Davy Klaassen

Davy Klaassen

Klaassen (left) and Thulani Serero lining up for Ajax in March 2015
Personal information
Full nameDavy Klaassen
Date of birth22 February 1993[1]
Place of birthHilversum, Netherlands
Height1.79 m (5 ft 10 1⁄2 in)
Playing positionAttacking midfielder
Club information
Current team
Ajax
Number10
Youth career
1999–2003HVV de Zebra's
2003–2004HSV Wasmeer
2004–2012Ajax
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2011–Ajax57(17)
National team‡
2008–2009Netherlands U165(4)
2009–2010Netherlands U1711(1)
2010–2011Netherlands U199(2)
2013Netherlands U214(0)
2014–Netherlands2(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15 March 2015.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 5 March 2014

Davy Klaassen (born 21 February 1993) is a Dutch footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Dutch side Ajax and for the Netherlands national team.[2]

Club career

Ajax

Klaassen began his football career in the youth ranks of local amateur side HVV de Zebra's, where he played until 2003, when he transferred to HSV Wasmeer. A year later he was recruited into the famed Ajax Youth Academy. While playing for the Ajax A1 youth squad in 2011–12, Klaassen helped his side to win the Nike Eredivisie league title,[3] as well as finishing as runners-up to Inter Milan in the NextGen Series (the Champions League equivalent for under-19 teams) after losing on penalties (5–3) following a 1–1 deadlock after extra time.[4] He made his debut for the first team in the UEFA Champions League group stage away draw (0–0) against Olympique Lyonnais on 22 November 2011 by replacing Lorenzo Ebecilio in the 85th minute.[5] While still competing in the A-Juniors Nike Eredivisie league competing for the Ajax A1 under-19 squad, he made his Eredivisie debut on November 27 as a substitute against N.E.C. and scored only 42 seconds after having been subbed on.[6] He made his debut in the starting XI of the Ajax first team on 11 December 2011, due to starting center midfielder Theo Janssen catching the flu. Klaassen played the entire match which ended in a 0–1 away win for Ajax against RKC Waalwijk.[7]

On 5 August 2013 Klaassen made his debut in the Dutch Eerste Divisie in the 2–0 win against Telstar while playing for the newly promoted reserves team Jong Ajax, in what would be the first match in the 2nd tier of professional football ever for the reserves.[8] He scored his first goal for Jong Ajax on 20 September 2013 in the 1–2 away victory against FC Eindhoven.[9] On 6 October 2013 while playing for the Ajax first team he scored his teams second goal in the 59th minute in the 3–0 home win against FC Utrecht.[10] On 7 December 2013 Klaassen scored his first hat-trick while playing for the first team, in a 4–0 victory at home over NAC Breda, taking home the match ball and earning himself the Man of the Match award.[11] Following the departure of Ajax captain Siem de Jong, Klaassen switched to the vacant number 10 shirt for the upcoming season.

International career

Netherlands youth teams

Klaassen made his debut for the Dutch national team at youth levels, debuting for the Netherlands U-16 team on 28 October 2008 in the 10th edition of the Tournoi Val de Marne '08 in the 3–0 victory over Italy U-16, while scoring the second goal for the Netherlands in his first international encounter.[12] Klaassen scored in his second appearance for the Netherlands U-16 in the same tournament as well in 0–1 win over France U-16.[13] In total Klaassen made 5 appearances for the Netherlands U-16 while scoring 4 goals.[14] Scoring two more goals in friendly encounters against Ukraine U-16 and Ireland U-16 as well.[15] On 22 September 2009 Klaassen made his first appearance for the Netherlands U17 team in a friendly encounter against France U17 which ended in a 1–0 loss for the Dutch. On 3 March 2010 he scored his first goal for the under-17 side in his 8th appearance, a friendly match against Greece U17.[16] He also played a major role in the Netherlands qualifying campaign ahead of the 2010 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship as well as playing in the 2009 edition of La Manga Cup. On 2 September 2010 Klaassen made his debut for the Netherlands U19 team in a friendly match against Germany U19 which ended in a 2–2 draw. In his 7th appearance for the under-19 side he scored both his first and second goal on 10 November 2011 in a qualification match ahead of the 2012 UEFA European Under-19 Championship against Moldova U19 with the Netherlands failing to qualify for the final tournament in Estonia.[17]

Due to injuries sustained by Ruben Ligeon, Yassin Ayoub and Jürgen Locadia for the Netherlands U21 selection, Klaassen received his first call-up for Jong Oranje the under-21 selection of the Netherlands as a replacement along with Thomas Bruns and Timo Letschert for the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification match against Georgia U21, as well as the friendly match against Austria U21 four days later.[18] He made his debut for the under-21 side on 10 October 2013 in that qualification match helping the Dutch to defeat Georgia 6–0 in which he replaced Luc Castaignos in the 81st minute of the match.[19]

Netherlands first team

On 5 March 2014, Klaassen made his debut for the Netherlands first team under head coach Louis van Gaal at the Stade de France in Paris, in a friendly match against France ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He was substituted on in the 72nd minute for Wesley Sneijder, as the Netherlands lost the match 2–0 to the French.[20] While making his debut for the Netherlands, Klaassen became the 100th Ajax player in the history of the club to make his debut for the Dutch national team while playing his club football at Ajax.[21]

On 31 March 2015 Klaassen scored his first international goal and the team's second goal in a 2-0 win over Spain in a friendly match.[22]

Career statistics

Club performance

As of 15 March 2015[23]
Club performance League Cup Continental1 Other2 Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Netherlands League KNVB Cup Europe Other Total
2011–12AjaxEredivisie4110300081
2012–132000001030
2013–1426105052003612
2014–15256309200378
Total Netherlands 571790174108421
Career total 571790174108421

1 Includes UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League matches.

2 Includes Johan Cruijff Shield and Play-off

International performance

Statistics accurate as of matches played on 5 March 2014,[24]

Netherlands national team
YearAppsGoals
201410
Total10

International goals

Scores and results list the Netherlands' goal tally first.
Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
1. 31 March 2015 Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands  Spain 2–0 2–0 Friendly

Honours

Club

Ajax A1 (under-19)[25][26]
Ajax[25]

Individual

  • Best player of AEGON Future Cup: 2010[28]
  • AFC Ajax Talent of the Future: 2011[29]
  • Hilversum Sportsman of the Year: 2013[30]
  • AFC Ajax Talent of the Year: 2014[31]
  • Dutch Football Talent of the Year: 2014[32]

References

  1. ↑ "Davy Klaassen Profile". UEFA.com. Retrieved 2011-11-22.
  2. ↑ "Davy Klaassen Profile". Soccerway.com. Retrieved 2013-11-04.
  3. ↑ "Beste Spelers Nike A-junioren Eredivisie seizoen 2011/'12". Nikefootball.com. 26 January 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  4. ↑ "Ajax A1 verliest finale van NextGen Series van Inter Milan". Voetbal Centraal. 25 March 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  5. ↑ "Klaassen belt Ajax-nieuws aan opa door". Ajax.nl. Retrieved 2013-11-04.
  6. ↑ "Aissati en Klaassen mee naar NEC". Ajax.nl. Retrieved 2013-11-04.
  7. ↑ "Ajax met Klaassen tegen RKC Waalwijk". NU.nl. Retrieved 2013-11-04.
  8. ↑ "Jong Ajax 2–0 Telstar". Soccerway.com. Retrieved 2013-11-04.
  9. ↑ "FC Eindhoven 1–2 Jong Ajax". Soccerway.com. Retrieved 2013-11-04.
  10. ↑ "Ajax 3–0 FC Utrecht". Soccerway.com. Retrieved 2013-11-04.
  11. ↑ "Ajax met fantastische Klaassen langs NAC". Ajax Showtime. Retrieved 2013-12-07.
  12. ↑ "Oranje onder 16 start sterk op Val de Marne Tournoi". AZJeugd.nl. Retrieved 2013-11-04.
  13. ↑ "Oranje onder 16, verslaat ook Frankrijk (1-0).". AZJeugd.nl. Retrieved 2013-11-04.
  14. ↑ "Davy Klaassen in Oranje". Wasmeer.nl. Retrieved 2013-11-04.
  15. ↑ "Davy Klaassen Onder-16 Statistieken". OnsOranje.nl. Retrieved 2013-11-04.
  16. ↑ "Onder 17 simpel langs Grieken". OnsOranje.nl. Retrieved 2013-11-04.
  17. ↑ "Klaassen: 'Karwei afmaken'". OnsOranje.nl. Retrieved 2013-11-04.
  18. ↑ "Zege Jong Oranje, debuut Klaassen". Ajax.nl. Retrieved 2013-11-04.
  19. ↑ "Bruns, Klaassen en Letschert bij JO". OnsOranje.nl. Retrieved 2013-11-04.
  20. ↑ "France vs Netherlands 2-0". Soccerway.com. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  21. ↑ "Honderdste Ajax-debutant ontvangt applaus". Ajax Showtime. Retrieved 2014-03-06.
  22. ↑ "Netherlands 2-0 Spain: Rejuvenated Dutch ease pressure on Hiddink". Goal.com. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  23. ↑ Soccerway profile
  24. ↑ "Davy Klaassen International". Voetbalstats.nl.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 "Davy Klaassen - Career Honours". Soccerway.
  26. ↑ "Ook Ajax A1 kampioen van Nederland". Ajax.nl.
  27. ↑ "Ajax pakt Eusébio Cup dankzij solo Kishna en save Vermeer". Voetbal International. 26 July 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  28. ↑ "Bayern opnieuw bij AEGON Future Cup". Ajax.nl. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
  29. ↑ "Klaassen: Talent van de Toekomst". Ajax.nl. Retrieved 2011-06-14.
  30. ↑ "Ajacied Davy Klaassen Hilversumse sportman van het jaar". Het Parool. Retrieved 2014-03-08.
  31. ↑ "Davy Klaassen: Ajax Talent van het Jaar". AT5. Retrieved 2014-06-05.
  32. ↑ "Klaassen: Talent van het Jaar". Spits Nieuws. Retrieved 2014-06-05.

External links