Having made her debut in 2006, Eva de Goede seems to be getting better with age.

The 32-year-old captain of The Netherlands was named FIH Player of the Year, twice running (2018, 2019), and much of the accolades stem from her presence in the Dutch squad which has been a familiar sight on the top podium.

Two Olympic gold medals (2008, 2012) and as many from the World Cup (2014, 2018) is her prized possession. There are also four gold medals from the EuroHockey Championships (2009, 2011, 2019 and 2021) in her cabinet along with two gold medals from the FIH Pro League in the first two editions of the competition.

Capped almost 250 times, she emerged Player of the Tournament at the 2021 EuroHockey Championships in Amsterdam in stirring fashion. She wore a special brace to support her badly injured wrist during the tournament where her playmaking skills were instrumental in the Dutch pulling off a hat-trick of titles.

De Goede, who plays for Amsterdam HC, had to settle for silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2010 Rosario World Cup but at the centre of a team that seems invincible, another gold at the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympics beckons.