The Dutch international has moved to the Joie Stadium on a three-year deal after leaving Arsenal at the end of the 2023/24 season.
Here are 10 things you may or may not know about our latest recruit…
Goals galore
Okay, it’s not a secret, but Miedema scores goals by the bucket load.
Our new striker has scored 80 times in 106 Barclays Women’s Super League games, making her the division’s most prolific goal getter of all-time.
She earned two WSL Golden Boots with Arsenal, scoring 22 in 20 in 2018/19 and 16 in 14 in 2019/20.
Miedema was also the top scorer in the 2019/20 Women’s Champions League, scoring 10 times as Arsenal reached the quarter-final.
No one has ever scored more goals for Netherlands than Miedema, with our new forward scoring 95 goals in 115 caps. That is 33 more than Lieke Martens and 45 more than Robin van Persie, who is the record scorer for the men’s team.
Her ten goals at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo is an Olympic record for most goals in a single tournament.
Hometown hero
Miedema grew up in the small town of Hoogeveen in the north east of the Netherlands.
Hoogeveen was historically important for peat production and distribution via its significant network of canals.
It was here that Miedema represented HZVV and VV De Weide in boy’s junior football before moving permanently into the women’s game.
In 2020, Miedema recalled that her first memory of playing football was losing two of her teeth after sliding for a ball with a goalkeeper.
In 2022, she was present at the opening of a Cruyff Court – a small caged court for football – in Hoogeveen, named after Miedema herself.
Long distance
As a child, Miedema, her brother Lars and her father would make the 120-mile trip to Rotterdam to watch giants Feyenoord play.
Historically one of the biggest clubs in the Netherlands, Feyenoord play at the magnificent De Kuip and have won the men’s top tier 16 times.
Reflecting on that time, she says: “If you are a young girl now it might be a bit different because there are lots of female players to look up to but I used to be a fan of the Feyenoord players.
“They were the only games I was allowed to stay up late for during the week. We used to go to some of their games. Sometimes, as a birthday present, I would go to a fan day or an open training session.
“At Feyenoord you got to meet some of the players and go on the pitch with them. It was amazing.”
14-year-old professional
Having shone in boy’s leagues throughout her childhood, Miedema was offered a professional contract at 14.
She chose to accept SC Heerenveen’s proposal and before she knew it, was training and competing with women in the highest level of Dutch women’s football.
Miedema made her debut for Heerenveen’s senior women’s team as a 15-year-old in September 2011 and scored 10 times that season despite her team finishing bottom.
Looking to the future
Despite being just 27, Miedema is already making plans for when she hangs up her boots.
Our forward recently embarked on a UEFA A licence coaching course alongside fellow professionals including our recently retired former skipper Steph Houghton.
The course will teach Miedema, who has already completed the B licence, the fundamentals of becoming a top coach and fit around her playing and training schedule with City.
Comic book star
Our No.6 is the star of a comic book series, by Dutch writer Joke Reijnders and illustrator Sanneke Prins, titled ‘Vivianne voetbalt’.
Speaking on being approached for the series, she said: “They came to me and said, ‘This is the idea, this is what we want, are you open for that?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, definitely, it’s an amazing idea!’”
Common Goal
In November 2021, Miedema joined the charity movement Common Goal, committing 1% of her salary to community organisations working with young people.
She said: “I’m lucky to be living my dream and I feel the responsibility to help others live theirs too. I’m excited to join Common Goal and to be able to really scale the impact I can have off the field.”
Celebrations
Miedema is noted for not exuberantly celebrating her many, many goals.
Speaking on that in 2020, she said: “I don’t really have one particular reason for not celebrating, I would just say that I celebrate more if someone else scores.
“Maybe it’s about showing respect to the opposition. Maybe it’s because I’m an easy-going, normal person. I just don’t really believe in doing weird stuff after a goal.
“Even running away from your team-mates is something I find disrespectful. I will always celebrate with my team-mates because a goal is something you should enjoy together.”
Brother the baller
Miedema’s close family are football obsessed.
Her younger brother Lars, now 24, has also played the game professionally, representing FC Den Bosch in the Dutch second tier and Spanish side FC Velez before returning to the Netherlands.
Furry friend
Miedema and partner Beth Mead adopted puppy Myle in November 2023 and regularly update Instagram with the dog’s latest adventures and mishaps.
A working cocker spaniel, her “mylemeadema“ Instagram profile has over 40,000 followers!
