From mascot to possible replacement for idol Martens: Brugts lives a dream at the European Championship | NOW

Eighteen-year-old Esmee Brugts is one of the possible replacements for the lost Lieke Martens at the Orange Women at the European Championship in England. The top talent of PSV herself does not take into account that she will take over the baton from her idol. “I think it’s great that I’m at this European Championship.”

Two years ago she played with the boys of FC Binnenmaas in Maasdam and carried the flag during the previous European Championship in the Netherlands after the Orange women had become European champion for the first time in history.

The eighteen-year-old Brugts has already played two matches at the European Championship and is mentioned as one of the possible replacements for the lost Lieke Martens in next Saturday’s quarterfinals against favorite France.

Brugts is living her dream at this European Championship in England. In February of this year, the PSV attacker made her debut for the Netherlands in the friendly against Brazil and last month national coach Mark Parsons told her by phone that she had been selected for her first major tournament.

Brugts made an uninhibited impression as a regular substitute for Martens: she dared to use her characteristic dribbles and pass her opponent. Now that the left winger has dropped out with a foot injury, dribbler Brugts seems to be her logical replacement. After all, she is considered one of the greatest talents in the world.

Brugts himself is not so concerned with this yet. “We have other names that can work there,” she referred to, among others, Victoria Pelova after the training on Wednesday. “I don’t want to have too many expectations, like: oh, I’m going to play anyway. That’s not realistic. I want to prepare for every scenario. If I don’t play, I’m also at peace with it.”

Esmee Brugts spoke about her role at the European Championship after Wednesday’s training.

Brugts has a Martens shirt at home

For Brugts it is already an honor that she has been selected for the European Championship. She says with a laugh that she could have played the World Cup under twenty years with the U23 team next month. She is looking forward to this European Championship. Because of the large stadiums in which she plays – unlike De Herdgang where she plays with her club PSV – because of the Orange madness and not least because she was a teammate of her idol Martens for weeks.

It was therefore surreal for Brugts that she was allowed to substitute for Martens for the first time against Portugal last Wednesday. She even has a shirt from Martens at home. “It was a real moment of realization: I can now stand in for Lieke. I saw her at the previous European Championship. She did very well, she has been the best football player in the world. That is something to be proud of.”

Martens was also busy with Brugts before she left the training camp on Tuesday evening. “She is an example for me,” Brugts says. “I liked to listen to what she had to say, how she did in competitions and what difficult moments she had. She said things like: ‘You are doing well’. That makes me very good.”

Brugts finds it “very unfortunate” that Martens had to leave the European Championship due to a foot injury, while this further increases her chances of playing time. “I really like her. I think it’s unfortunate how she has had to go through the last period. She is a top person. You don’t wish this on anyone, but certainly not Lieke.”

Brugts sent Martens a message to wish her well. She also got an answer. “She said she was very proud of how I’m doing. She wishes me the best. She’s a great person. She once told me that I need to be free. Like: go dribble, you’re still so open-minded, so be it too. That worked out well.”

Brugts already made a good impression against Portugal as a substitute for Lieke Martens.

‘Try not to think too much’

After her strong raids against Portugal (3-2) and Switzerland (4-1) Brugts is the main candidate to replace Martens, but the modest South Holland is not someone to claim her role. In fact, she was happy that she did not come in in the opening match against Sweden.

“Then I can’t do anything wrong,” Brugts says with a wink. Then seriously: “I think it’s great that I’m here. I think everything is fine. It’s great that you are at a European Championship as an eighteen-year-old. Young players can be free in this team. That’s how I feel.”

Brugts does not dwell on the idea that she is being drafted. “I try not to think too much. Because when I do that, it just goes wrong with me. I try to pop the moment itself. When I hear that I can fill in for so many minutes, I think: I’m going to go a lot taking actions. I do everything I can in those minutes. If that’s longer, I have to divide my energy a bit.”

Brugts should therefore mentally prepare differently for a starting place than for a substitute. “If I come in, I try to give everything in those ten or twenty minutes. Then it is something different, especially against France. Then it is also a lot of defending, and that is very tough. But so far it is going well.”

Parsons did not want to let go on Wednesday who will replace Martens in the quarterfinals against France, which will be played on Saturday at 9 p.m. (Dutch time). The national coach said resolutely that Brugts’ age and limited tournament experience do not play a role in his choices.