Jill Baijings played her last international match on August 6, 2023 during the World Cup. After an excellent period at Aston Villa, the 24-year-old midfielder from Terheijden hopes for playing minutes in the national team. She is part of the selection of the Orange women who will play against Germany at half past eight on Friday evening and against Scotland in the Nations League on Tuesday. “I would like not to be allowed to show it alone during training.”
As a little girl, Jill started playing football in her hometown at SV Terheijden. She then opted for ‘neighbor’ Madese Boys and then moved to Eindhoven at the age of 14 for a talent team of the Center for Topsport and Education. “During the week I sat there, during the weekend we went home. My childhood looked different from many peers. It made me an adult early.”
At SC Heerenveen she had the opportunity to make his debut in professional football. After a year of Eredivisie, Bundesliga club SGS Essen beat the door in 2020. After two years of Essen and a Bayer Leverkusen season, she ended up at Bayern Munich in 2023. “A very big club, but unfortunately I didn’t play much there. I had little competition rhythm and therefore came less in the Orange.”
Her wish was more to play and then Aston Villa knocked on the door for a rental period. “After four years of Germany, I was ready for another competition. In the Bundesliga I knew all the opponents and there were no surprises for me. England was new to me, I saw it as a great challenge. A large football country with a lot of good players from all over the world. Also quite a lot of Dutch people, almost every match there was a well -known one.”
“The facilities are super good.”
However, her start was dramatic. “I soon got injured at my back, there was a crack in it. The first half of the competition was out of rotation. However, the rehabilitation went great, the facilities at Aston Villa are super good. We used the same space as the men. From a sauna and a swimming pool to a gym with all kinds of modern devices.”
After the winter break, she was fit and eventually became an important force in the midfield of the club from Birmingham. It wasn’t an easy season. “Top clubs such as Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United are standing out, but underneath it is matched. We were just above the relegation line for a while, until we won the last five games. After a time of stress we finally became sixth.”
“You never know in football.”
Jill is under contract with Bayern Munich for another year, but hopes to have clarity about where she will play after the summer. Her focus is now on Orange, where she wants to make minutes again after almost two years. “I played a lot at Aston Villa, so now I hope to get a chance with the national team. You never know in football, it’s unpredictable.”
After the Nations League matches against Germany and next Tuesday evening in Tilburg against Scotland, the arrows will be aimed at the European Championship in July. “We have a good selection and I think that the Orange certainly has a chance at the European Championship. Our team is very close. I experienced it in 2023 at the World Cup, we have grown at each other as players.”