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Tijjani Reijnders

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In this article, the surname is Lekatompessy, his Moluccan patronymic surname.
Tijjani Reijnders
Reijnders with AC Milan in 2024
Personal information
Full name Tijjani Martinus Jan Reijnders Lekatompessy[1]
Date of birth (1998-07-29) 29 July 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth Zwolle, Netherlands
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 AC Milan
Number 14
Youth career
2003–2007 WVF Zwolle
2007–2011 FC Zwolle
2011–2015 FC Twente
2015–2016 CSV '28
2016–2017 PEC Zwolle
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017 PEC Zwolle 1 (0)
2017–2021 Jong AZ 92 (19)
2018–2023 AZ 93 (7)
2020 → RKC Waalwijk (loan) 8 (0)
2023– AC Milan 46 (4)
International career‡
2018–2019 Netherlands U20 15 (0)
2023– Netherlands 20 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:39, 9 November 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:09, 16 November 2024 (UTC)

Tijjani Martinus Jan Reijnders Lekatompessy (Dutch pronunciation: [tiˈdʒani ˈrɛi̯ndərs]; born 29 July 1998) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club AC Milan and the Netherlands national team.

After representing various Dutch junior teams, Reijnders began his career with his hometown club, PEC Zwolle, before moving to fellow Dutch club AZ Alkmaar in the 2017−18 season. He was then loaned to RKC Waalwijk until the conclusion of the 2019−20 campaign. After returning to AZ from his loan, Reijnders was named to the Eredivisie Team of the Month in September 2022 and April 2023, before signing for Italian giants AC Milan in the summer of 2023.

Reijnders is a Dutch international, having progressed from the under-20 level onwards. He made his senior international debut for the country in September 2023.

Early and personal life

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Reijnders was born in Zwolle on 29 July 1998. He is the son of former footballer Martin Reijnders, and the brother of Eliano Reijnders, a professional footballer playing for PEC Zwolle.[2] He also has a sister. He has been married to Marina Gourgis since 2023, and they have a son, Xavien.[3] Reijnders is of Indonesian descent through his mother.[4]

Club career

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Early career

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Reijnders' role in the football scene started at a young age, where he started his career with the FC Twente youth team. He played at FC Twente until the U-17 team before being released to CSV '28 and playing for one year from 2015 to 2016.[5]

In 2016, Reijnders joined his homeland team PEC Zwolle U-19 where he then moved up the level and appeared in the Eredivisie club's first team. Even at PEC Zwolle, Reijnders only played one year.

AZ Alkmaar

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In 2017, development of his career accelerated rapidly. From working at a local Aldi supermarket and training in Zwolle, he crossed over to AZ's Under-21 team and moved up to the first professional team in 2018.[6]

In 2020, he was loaned to RKC Waalwijk for six months, from January to June.[7] Afterwards, Reijnders returned to AZ and became part of the first team, in which he managed to play in the 2022–23 Europa Conference League semi-finals.[8]

AC Milan

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Reijnders playing for AC Milan in 2024

On 19 July 2023, Reijnders joined Serie A club AC Milan, signing a five-year contract until June 2028.[9] On 21 August, he made his first competitive start for Rossoneri in a Serie A match against Bologna.[10] On 11 November, in a Serie A match against Lecce at Stadio Via del mare, Reijnders scored his debut goal for Milan.[11]

International career

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As a result of his family background, Reijnders was eligible to represent Indonesia or the Netherlands. In February 2022, it was reported that the head coach of the Indonesia national football team at that time, Shin Tae-yong, had tried to call him up. [12]

In June 2023, Reijnders received his first official call-up to the Netherlands national team for the 2023 UEFA Nations League Finals.[13]

On 7 September 2023, Reijnders made his Netherlands debut as a substitute in a 3–0 win over Greece in a UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier.[14] On 13 October, he made his first start as the Netherlands were defeated 2–1 by France in the same competition.[15]

Reijnders scored his first senior international goal in a 4–0 win over Scotland at the Johan Cruyff Arena on 22 March 2024.[16]

On 29 May 2024, Reijnders was named in the Netherlands' squad for UEFA Euro 2024.[17]

Style of play

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Reijnders is a mobile central midfielder with the penchant for going forward into the final third and the opposition's penalty area, to either make attempts at scoring or to press opponents.

Upon his transfer to Milan, he was immediately integrated into the team's starting XI by manager Stefano Pioli as a left-sided central midfielder, known as mezzala in Italy, in a 4–3–3 formation. He also played as part of the double pivot in a 4–2–3–1 formation, again primarily on the left despite being right-footed.

According to Reijnders, tactical reasons played a somewhat significant role in him choosing AC Milan over FC Barcelona as his proposed playing position in the latter team would have limited his movement.[18]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 9 November 2024[19]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
PEC Zwolle 2017–18 Eredivisie 1 0 — — 1 0
Jong AZ 2017–18 Eerste Divisie 32 6 — — 32 6
2018–19 36 8 — — 36 8
2019–20 16 3 — — 16 3
2020–21 8 2 — — 8 2
Total 92 19 — — 92 19
AZ 2017–18 Eredivisie 1 0 — — 1 0
2018–19 0 0 1 0 — 1 0
2019–20 3 0 — — 3 0
2020–21 22 0 0 0 — 22 0
2021–22 36 6 4 0 7[b] 0 47 6
2022–23 34 3 2 0 18[b] 4 54 7
Total 96 9 7 0 25 4 128 13
RKC Waalwijk (loan) 2019–20 Eredivisie 8 0 — — 8 0
AC Milan 2023–24 Serie A 36 3 2 0 12[c] 1 50 4
2024–25 10 1 0 0 4[d] 3 14 4
Total 46 4 2 0 16 4 64 8
Career total 243 32 9 0 41 8 293 40
  1. ^ Includes KNVB Cup, Coppa Italia
  2. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
  3. ^ Six appearances in UEFA Champions League, six appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League
  4. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League

International

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As of match played 16 November 2024[20]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Netherlands 2023 6 0
2024 14 3
Total 20 3

Scores and results list Netherlands' goal tally first.

International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 22 March 2024 Johan Cruyff Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands 7  Scotland 1–0 4–0 Friendly
2 7 September 2024 Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands 16  Bosnia and Herzegovina 2–1 5–2 2024–25 UEFA Nations League A
3 10 September 2024 Johan Cruyff Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands 17  Germany 1–0 2–2 2024–25 UEFA Nations League A

Honours

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Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Tijjani Reijnders".
  2. ^ "Reijnders in voetspoor vader". www.peperbus.nl.
  3. ^ "The Early Life and Football Journey of Tijjani Reijnders: A Baller Named After Tijani Babangida". footballbiography.com. 5 June 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Broederliefde - Interview with Tijjani and Eliano Reijnders". June 2021.
  5. ^ "Profil Tijjani Reijnders, Gelandang Andalan Eredivisie Keturunan Indonesia" (in Indonesian). Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  6. ^ "Reijnders promoveert naar A-selectie". www.az.nl. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  7. ^ "RKC Waalwijk huurt middenvelder Tijjani Reijnders van AZ". BD. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  8. ^ "Glanzlos, aber effizient: West Ham schlägt Alkmaar und steht im Endspiel" (in German). Kicker. 18 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Official Statement: Tijjani Reijnders". AC Milan. 19 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  10. ^ "Bologna 0-2 AC Milan (Aug 21, 2023)". ESPN. 21 August 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  11. ^ "Lecce 2-2 AC Milan (Nov 11, 2023)". ESPN. 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  12. ^ "Respons Shin Tae-yong Usai Tijjani Reijnders Tolak Timnas Indonesia" [Shin Tae-yong's response after Tijjani Reijnders rejected the Indonesian national team.]. Bolasport (in Indonesian). 19 February 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  13. ^ "Oranjeselectie voor de UEFA Nations League Finals" [National team squad for the Nations League Finals] (in Dutch). 29 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  14. ^ "REIJNDERS DEBUTS WITH THE NETHERLANDS, VICTORY FOR KJÆR". A.C. Milan. 7 September 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  15. ^ "Met mes op de keel, maar toch trekt Oranje vol vertrouwen naar Griekenland: "We hadden een goede mentaliteit tegen Frankrijk"". Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). 16 October 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  16. ^ "Netherlands 4-0 Scotland: Steve Clarke's side given Euro 2024 warning in heavy defeat". BBC Sport. 22 March 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  17. ^ "Netherlands Euro 2024 squad: Ian Maatsen dropped, Georginio Wijnaldum and Daley Blind retained". The New York Times. 29 May 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  18. ^ "Reijnders talks role under Pioli, team-mates and choosing Milan over Barcelona". 22 December 2023.
  19. ^ "Tijjani Reijnders". Soccerway.
  20. ^ "Tijjani Reijnders". EU-Football.info. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  21. ^ "Eight clubs represent the Eredivisie Team of the Month for April". Eredivisie. 5 May 2023. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
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