The midfielder moves to the Academy Stadium from German giants VfL Wolfsburg, where she claimed three domestic honours during a two-year spell.
Here are 10 things you may or may not know about our latest recruit…
Goals, goals, goals
Finding the back of the net has been a regular occurrence for Roord across her career to date.
The midfielder finished as Eredivisie top scorer while still a teenager, grabbing 20 goals as FC Twente retained the league title in 2016.
She would even grab successive hat-tricks while at Arsenal against West Ham United and Reading in September 2020.
That quality continued in Germany, and Roord comes to the Academy Stadium on the back of 31 goals in 69 appearances for VfL Wolfsburg.
International acclaim
City’s new No.20 has also enjoyed success on the international front for the Netherlands, being part of their historic Euro 2017-winning squad.
Roord made three appearances during the tournament as the hosts beat Denmark 4-2 in the final for their first, and so far only, major honour.
The midfielder was also part of the Holland squad who were beaten finalists at the World Cup two years later, scoring a last-minute winner in their opening group game against New Zealand.
She’s sure to play a major role in any success the Dutch have at the latest addition of the tournament this summer.
Champions League
Jill joins the Club on the back of helping her former employers reach the 2023 Champions League final.
The midfielder featured nine times in Europe’s elite competition, grabbing two goals en route to a showpiece clash with FC Barcelona in Eindhoven.
After beating Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal to reach the final, Roord and co. were unfortunately edged out 3-2 by Blaugrana.
Gunning for glory
Some City supporters may already be well aware of Roord’s talents following a two-year stint at Arsenal between 2019 and 2021.
The Dutch midfielder even provided an assist for Caitlin Foord against Gareth Taylor’s side in a WSL match in February 2021, which City would go on to win 2-1.
“We didn’t get good results, I remember,” Jill reflected when asked about facing the Club during her time at Arsenal.
“[City are] very dominant on the ball with a lot of possession and a lot of technical players.
“I remember that we didn’t have the ball much and usually my strength is to be on the ball so I think that’s also why I really want to play here.”
A family affair
Football certainly runs in the family for our new No.20 with Roord’s father, Rene, also a professional footballer back in Holland.
He plied his trade for FC Twente, the side where Jill made her senior debut, during the 1980s and played in the same Netherlands youth team as three-time Ballon D’Or winner, Marco van Basten.
On the box
Roord has a varied taste in films, demonstrated by her response when asked to reveal her favourite blockbusters.
Alongside iconic romantic comedy Notting Hill, the midfielder also cited Pearl Harbour among her movies of choice.
When it came to TV series, American legal drama Suits and ITV’s Love Island are top of the list for the Dutch international.
Familiar face
Jill’s reputation as one of the finest midfielders in the game precedes itself, but one member of the squad who will certainly be well versed in her abilities is Kerstin Casparij.
The duo have featured together for the Dutch national team on numerous occasions, including at last summer’s European Championships, and are also set to star alongside each other at this summer’s World Cup.
“She had no clue that I was coming, so I hope she’s happy,” Roord joked when asked about Casparij.
“Obviously, we know each other and have played together at the national team for a while, so I think she can help me with many things here.
“I’ve always heard her talking positively about this club, so I hope she’s happy I’m coming!”
Words of wisdom
Our No.20 says the best piece of advice she’s ever received is that enjoying what you do brings the best out of your abilities.
She explained: “If you play professionally at some point, it becomes super serious.
“I’ve always been told to enjoy it, that’s the most important thing, make sure you enjoy the game.”
Sporting inspirations
The 26-year-old says Michael Jordan is an athlete she always found inspiring.
Widely considered to be the greatest basketball player of all time, the legendary figure was a six-time NBA champion with Chicago Bulls in the 1990s as well as a 14-time NBA All-Star.
“I’ve never really been someone who has a big person I look up to, but Michael Jordan was always one of my favourite athletes in the world,” Roord declared.
