Dutch volleyball star Celeste Plak retires at age 30

Dutch outside hitter Celeste Plak announced her retirement from professional volleyball on 30 July 2024 via a social‑media post. In the message she reflected on a career that began at age 14, highlighted more than 407 caps for the Netherlands national team, two Olympic appearances, a Champions League title and two European Championship silver medals, and thanked family, teammates and fans.

Plak, 30, spent most of her club career in Italy with Novara, Bergamo, Milano and Roma, and also played in Turkey, Japan, Indonesia and, for the 2024‑25 season, Brazil's Minas Tênis Clube. She noted she was the first Black woman to represent the Dutch national side. The announcement marked the end of a distinguished international career spanning multiple continents.