Liam van Gelderen

Liam van Gelderen

Van Gelderen with Groningen
Personal information
Date of birth	(2001-03-23) 23 March 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth	Zaandam, Netherlands
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Right-back
Team information
Current team	RKC Waalwijk
Number	4
Youth career
	SVA Assendelft
0000–2012	Fortuna Wormerveer
2012–2015	AZ Alkmaar
2015–2019	Ajax
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2019–2022	Jong Ajax	58	(2)
2022	Ajax	2	(0)
2022–2024	Groningen	23	(2)
2024–	RKC Waalwijk	19	(0)
International career^‡
2015–2016	Netherlands U15	5	(1)
2017	Netherlands U16	5	(1)
2017–2018	Netherlands U17	19	(2)
2018–2019	Netherlands U18	5	(0)
2019	Netherlands U19	2	(0)
2024–	Suriname	6	(0)
Medal record Representing  Netherlands UEFA European Under-17 Championship Winner England 2018 U-17 Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:48, 02 February 2025 (UTC). ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 1 December 2024

Liam van Gelderen (born 23 March 2001) is a professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Eredivisie club RKC Waalwijk. Born in the Netherlands, he represents the Suriname national team.

Club career

Ajax

Van Gelderen started his football journey in the youth teams of SVA Assendelft, Fortuna Wormerveer, and AZ.[1] In 2015, he joined the Ajax Youth Academy, signing a contract until 2020 in February 2018.[2]

He made his debut for Jong Ajax in the Eerste Divisie on 25 March 2019, in a 3–3 draw against Jong Utrecht.[3] In June 2020, he extended his contract for an additional three seasons, until mid-2023.[4]

Van Gelderen was first named to the bench for the senior Ajax team on 27 February 2022, in a league loss to Go Ahead Eagles.[5] He made his Eredivisie debut for Ajax on 23 April 2022 in a game against NEC as a 45th-minute substitute for the injured Perr Schuurs.[6]

Groningen

On 17 June 2022, Van Gelderen signed a four-year contract with Groningen.[7] He made his debut for the club on 14 August, replacing Neraysho Kasanwirjo in the 92nd minute of a resounding 6–1 league loss to his former club, Ajax.[8] On 25 February 2023, he scored his first goal for the Trots van het Noorden, contributing to a 3–0 home victory against Excelsior.[9] At the end of the season, Groningen suffered relegation to the second-tier Eerste Divisie for the first time in 23 years, with Van Gelderen having scored once in 18 total appearances.[10][11]

RKC Waalwijk

On 26 July 2024, van Gelderen joined RKC Waalwijk on a three-year contract.[12]

International career

Born in the Netherlands, Van Gelderen is of Surinamese descent.[13] He is a former youth international for the Netherlands.

On 5 September 2024, van Gelderen made his debut for the Suriname national team in a 3–1 away win against Guyana.[14]

Career statistics

As of match played 23 October 2023[11]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Jong Ajax	2018–19	Eerste Divisie	1	0	—		—		1	0
	2019–20	Eerste Divisie	17	0	—		—		17	0
	2020–21	Eerste Divisie	11	1	—		—		11	1
	2021–22	Eerste Divisie	29	1	—		—		29	1
	Total		58	2	—		—		58	2
Ajax	2021–22	Eredivisie	2	0	0	0	—		2	0
Groningen	2022–23	Eredivisie	17	1	1	0	—		18	1
	2023–24	Eerste Divisie	6	1	0	0	—		6	1
	Total		23	2	1	0	—		24	2
Career total			83	4	1	0	0	0	84	2

Honours

Ajax[15]

• Eredivisie: 2021–22

Netherlands U17

• UEFA European Under-17 Championship: 2018[16]

Individual

• UEFA European Under-17 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2018[17]

References

1. Hoorn, Jort van der (8 June 2018). "Liam van Gelderen: Van SVA naar Barcelona?". Noordhollands Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 October 2023.
2. Freriks, Gijs (2 February 2018). "Ajax komt met contractnieuws: verdediger tekent eerste contract". Voetbalzone (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 October 2023.
3. "Jong Ajax vs. Jong FC Utrecht 3–3: Summary". Soccerway. Archived from the original on 22 August 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
4. "Contractverlenging Liam van Gelderen". Ajax (in Dutch). 10 June 2020. Archived from the original on 5 March 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
5. "Go Ahead Eagles vs. Ajax 2–1: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
6. "Ajax redt vege lijf op het nippertje bij NEC dankzij invaller Brobbey". NOS (in Dutch). 23 April 2022. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
7. "FC Groningen neemt verdediger Van Gelderen over van Ajax". FC Groningen (Press release) (in Dutch). 17 June 2022. Archived from the original on 26 October 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
8. "Vleugelspelers Bergwijn en Antony leiden swingend Ajax langs Groningen: 6–1". NOS (in Dutch). 14 August 2022. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
9. "Groningen verslaat Excelsior en weet na elf wedstrijden weer eens te winnen". NOS (in Dutch). 25 February 2023. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
10. "FC Groningen degradeert na 23 jaar uit de Eredivisie". Eredivisie (in Dutch). 7 May 2023. Archived from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
11. Liam van Gelderen at Soccerway. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
12. "Liam van Gelderen nieuwste defensieve aanwinst van RKC Waalwijk" [Liam van Gelderen latest defensive acquisition of RKC Waalwijk] (in Dutch). RKC Waalwijk. 26 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
13. "Profvoetballers van Surinaamse afkomst". Natio Suriname | Voetbal. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020.
14. "Guyana v Suriname - CONCACAF Nations League". CONCACAF. 5 September 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
15. "Liam van Gelderen - Career Honours". Soccerway.
16. Saffer, Paul (20 May 2018). "Netherlands win #U17EURO: at a glance". UEFA.com.
17. "Under-17 EURO team of the tournament". UEFA. 16 June 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2022.