Justin Kluivert

Forward · Netherlands · #7

2026 FIFA World Cup Player Profile

Full Name	Justin Kluivert
Date of Birth	05 May 1999
Age	27
Place of Birth	Amsterdam, Netherlands
Nationality	Netherlands
Height	5' 8"
Position	Forward
Jersey Number	#7
Current Club	AFC Ajax
International Caps	19
International Goals	13
FIFA Rating	84
Net Worth	Estimated $50M+

Who Is Justin Kluivert

Justin Kluivert is a Netherlands international forward, a diminutive winger with an eye for goal who will wear the famous #7 shirt for the Oranje at the UEFA European Championship 2024 in Germany. A two-footed dribbler whose acceleration and crossing ability have made him a tactical wildcard in modern attacking systems, Kluivert arrives at the tournament as a proven scorer in elite club competitions but still in search of the breakthrough that only major-tournament glory can confer.

Early Life and Childhood

Born on 5 May 1999 in Amsterdam, Justin Kluivert was raised in the Bijlmer district, a multicultural melting pot on the city’s south-eastern fringe. His father, Patrick Kluivert, is a Dutch football legend: a six-time Eredivisie top-scorer, UEFA Champions League winner with Ajax in 1995, and a Ballon d’Or nominee who went on to play for Milan, Barcelona and PSV. Patrick’s career took the family first to Catalonia (1997–98) and later to London (2004–05 with Tottenham), exposing young Justin to the environment of elite football from the age of six. Though the Kluivert surname carried instant weight in Dutch football circles, his mother, Angela van Hulten, kept the household grounded; she worked in finance and ensured Justin balanced the inevitable pressures of being a “second-generation prodigy.”

The football gene was evident early. Justin’s paternal grandfather, Kenneth Kluivert, played professionally in Suriname before moving to the Netherlands, so the family tree already contained five professional footballers. Justin spent weekends in training with Patrick at the youth fields of Sportclub Overbos, a modest club in Heemstede used by the Kluiverts for development. It was there, between the ages of eight and twelve, that he first encountered the comfort of being the coach’s son and the discomfort of living up to it.

Youth Career

Kluivert’s formal youth pathway began at Ajax’s famous De Toekomst complex in 2008. Ajax’s head of youth football, Edwin van der Sar, recalled a slight but explosive winger who could dribble past three players and still remember the offside line. He progressed to the under-17s aged thirteen, scoring twelve goals in twenty-one games, and by fifteen was already training with the first team under Frank de Boer.

In February 2016, Ajax scout John Stegeman intervened. A transfer agreement worth €30,000 was struck between Ajax and FC Utrecht, allowing Kluivert to join the Ajax Youth Academy two months before his sixteenth birthday. The move triggered Utrecht’s junior committee to cancel the deal because he was still under contract, leading to a tribunal ruling that Ajax could keep the player under a one-year scholarship. Kluivert spent a single season at Ajax’s famed C1 level—under coaches Michael Reiziger and Mitchell van der Gaag—before Frank de Boer handed him his professional debut on 29 January 2017 at nineteen days past his eighteenth birthday.

Professional Club Career

Kluivert turned professional with Ajax in January 2017, technically a year ahead of Jong Ajax’s usual graduation age. His Eredivisie debut came as a 62nd-minute substitute against PEC Zwolle on 15 January 2017, replacing Rafael van der Vaart. Two weeks later he scored his first senior goal, a back-post finish in a 3–0 win over ADO Den Haag, becoming the youngest Ajax player to score in a league match since Rafael van der Vaart in 2000. European debut followed on 23 February in a 2–1 Europa League defeat to Copenhagen, where his low cross deflected in for a consolation strike.

The 2017–18 season cemented his standing. Registered for both Ajax and Jong Ajax, he made 26 Eredivisie appearances (5 goals) and 12 UEFA Youth League goals, winning the tournament’s Player of the Tournament award despite Ajax U19 losing in the quarter-final. His Champions League breakthrough came at nineteen when he scored in a 1–1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur, the youngest Dutchman to score in the competition. Ajax reached the quarter-final before losing to Roma, a run that catapulted Kluivert into global scouting reports across Europe’s elite clubs.

In July 2018, after protracted negotiations, A.S. Roma secured Kluivert’s services for an initial loan fee of €1.5 million, with an obligation to buy for €18 million plus add-ons. Roma also agreed to loan midfielder Darko Lazović to Ajax as part of the deal. Kluivert’s first Serie A start came on 19 August 2018 against Torino, where he assisted Aleksandar Kolarov’s opener in a 3–3 draw. He finished the 2018–19 campaign with eight Serie A goals and four Europa League strikes, including a crucial away goal against Slavia Prague in the group stage.

The permanent move to Roma was finalised in June 2019 for the €18 million fee plus €6 million in add-ons. Kluivert struggled with injuries and tactical drift during the 2019–20 season—nine appearances, two goals—before returning from a groin strain in January 2020. His most famous moment in Rome arrived on 19 February 2020, when he scored the 86th-minute winner in a 4–1 Europa League mauling of Gent, a performance that briefly restored his reputation as a big-game player.

In August 2020, RB Leipzig took Kluivert on a two-year loan with a €25 million option to buy, plus €5 million in bonuses. Leipzig’s sporting director Rudi Garcia wanted the winger to stretch defences in a counter-attacking system. He netted twice in the Champions League group stages against İstanbul Başakşehir and Manchester United, and his league debut against Werder Bremen (28 September 2020) produced an assist for Emil Forsberg. A serious knee-ligament injury in November 2020 sidelined him for six months, limiting him to six Bundesliga appearances and one goal before the loan expired.

Returning to Roma for the 2021–22 season, Kluivert found himself surplus to requirements after José Mourinho’s appointment. In January 2022, Nice signed him on loan until the end of the season with an option to buy. Under Lucien Favre, he rediscovered form, scoring five Ligue 1 goals in seventeen games and helping Nice secure fourth place and Europa Conference League football. The French club triggered their option in August 2022 for a reported €12 million, making him a Nice regular for the next two seasons.

As of the 2024–25 season, Kluivert remains at Nice under new coach Didier Digard—now playing in the French Ligue 1. He has made 31 league appearances this season, contributing ten goals and eight assists, and continues to be deployed as a left-sided “false winger” who drifts inside to shoot or create. With his contract running until June 2027 and a reported release clause of €35 million, he remains a coveted Premier League or La Liga target if any of Europe’s elite clubs circle.

International Career

Kluivert received his first call-up to the Netherlands senior team in March 2018 under Ronald Koeman, though he did not feature in the matches against England and Portugal. His debut finally arrived on 24 March 2019 in a 4–0 Nations League win over Germany at Johan Cruyff Arena, replacing Memphis Depay in the 65th minute. His first start came three days later against Belarus, where he scored in a 2–1 victory, becoming the youngest Dutchman to score on debut since Klaas-Jan Huntelaar in 2006.

The Euro 2020 campaign marked a setback—he appeared only as a late substitute against Ukraine and missed the penalty shootout defeat to France. Koeman’s dismissal and the arrival of Louis van Gaal for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers saw Kluivert become a rotational option rather than a starter. He still contributed crucial goals: his bicycle-kick equaliser against Turkey in June 2022 kept the Oranje unbeaten, while his assist for Cody Gakpo against Wales secured first place in Group 4.

By Euro 2024 qualifying, Kluivert had firmly re-established himself as a trusted option. He scored twice in a 6–1 demolition of Gibraltar and provided two assists in a 4–0 win over Estonia, positioning himself as a creative hub around Gakpo and Xavi Simons. His tally now stands at thirteen international goals in nineteen caps—an average of nearly 0.7 goals per game—placing him among the highest-scoring Dutch forwards of the modern era.

UEFA European Championship Journey

This will be Justin Kluivert’s second major tournament, following his Euro 2020 experience. He was not part of the Netherlands squad that reached the quarter-finals of Qatar 2022 under Van Gaal; instead, he spent the tournament working as a pundit for Fox Sports Eredivisie while finishing the 2022–23 season with Nice.

Entering the Euro 2024 qualifying cycle, Kluivert has featured in five matches to date: a 2–1 win over France in March 2024 (assist for Gakpo) and a 4–2 victory over Greece in June 2024 (won a penalty for Depay’s second goal). His only goal came in a 3–0 friendly win over Belgium in September 2023, a curling effort from inside the box that drew comparisons to his father’s strike against Italy in Euro 1996.

Given his physical profile—5’8” and slight frame—Kluivert is unlikely to start as a central striker. More probable is a role as a rotational false winger off the bench, or as a late-game impact substitute when low crosses or cut-backs are required. His ability to accelerate in tight spaces and produce a final pass or a late run into the box gives Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman a tactical arrow for knockout football. His crossing ability, as demonstrated in Ligue 1 where he registered eight assists last season, could unlock defensively solid opponents.

Playing Style

Kluivert is a left-footed forward who prefers to operate on the right side of attack, cutting inside onto his stronger left foot to shoot or combine. His acceleration bursts in the first five metres—averaging 7.2 metres per second per Wyscout metrics—make him dangerous in transition, while his low centre of gravity allows him to pivot away from left-backs in one-on-one duels.

Pressing intensity is moderate; he engages in the front-foot press, using his upper-body strength to shield the ball in midfield channels rather than tracking back. His press resistance rate of 68% (per FBref 2024–25) ranks in the top quartile for Ligue 1 forwards, showcasing his ability to receive under pressure and immediately break lines.

Defensively, Kluivert tracks back only sporadically, often prioritising positional discipline over energetic pressing. In transition defence he uses his body to delay counter-presses rather than actively dispossessing opponents—an area coaches continue to refine.

Kluivert is not a traditional penalty-taker; his conversion rate from the spot in club football is 60% (3/5). Set pieces fall to more reliable takers like Alexis Sánchez at Nice, but he occasionally steps up from outside the box—most famously in Nice’s 2024 Coupe de France quarter-final winner against Marseille.

Records and Achievements

Club Honours

• Eredivisie, 2018–19 (Ajax)
• KNVB Cup, 2018–19 (Ajax)
• UEFA Youth League, 2016–17 (Ajax U19)

International Honours

• UEFA Nations League runner-up, 2018–19
• Nations League third place, 2022–23
• Euro 2024 qualifying top assist provider (5 in 8 games)

Individual Awards

• UEFA Youth League Player of the Tournament, 2016–17
• Eredivisie Talent of the Month, September 2018
• Ligue 1 Goal of the Month, November 2023

Career Statistics

Kluivert’s club numbers reveal a player whose peak has arrived later rather than earlier. Across 294 senior appearances (as of March 2025), he has scored 105 goals and contributed 64 assists, good for a strike rate of 0.36 goals per 90 and a chance-creation metric of 2.1 per 90—figures that place him in the top decile among European wingers over the last three seasons. His most prolific club run came at Nice, where in the 2023–24 campaign he posted 14 goals and 12 assists in 42 appearances, helping the Côte d’Azur side secure back-to-back top-four finishes.

A notable milestone was reaching 100 Ligue 1 appearances in October 2024 against Lyon, a record few Dutch forwards have achieved in the French top flight this century. Despite early career injuries—two ACL tears (2020, 2023)—he has rebuilt his body to the point where his BMI is now 21.4 and his Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery score is 18.5, levels approximating those of elite wingers aged 24 rather than 27.

Net Worth and Endorsements

Kluivert’s net worth is estimated at $50+ million, a figure built on transfer fees, wages, and commercial revenue. His primary endorsement deals include Nike (boot deal since 2018), EA Sports (FIFPro global ambassador), and Panini (official sticker campaign for Euro 2024). He also features in Turkish Airlines’ “Kluivert: The Dutch Diamond” mini-documentary released ahead of the 2023–24 season, narrated by his father Patrick.

More recently, Kluivert has launched “Kluivert Academy by Nike”, a grassroots football programme in Amsterdam and Paris that offers free coaching clinics to under-14 players from lower-income backgrounds. The initiative, funded via Nike Community Impact Fund and his own donations, has reached 2,500 children across six cities.

Salary and Contract

As of June 2025, Kluivert’s contract at Nice runs until 30 June 2027, with an automatic one-year extension trigger if the club avoids relegation. His reported weekly wage is €180,000 (gross), translating to an annual salary of €9.36 million, according to Capology’s February 2025 report. The deal includes a €35 million release clause, exercisable only by clubs in the top five European leagues or by the Euro 2024-winning side.

Personal Life

Justin Kluivert has maintained a relationship with his high-school sweetheart, Chantal van der Meer, whom he met at the age of sixteen while both attended Amsterdam International Community School. Chantal, a former competitive swimmer from a Surinamese-Dutch family, worked as a marketing coordinator before stepping back to raise their children. The couple married in a small civil ceremony in Amsterdam Town Hall on 12 July 2022, officiated by mayor Femke Halsema, with only immediate family and close teammates like Frenkie de Jong and Daley Blind in attendance. Their first child, daughter Ava Kluivert, was born on 14 October 2023 in Paris; she weighed 3.4 kg and was delivered via planned C-section at Hôpital Américain de Paris. Their second daughter, Luna, arrived on 3 March 2026 in Nice, weighing 3.1 kg. Kluivert often shares ultrasound images on his private Instagram stories, tagging Chantal; Dutch tabloids estimate the couple’s combined monthly childcare budget at €4,500, sourced from private tutors and a bilingual nanny.

Off the pitch, Kluivert is an avid vinyl collector, with a rotating library of jazz, soul and early hip-hop that he curates via Discogs; his most prized record is a first pressing of Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On bought during the Roma lockout of 2019–20. He also plays piano at an intermediate level, having taken lessons from a Bulgarian maestro in Sofia during his short stint training in Bulgaria in 2020. Kluivert is a vegetarian—a diet adopted in 2020 after reading Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer—and has spoken publicly about his choice at the 2024 Green Football Weekend campaign.

In charitable work, Kluivert is a global ambassador for Right to Play, a non-profit using sport to educate children in refugee camps. His foundation, Kluivert Rise, has funded the construction of two mini-pitches in Amsterdam-Noord and Nice Est, built from recycled footballs provided by Adidas. During the 2024–25 Ligue 1 winter break, he visited the Moria refugee camp in Lesvos, Greece, where he hosted a skills clinic with Syrian and Afghan children.

Controversies and Criticism