At the start of 2025, a footballing dream came true for Noordam. A new challenge in England beckoned for the midfielder. "The Women's Super League is currently the biggest competition in women's football," Noordam said shortly before her move to Brighton & Hove Albion. "It will be an exciting challenge because the style of play in England is different."
A promise upon departure
Yet despite the appeal and challenge of the move, leaving Ajax was not easy. Noordam felt at home in Amsterdam, among the teammates and staff she worked with every day. Sportcomplex de Toekomst had become a place she truly called home.
"I'm going to miss the people who make this club what it is the most. I genuinely felt at home here. It has been a wonderful period, and I will definitely come back to see everyone again." She signed off with a promise: "I'll continue to follow the club, only from a distance now."
The reunion comes sooner than expected. Almost eighteen months later, carrying a wealth of valuable experience from abroad, Noordam once again finds herself among her fellow Ajacieden. New opportunities and fresh sporting challenges await her at de Toekomst and, undoubtedly, at the Johan Cruijff ArenA.
Among Ajax’s most loyal players
Noordam now picks up where she left off in January 2025. Two months before her departure, the midfielder had been inducted into Ajax’s prestigious Club of 100. Earning a place among the club’s most loyal servants meant a great deal to her.
Noordam earned her Club of 100 status during the 2024/2025 season, at the age of 26 and in her fourth campaign with Ajax Women. Reflecting on the achievement at the time of her departure, Noordam said: "To have my picture displayed in the ArenA among so many great players is a wonderful recognition of my time at Ajax."
A highly successful debut
Back in August 2021, such recognition was still something Noordam could only dream about. Following her move from ADO Den Haag, the midfielder began her journey towards the Club of 100 on 27 August 2021. Away to Excelsior, she made her first appearance for Ajax Women. It proved to be a memorable debut, with Ajax recording an emphatic 7-1 victory. Noordam quickly established herself within the squad and soon became a regular starter.
In her debut season in Amsterdam, Noordam lifted the Dutch Cup. In the final, Danny Schenkel’s side defeated PSV 2-1. The future Club of 100 member played a crucial role in the triumph, scoring one of Ajax’s goals.
A thrilling title race
A year later, during the 2022/2023 campaign, Noordam celebrated another major success with Ajax Women. The Amsterdam side secured the league title, finishing one point ahead of FC Twente after a dramatic title race. The club’s third league championship remains the standout moment of Noordam’s first spell at Ajax. The following season, 2023/2024, was largely defined by the team’s impressive UEFA Women’s Champions League campaign. Noordam and her teammates reached the quarter-finals, where Chelsea ultimately proved too strong over two legs.
"The Champions League adventure was incredible," Noordam reflected. "Playing at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, with so many supporters in the stands, is something I will never forget." No Dutch women’s team had ever gone that far in Europe’s premier club competition. That same season also brought another Dutch Cup triumph. In the final at the Koning Willem II Stadium, Suzanne Bakker’s team defeated Fortuna Sittard 3-1. On 20 May 2024, Noordam proudly lifted the trophy as Ajax captain – the second Dutch Cup of her career. "It is an honour to captain such a big club. It gave me confidence," she said.
A place in the history books
With 105 official appearances and eighteen goals for Ajax, Noordam has secured her place in the club’s history books. Her portrait now hangs in the corridors of the Johan Cruijff ArenA as a member of the Club of 100. Now Noordam continues her mission: winning more trophies and climbing even higher in Ajax’s illustrious gallery of greats. They are fitting ambitions for the experienced midfielder, who continues her journey as a proud Ajax player in the 2026/2027 season.
