Damaris Egurrola: Lyon midfielder on switching nationalities from Spain to the Netherlands

Lyon's Damaris Egurrola speaks four languages and could have played for three countries — in the end she chose to represent the Netherlands and is aiming to help them defend their European title this summer.

Egurrola, 22, was born in the United States to a Dutch mother and a Spanish-Basque father.

The midfielder represented Spain at youth level — as well as making a singular appearance for the Basque country — before making her senior debut for La Roja in 2019.

But after years of deliberating and recent conversations with the Netherlands' English coach Mark Parsons, Egurrola decided to switch.

On Tuesday, Egurrola was selected as part of the Dutch squad for their World Cup qualifier against Cyprus and friendly with South Africa next month.

«It's been a long process I think,» she tells BBC Sport.

«As the years went by I needed to make a decision. It's special because I had the chance to choose between three nationalities.

»I think everyone can see in the last few years that the Netherlands are one of the best teams in Europe. It is a team with no limits. I think I fit well in it and I'm really happy with the decision.

«As a player and a person I am quite demanding. Every player wants to play in the big tournaments. The Netherlands came to me in a way and were really interested and wanted me — so that's what pushed me to join them.

»My mother is Dutch and I grew up in Holland. We used to travel there every summer so I feel at home there."

Egurrola spent her early years in Florida before moving to her father's homeland in eastern Biscay in Spain's Basque Country.

She would travel to the Netherlands each summer to spend time with her mother's family and it was there that she began playing football.

«I used to play with my cousins a lot