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WSL
London City Lionesses midfielder Daniëlle van de Donk has opened up about a brutal season ravaged by injuries - and what comes next.
AIEvery footballer dreads the injury merry-go-round. Daniëlle van de Donk got stuck on it for an entire campaign.
The London City Lionesses midfielder has labelled her most recent season the toughest of her career - and it's hard to argue. She arrived at the club already nursing an injury, and what followed was a relentless cycle of setbacks that kept her off the pitch far more than on it.
The physical pain was one thing. The mental battle, though, hit differently.
Van de Donk spoke candidly about the emotional weight of constant rehabilitation, ESPN reports. Each time she edged back towards fitness, another problem surfaced. Trusting her own body became the hardest part - a frustrating loop of hope and doubt that tested her resolve.
Despite the bruising year, van de Donk hasn't shut the door on international football. The 2027 World Cup remains a possibility with the Netherlands, though she's wisely refusing to get ahead of herself.
For now, preseason is the priority. One step at a time - a motto born out of necessity rather than choice.
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Eva Hernández, Editor-in-Chief
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