PLAYER PROFILE: CHANTÉ DOMPIG

Chanté Dompig is all smiles. The Dutch player is one of those players that every team needs: she participates, gets involved, exudes positive energy. She is a team player and is always available, behaves impeccably with respect, and smiling is just a way of life. She uses it in presenting herself in general, to break the ice and joke of course, but it is also the most beautiful way to create bonds and spirit. It is a form of leadership, spontaneous and essential, to deal with the dynamics on football field, for example.

She inspires when things are going well; she gives strength and courage when things are not going so well, like now. The Rossonere's season is struggling to get going. They are in a sticky patch; the encouraging opening game against reigning champions Roma - a 2-4 loss - has not been followed up by much afterwards. It was against the Giallorossi that Dompig scored her first and only goal so far this league campaign. She is a striker who gets big goals: the first in AC Milan 3-3 Juventus in April, the second in Fiorentina 1-1 AC Milan in May.

Rewinding the tape, Chanté is getting closer to celebrating the anniversary of her arrival at AC Milan. The announcement in January kicked off a window that also saw Bahlouli and Nouwen join the Club. She made her debut in the derby only a few months after recovering from a serious injury. Born in Amsterdam in 2001, her career is still in front of her. From her beginnings in her homeland between BuitenVeldert and Telstar to VV Alkmaar, she even appeared in the Eredivisie before turning 18. Things changed in the summer of 2020, when she moved to Italy and Empoli: in Tuscany, she scored 12 goals in 49 appearances (including the Coppa Italia) and won Serie A's 2021/22 best young player award.

As a striker or winger, where she made the assist for Bergamaschi's to give the Rossonere a temporary lead last weekend, Dompig plays a very important role in Coach Ganz's squad. Physique, technique, desire, sacrifice: qualities ready to given to the Rossonere in their next match, scheduled for Saturday 18 November at 18:00 CET at the PUMA House of Football against Sampdoria (matchday 8). It's a game not to be missed, to collect precious points and to raise a smile... to Chanté Dompig: "We didn't start well," she told Milan TV. "We have to improve and I also want to improve. It's up to us to prove that we are AC Milan, a real team. Sampdoria and the derby will be crucial games."

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