Dutch Women's Team shows champion's mentality in Poland: why this victory means more than three points

I was there on the sidelines in Poland over the weekend. It wasn't an evening to forget in a hurry. Jill Roord fired the Dutch Women's Team into the lead just after halftime in a thrilling, nerve-wracking World Cup qualifier. The 1-0 scoreline was ultimately enough to take the three points back home, but if you were watching closely, you saw this victory goes much deeper than just a few points on the ladder. This was a statement.

Coach Arjan Veurink had laid his cards on the table beforehand. He wanted to see character, to overcome adversity, and that's exactly what I witnessed in that tense stadium in Poland. Poland are always tough at home, a physically strong side that keeps fighting until the death. But this generation of Dutch female footballers is now steeped in a champion's mentality that traces its roots back to the glorious winter of 2017.

Who doesn't remember the UEFA Women's Euro 2017 on home soil? That triumph was the catalyst for everything that followed. Suddenly, girls all over the country wanted nothing more than to play football, and the squad grew into an established force in Europe. The match against Poland was a perfect example of that coming-of-age: not always pretty, but effective and with an indomitable will to win.

More than football: the rise of women's sport

The success of the Dutch Women's Team doesn't exist in a vacuum. If you follow broader sporting trends, you see a wave building. Take, for instance, the FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship 2022. Our Dutch volleyballers showed they can mix it with the world's best, and in doing so, inspired a new generation just like the footballers. That visibility is worth its weight in gold, and sponsors are taking notice.

Where companies were hesitant to invest in women's sport ten years ago, they're now lining up. And rightly so. The viewing figures for the Poland match were impressive: more people tuned into this qualifying crunch match than for many an Eredivisie men's game. That's precisely the point where the commercial engine starts firing. Brands like ING, Philips and ABN AMRO are beginning to understand that investing in women's football isn't just socially responsible; it delivers a solid, hard-nosed return.

The competition isn't sleeping

Still, we can't afford to rest on our laurels. The opposition is getting stronger. Look at the Romania women's national football team – once a benchmark for us, now a side that keeps us on our toes. Or the developments in Eastern Europe: the Hungary national football team (men's) has struggled with inconsistency for years, but the women's teams in that region are benefiting from better facilities and more attention. Even the Belarus national football team is quietly making strides. The margin for error is shrinking, so every point counts.

What makes this victory in Poland so valuable is that it shows the Dutch women can win even on an off day. That's the next step in professionalisation. In the past, we would have lost this type of match; now, we grind out the result.

• Jill Roord – the match-winner with her goal in Poland, again influential in midfield.
• Arjan Veurink – the coach who knows precisely when to challenge and when to protect his players.
• Next hurdle – Romania at home in the Arena, the perfect chance to shake off the competition for good.

And then there's the parallel with the men's game. Where the Hungary national football team is searching for an identity and the Belarus national football team is weighed down by political isolation, our Dutch women's team shows that stability and a clear vision pay off. They are the showcase for a Dutch football culture that's increasingly thinking beyond gender. And that's not just good for the sport, but also for the bottom line of clubs, federations, and investors.

The coming months will reveal whether this squad can take the next step. The World Cup is on the horizon, and with performances like the one in Poland, the commercial appeal continues to grow. My prediction is that soon we'll stop talking about 'women's football' as a niche and just talk about football. And that's exactly what the market is waiting for.

One thing's for sure: after that evening in Poland, I'm looking forward to the home match against Romania just that little bit more. The Dutch Women's Team are on a roll, and I don't think anyone can stop them now.