ZV De Zaan have announced the returns of Netherlands internationals Maxine Schaap and Britt van den Dobbelsteen, bringing two of the club’s most successful academy products back to Zaandam for the 2026/27 season.
Schaap returns after three seasons in Italy, where she represented Plebiscito Padova and SIS Roma.
The 25-year-old attacker originally left De Zaan for Padova in 2023 after helping her hometown club complete a domestic double, winning both the Dutch championship and KNZB Cup. She immediately added another European honour in Italy, lifting the Euro Cup with Padova in 2024.
Schaap later joined SIS Roma for the 2025/26 campaign, gaining further experience in Serie A1 and the Champions League before deciding to return home.
She has also become an established member of the Netherlands national team. After making her major tournament debut at the 2022 World Championship, Schaap helped the Dutch win the world title in Fukuoka in 2023. She has since collected consecutive European titles in 2024 and 2026.
Van den Dobbelsteen returns following a remarkable season with Olympiacos.
The goalkeeper left De Zaan in 2025 after helping the club win its first Women’s Euro Cup, playing an important role throughout a historic campaign that ended with victory over Pallanuoto Trieste in the final.
Her first year in Greece proved equally successful. Van den Dobbelsteen completed a four-trophy season with Olympiacos, but her defining contribution came in the Champions League final against Ferencvaros in Malta.
Introduced specifically for the penalty shootout, she saved three consecutive attempts to secure Olympiacos’ fourth European crown and produce one of the most memorable goalkeeping performances in the competition’s recent history.
The 23-year-old has won two Dutch championships and three KNZB Cups with De Zaan, while she was also part of the Netherlands teams crowned European champions in 2024 and 2026.
De Zaan used the word “Thuis” — “Home” — to announce the double return. Both players developed at the club before testing themselves abroad and now come back with greater experience, major trophies and an even stronger international reputation.
Their arrival represents a significant statement from De Zaan as the club prepares to challenge again in the Netherlands and European competition.
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