The She Kicks Locker Room: Captain’s Chat with Sari van Veenendaal (PSV/Netherlands)

The Locker Room’s captaincy Q&A, put to the Netherlands goalkeeper who captained them to a World Cup final and wore the armband at the Olympics, ahead of a EURO in which the holders were expected to trouble England. Sari van Veenendaal believes in shared leadership, discussing plans widely because a squad that all believes in one will be more successful. She learned the job at Arsenal, from Alex Scott, who told her the club won prizes every year and that was simply the standard, and from Casey Stoney, who taught her about the social needs of players. On being captain from goal she is dry: if things go wrong the outfield players are not near her, so they have to solve it themselves. She is not, she says, a fan of taking penalties.