Manon Melis


Gabriëlla Maria "Manon" Melis is a former Dutch professional footballer who last played as a forward for the Seattle Reign FC in the National Women's Soccer League. Melis has spent most of her career playing in the Swedish Damallsvenskan. At international level, since making her debut in 2004, she has won over 100 caps. She is the daughter of former Feyenoord and ADO Den Haag player Harry Melis.
After her playing career Melis became manager girl football development at Feyenoord.

Playing career

Club

Damallsvenskan, 2010–2015

Melis was the Damallsvenskan top-scorer in 2010 and 2011, playing for LdB Malmö. She won the Damallsvenskan's awards for top footballer and top forward in 2010.
In November 2011 she announced she was moving from Malmö to Sky Blue FC in the American Women's Professional Soccer league. In her last match she helped LdB secure a spot in Champions League quarterfinals with a goal. Before Melis could play for Sky Blue the WPS suspended operations, so she returned to Sweden to sign for Linköpings FC. Two seasons with Linköpings both yielded 16 goals in 21 Damallsvenskan appearances. Melis agreed a return to Malmö in December 2012.
Melis collected another league winner's medal with Malmö in 2013, before receiving a lucrative contract offer from Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC which she felt unable to turn down.

Seattle Reign, 2016

After two seasons at Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC, Melis signed with Seattle Reign FC in the National Women's Soccer League for the 2016 season. Of her signing, Reign FC head coach Laura Harvey said, "Manon is a fantastic talent who will bring something new to our attack next season. We're thrilled to have a player with her experience and consistent record of success at the highest levels of club and international football join our club next season."

International

Melis scored on her debut for the senior Netherlands women's national football team in April 2004, a 3–0 win over Belgium in Leuven. She represented the Netherlands in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying rounds and the UEFA Women's Euro 2009 finals. In August 2010 Melis scored twice against Belarus, her 29th and 30th international goals, which made her the national team's all-time top goalscorer.
Melis scored four goals in the 6–0 won UEFA Women's EURO 2013 qualification opening match for The Netherlands against Serbia on 21 September 2011, stating, "It is a great feeling to score four goals, I had never done that before for the national team."
In June 2013, national team coach Roger Reijners selected Melis in the Netherlands squad for UEFA Women's Euro 2013 in Sweden.
In March 2016, Melis announced her retirement from international play.

International goals