Two Former Alabama Soccer Standouts Named to 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup Roster
5/22/2019 4:50:00 PM | Soccer
Merel Van Dongen will represent the Netherlands while Celia Jimenez Delgado will represent Spain at the World Cup in France
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Former Alabama soccer standouts midfielder Merel Van Dongen (2012-14) and defender Celia Jimenez Delgado (2015-2017) will play in the 2019 Fédération Internationale de Football Association Women's World Cup in France. Van Dongen will play for the Netherlands National Team, while Jimenez Delgado will represent Spain.
The 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup will be the eighth edition of the quadrennial international football championship contested by the women's national teams of FIFA. The tournament will be kickoff June 7 and run until July 7.
After her collegiate career ended in 2014, Van Dongen inked a professional contract with Ajax, which is an Amsterdam Football Club team. The skilled defender has played in 26 international contests, and she has participated in three World Cup matches for the Dutch National Team facing China, Canada and Japan. Van Dongen made her senior Netherlands women's national football team debut in a 7–0 victory over Thailand in 2015. She was also part of the Dutch squad at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.
In Van Dongen's two years at Alabama she managed to become the Tide's single season assists leader registering 10 in 2014. She is No. 1 on Alabama's career assists per game list with 0.30 through 44 games, and her 10 assists in 2014 allowed her to take the No. 1 spot on the single season assists per game list with 0.53 through 19 games. Van Dongen converted four penalty kicks during her career with Alabama, which ranks fourth on the career penalty kicks made list.
In her last season with the Crimson Tide she was selected to the CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-American team and All-District 4 First Team and named a member of the All-SEC Second Team.
Jimenez Delgado will play in her second World Cup for her native country. Most recently, Jimenez Delgado started and played 90 minutes in a 4-0 win over Cameroon on May 17. The Reign FC defender broke into the Spanish national team just before the 2015 World Cup in Canada, and as a 19-year-old, Jimenez Delgado started all three of Spain's matches at that tournament.
In addition to her World Cup experience, Jimenez Delgado has represented Spain at the 2017 UEFA Women's EURO, making four appearances. Prior to her time with the senior national team, Jimenez Delgado represented the Spain U19s and U17s, including winning the 2011 UEFA U17 Championships in Switzerland.
After transferring to the Capstone for her junior season in 2015, Jimenez Delgado was selected as a member of the All-SEC second team in her first season playing for the Crimson Tide. The Alcaudete, Spain, native led the team in five categories – points (10), goals (4), game-winning goals (2), shots (55) and shots on goal (18).
Jimenez Delgado medically redshirted her 2016 season and returned for her senior 2017 season, leading the team to its third appearance in the NCAA Tournament in program history. To cap off her 2017 campaign, Jimenez Delgado snagged First Team All-SEC honors as well as earning Second team NSCAA All-Southeast Region accolades.
No. 8 Netherlands has been drawn into Group E alongside No. 5 Canada, No. 46 Cameroon and No. 19 New Zealand. While No. 13 Spain has been drawn into Group B alongside No. 16 China, No. 49 South Africa and No. 2 Germany, the two-time World Cup champions and reigning Olympic gold medal holders.
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