacaf W Qualifiers’ in group E, together with Panama, Cuba, Saint Kitts & Nevis and Curacao. In their first match they will host Saint Kitts and Nevis at Guillermo Prospero Trinidad Stadium this Friday (28 November 2025) at 8pm, followed by more matches for the W Qualifiers in the next four months, which includes matches against Cuba on March 7 (probably at home), Panama on April 9 and Curacao on April 13, 2026.

–