Eva de Goede is the biggest surprise in the Netherlands’ Hockey World Cup squad made interim national coach Jamilon Mülders as they go for another women’s title.
The captain of Oranje women, the defending champs, has not played a single game since her knee injury, but is still fit in time to participate in the showpiece to be held from July 1-17 in the Wagener Stadium and Terrassa.
De Goede, with 251 caps, suffered a serious knee injury during the Pro League match against Belgium last November and the chance of her recovering was thought to be low.
In recent months, the Orange captain has been working hard behind the scenes on her recovery.
De Goede is set make her comeback during the Pro League games against China on 21 and 22 June, when the Dutch will come up against their former coach Alyson Annan.
Marloes Keetels also returns to the Dutch team after injury
Only the retired Caia van Maasakker, Lauren Stam and Malou Pheninckx are missing from that golden grou which won the Olympics last summer.
Mulders has selected 18 players and designated two reserves. Felice Albers, Yibbi Jansen, Renée van Laarhoven, Freeke Moes, Sabine Plönissen, Pien Sanders and Maria Verschoor will all make their World Cup debut this summer.
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