The Barça cannon inspired by Martens, Ronaldinho, and Neymar

BarcelonaIn last season's Champions League final, Barça's most decisive match of the season, Pere Romeu had only two doubts about the starting eleven that would face Arsenal. Up front, he had to choose between Salma Paralluelo and Claudia Pina to complete the attacking triplet. And, in defense, he had to choose who would occupy the left wing: Fridolina Rolfö or Esmee Brugts. Ultimately, the Barcelona coach opted for the experienced Rolfö, while the Dutch player would play little more than the last ten minutes. The decision had its consequences, as the team lost to the English, and that choice was one of the most questioned decisions. The defeat in the Lisbon final hurt a dressing room that had come into the match energized after being far superior to Chelsea in the semifinals.

In a summer marked by austerity, Barça eventually pushed Rolfö out, and Brugts became the first-choice player in this position at just 22 years old. Her refresher in the position is young Aïcha Camara, the big bet from the youth academy for this season, alongside Clara Serrajordi. The Dutch player has taken on the challenge of becoming a starter in the best possible way: she's one of the standout players in Romeu's team's strong start to the season. The Netherlands international not only stands out for being a cannon from the left wing, but is also showing high performances in the inside lanes—in the youth teams she had played as a striker and attacking midfielder—displaying a great understanding of the game and even scoring goals. She scored against Bayern Munich, Atlético Madrid, and Roma, and started the scoring against the Colchonetas and the Italians.

After making her debut with PSV's first team at the age of 17 – playing as a center forward – Barça began to take notice of her, especially during her appearances with the Dutch national team. According to Let's play football, from Catalunya Ràdio, coach Andries Jonker, Van Gaal's former assistant during his second spell at Barça, decided to play her as a left wing-back, with a five-man defense and then-Barça player Lieke Martens up front.

Finally, in the summer of 2023, coinciding with Brugts having a good World Cup and her contract ending, Barça took a step forward to sign her. The footballer also did her part. One of the reasons is that her main footballing role models—which she herself mentions—are Martens herself, Ronaldinho, and Neymar, all with a past at the Catalan club. She also explained that as a child she asked for a trip to Camp Nou as a birthday present and that her parents, as well as several relatives, are Barça fans.

A surprising development

In three seasons as a Barça player, Brugts has seen a rapid evolution. Coach and analyst Mireia Vera sums it up. "Her case surprises me a lot, especially because of the progress she's made. It's true that she needed some time to adapt, because she was a very young player when she arrived at Barça and she was used in various positions: winger, full-back, right-back, left-back... And you saw a certain shyness in her, or at least, she didn't have the determination to try... to stop and restart the play. But since she started to get consistency, starting last season, she's played a great role," she explains.

Vera highlights an evolution in the player's maturity, also on an emotional level: "She feels important. First, because she understands the game, and second, because she understands the role the team needs based on what's asked of her. We saw it, for example, against Roma. She played a lot on the inside, alongside Patri and behind Alexia, and Alexia was the center." And when there were changes in the team, Brugts became a more traditional full-back, providing width. "What determines her level is her reading of the game. She knows very well where and when to be positioned. Playing inside is very difficult. When she arrived at Barça, I didn't imagine she could end up playing that role, which makes her a differential and very important player for Romeu. I imagined her more as a winger or a full-back with a long wing. I've been pleasantly surprised."