Merel van Dongen extends with Atlético Madrid and will stay in the Spanish capital at least until 30th of June 2024.
The 28-year-old joined Atlético in 2020 from their league rivals, Real Betis. Previously, the Dutch international played in her home country for ADO and Ajax before making a switch to Spain in 2018. Van Dongen quickly established herself as one of the key players in Madrid. In the last season, the Dutch defender made 38 appearances and scored five goals. She is also one of the captains of Rojoblancas, which are currently 3rd in Liga Iberdrola. The club announced she will also take on an ambassador role.
Aquí es donde quiero estar. Dónde quiero continuar creciendo, jugando, trabajando y ganando. No solo como jugadora sino también como persona. El escudo por el que quiero darlo todo. Muchas gracias por la confianza +2✌️ #AupaAtleti pic.twitter.com/n8LelYoXvJ
— Merel van Dongen (@merelvd) December 2, 2021
“I’m very happy and excited. Defending this crest on the chest is a dream for me. I want to come to the club every day and give my best, both on and off the pitch. I am also thinking about the future of the club. I speak three languages, I have lived in other countries and I would like to help the club to continue to make progress,” said van Dongen.