Liam van Gelderen

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

Liam van Gelderen

Van Gelderen with Groningen
Personal information
Date of birth	(2001-03-23) 23 March 2001 (age 24)
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	32	(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	9	(0)
Medal record Representing  Netherlands UEFA European Under-17 Championship Winner England 2018 U-17 Team
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 11 June 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 10 June 2025

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]