Sherida Spitse (; born 29 May 1990) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Ajax. She has made 248 appearances for the Netherlands national team, making her the most-capped Dutch and European player of all time.
Spitse started her career at VV Sneek before joining SC Heerenveen when the Eredivisie Vrouwen, the Dutch women's professional league, was established in 2007. In five seasons at Heerenveen, she played in 100 matches and scored 13 goals. In 2012, as the Dutch and Belgian leagues merged to form the BeNe League, Spitse moved to FC Twente in May 2012. At Twente, she won the BeNe League titles in 2012âÂÂ13 and 2013âÂÂ14. She was also the club top scorer in 2012âÂÂ13 with 16 goals.
In December 2013, it was announced that Spitse would transfer to Norwegian Toppserien club LSK Kvinner FK from January 2014. This was the first paid transfer for a Dutch women's football player. With LSK Kvinner, Spitse became a Norwegian League and Cup champion at the end of the 2014 season. She was also voted on to Norway's Team of the Year at the annual NISO awards ceremony in Oslo. She remained in the club for the next two seasons, through 2016, winning the league and cup in both seasons.
On 19 December 2016, during the 2015âÂÂ16 Eredivisie winter break, she moved back to the Netherlands, agreeing to a contract with FC Twente for the second half of the season. On 16 June 2017, she extended her contract with FC Twente for one season.
During the 2017âÂÂ18 Eredivisie winter break, on 27 December 2017, she signed a two-year contract with VÃÂ¥lerenga, returning to the Norwegian league.
On 20 November 2020, it was announced that Spitse had returned to the Eredivisie, joining Ajax in January 2021. Spitse was voted player of the year in 2023 and 2024 by Ajax supporters and technical staff.
Spitse made her debut for the Netherlands under coach Vera Pauw on 31 August 2006, in a 4âÂÂ0 World Cup qualifying defeat to England. At the time, she was 16 years old and still playing with the VV Sneek boys team.
At the UEFA Women's Euro 2009, she was a member of the Dutch squad that reached the semifinals.
In June 2013, national team coach Roger Reijners selected Spitse for the UEFA Women's Euro 2013 in Sweden.
On 7 February 2015, she earned her 100th cap for the Dutch in a match against Thailand. Spitse helped the Netherlands qualify for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup and was selected for the final squad. She played all four of Netherlands' matches in the tournament.
Spitse was part of the Dutch championship team in the UEFA Women's Euro 2017, playing in all matches and being selected for the Team of the Tournament. After the tournament, the team was honoured by prime minister Mark Rutte and minister of sport Edith Schippers and made Knights of the Order of Orange-Nassau.
In the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, she reached the final with the Netherlands, losing 2âÂÂ0 to the United States. In 2019, she became the all-time leader in caps for the Netherlands, passing Annemieke Kiesel.
Spitse suffered a knee injury in July 2021, forcing her to miss the rescheduled 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. In June 2022, Spitse earned her 200th cap with the Netherlands.
On 31 May 2023, she was named to the Netherlands provisional squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. Spitse was the captain of the Dutch team and appeared in all five of her team's matches.
Spitse announced her retirement from international football in October 2025 and played her final match for the Netherlands on 28 October 2025, in a 1âÂÂ0 win over Canada.
Spitse married Jolien van der Tuin in 2018. The two met in Emmen when Van der Tuin played for . Van der Tuin gave birth to the couple's two children, Jens, born in 2017, and Mila, born in 2020. Spitse and Van der Tuin divorced in 2024.
FC Twente
<small>*During the BeNe League period (2012 to 2015), the highest placed Dutch team is considered as national champion by the Royal Dutch Football Association.</small>
Ajax
LSK Kvinner
VÃÂ¥lerenga
Netherlands
Individual