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Zenia Mertens

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Zenia Mertens
Personal information
Date of birth (2001-02-27) 27 February 2001 (age 23)[1]
Place of birth Belgium
Position(s) Midfielder, Defender
Team information
Current team
OH Leuven
Number 6
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017– OH Leuven 100 (10)
International career
2021– Belgium 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 September 2021
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 5 December 2024[2][3]

Zenia Mertens (born 27 February 2001) is a Belgian footballer who plays as a defender and midfielder for OH Leuven and the Belgium national team.[4]

Club career

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Mertens made her debut for Oud-Heverlee Leuven in a 3-0 home loss to Gent on 30 August 2020.[5] Mertens finished runners-up in the Belgian Women's Super League three seasons in a row with OH Leuven, in 2020-21, 2021–22 and 2022-23. Leuven went on to finish top of the regular season for the 2023-24 campaign, but finished third in the title play-offs as Anderlecht came from behind to take the crown for a seventh season in a row.[6][7]

Mertens is contracted to OH Leuven until 2026.[8]

International career

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Mertens made her debut for the Belgium national team on 10 June 2021, coming on as a substitute for Chloë Vande Velde against Spain.[9][10]

At the start of 2022, Mertens helped Belgium win the Pinatar Cup in Spain for the first time, beating Russia on penalties in the final after a 0-0 draw.[11]

Mertens went on to contribute to Belgium's successful qualification for UEFA Women's Euro 2025 via the play-offs, and was selected in the squad for both legs of the play-off final against Ukraine.[12][13]

Honours

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Belgium

References

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  1. ^ Zenia Mertens at Soccerway. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Al onze Red Flames" [All our Red Flames]. RBFA (in Dutch). Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  3. ^ "Royal Belgian FA".
  4. ^ "Zenia Mertens". Playmaker Stats. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  5. ^ "Match Report of Oud-Heverlee Leuven Women vs KAA Gent - 2020-08-30". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  6. ^ "Anderlecht verkoopt OH Leuven nu ook titeltik dankzij gouden wissels en doelpunt in 90e minuut" [Anderlecht deals title blow to OH Leuven thanks to golden substitutions and goal in the 90th minute]. Sporza (in Dutch). 4 May 2024.
  7. ^ "Standard knikkert OHL uit titelstrijd met felbevochten zege en komt virtueel aan de leiding" [Standard knocks OHL out of title race with hard-fought win and takes virtual lead]. Sporza (in Dutch). 11 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Zenia Mertens tekent bij tot 2026" [Zenia Mertens signs until 2026]. OHLeuven.com (in Dutch). 24 April 2024.
  9. ^ "Spain vs Belgium". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  10. ^ "Zenia Mertens". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  11. ^ (in French) Les Red Flames remportent la Pinatar Cup face à la Russie, le tout premier trophée de leur histoire
  12. ^ "Red Flames dansen, zingen en glunderen na EK-kwalificatie: "Zeer belangrijk voor ons vrouwenvoetbal"" [Red Flames dance, sing and beam after European Championship qualification: "Very important for our women's football"]. Sporza (in Dutch). 5 December 2024.
  13. ^ "Het EK is binnen! Red Flames klaren ook laatste klus tegen Oekraïne na knappe goal en assist van Tessa Wullaert" [The European Championship is here! Red Flames complete final task against Ukraine after a great goal and assist from Tessa Wullaert]. Sporza (in Dutch). 5 December 2024.
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