Kerstin Casparij: Our Number 18
written by brigid
Hailing from Holland, Kerstin Casparij joined Manchester City in the summer of 2022. When Casparij was just 15 years old she made her senior debut in the Dutch Eredivisie for Heerenveen. Across seven seasons playing in the Eredivisie, Casparij made over 130 league appearances, playing for Heerenveen, VV Alkmaar, and Twente - where she won back-to-back league titles - before moving to Manchester City. Since joining City, Casparij has become an anchor on the right side, slotting perfectly into the possession-based play of the Blues. Her speed, passing accuracy, and workrate are crucial in both attack and defence, and have led to her becoming a consistent part of the squad. Since signing in 2022, Casparij has over 60 appearances for City across all competitions, scoring three goals and recording eight assists.
On the international level, Casparij has represented the Netherlands throughout the youth levels appearing in the Euro U-17 and U-19. She made her senior debut for the Netherlands in October 2021 against Cyprus, and since then she has earned over 40 caps for the Oranje, representing her nation in the 2022 Euros and the 2023 World Cup. Known for her clever post-match Instagram captions and funny TikTok videos, Casparij is also outspoken about mental health, LGBTQ+ rights, and other initiatives - one of the many reasons she was crowned Manchester City’s PFA Community Champion in 2024. In December 2024, Casparij signed a contract extension to stay at the club through 2027.
