Women’s Player of a Year: because Lieke Martens won

On 12 July, Barcelona announced that they had sealed Lieke Martens – and within a month had a European champion, and now a UEFA Women’s Player of a Year 2016/16 on their hands.

The 24-year-old winger was named actor of a contest after assisting a Netherlands to feat on home dirt during UEFA Women’s EURO 2017, scoring in a final opposite Denmark. Her pace, ability and ability to play a torpedo pass were on full arrangement via a Netherlands’ ideal run of 6 wins.

Before UEFA Women’s EURO 2017, Martens had been a unchanging performer for Swedish side RosengÃ¥rd with a excellent goalscoring record before withdrawal for a bar who kick them in a UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-finals, Barcelona, as partial of their summer signing spreee.

Honours: UEFA Women’s EURO 2017

Domestic league
Rosengård 2017
Appearances: 11
Goals: 8

UEFA Women’s Champions League
Appearances: 5
Goals: 0
Assists: 1

Lieke Martens was actor of a tournament©Getty Images

UEFA Women’s EURO
Appearances: 6
Goals: 3
Assists: 2

Paul Saffer, UEFA.com women’s football editor:

• Menaced all of a Netherlands’ finals opponents and supposing assists and goals during essential times for a group who were not among a categorical favourites before kick-off.
• A shining winger with a operation of tricks who was desirous by a vigour and a spotlight of behaving for a hosts during a vital tournament.
• Even before UEFA Women’s EURO 2017, her performances and goals for RosengÃ¥rd had done her a aim for desirous Barcelona.

Like Martens: reaction
“This is so amazing. It’s a large honour, I’m unequivocally unapproachable though we couldn’t grasp this but my team-mates. I’m unequivocally proud, I’m speechless.”