Jasper Cillessen

NEC

Cillessen was born in Nijmegen and grew up in nearby Groesbeek. He began playing for the youth team of local club De Treffers before being scouted to the NEC/FC Oss youth academy in 2001. In 2008, he signed his first professional contract with NEC and started playing for the reserves. In 2010, Cillessen agreed a new two-year contract at NEC until June 2012. Following an injury to first-choice goalkeeper Gábor Babos, Cillessen made his senior debut on 28 August 2010 in a 2–2 home draw against SC Heerenveen and was voted the man of the match. Even when Babos returned from injury, Cillessen managed to keep his spot in the first team and signed a two-year contract extension that tied him to NEC until 2014. At the end of the 2010–11 season, Cillessen was awarded Gelderland Footballer of the Year.

Ajax

On 27 August 2011, it was announced NEC and Ajax had reached an agreement for the transfer of Cillessen to the Amsterdam club for an estimated €3 million. He signed a five-year contract, binding him to Ajax until 2016. Cillessen made his first appearance for Ajax on 21 September 2011, in a 2nd round KNVB Cup away match against VV Noordwijk. He played the full match, conceding only to Sijbren Bartlema in the 66th minute of the 3–1 away victory. He made his first league appearance for Ajax in a 2011–12 Eredivisie match on 23 October 2011 against arch-rivals Feyenoord, coming on as a 66th-minute substitute for right back Gregory van der Wiel, after starting…

Youth

In October 2010, Cillessen was called-up for the Netherlands national under-21 team by the national team coach, Cor Pot, for the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification play-offs against Ukraine.

Senior

After the 2010–11 season, Cillessen was placed in the pre-selection for the senior Netherlands squad's friendly matches against Uruguay and Brazil. Manager Bert van Marwijk eventually selected Cillessen for the Netherlands' friendly trip to South America. On 7 May 2012, Cillessen was named in the provisional list of 36 players for the UEFA Euro 2012 tournament, one of nine uncapped players to be chosen by Van Marwijk as part of the preliminary squad. On 7 June 2013, Cillessen obtained his first cap for the Netherlands national team under manager Louis van Gaal, after several call-ups in the past. Cillessen played the first half in a friendly encounter against Indonesia in a 3–0 away win for the Dutch. He was relieved in goal by Kenneth Vermeer in the 46th minute, as the two helped keep a clean sheet during their friendly encounter in Asia. In June 2014, Cillessen was selected in the Netherlands' squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He was given the number 1 jersey and started in the team's opening match, a 5–1 victory against Spain in Salvador. He went on to start in every match in the tournament as Oranje took third place. However, in the quarter-final against Costa Rica, Louis van Gaal unexpectedly substituted him for Tim Krul ahead of…

Club

As of match played 14 March 2026

International

As of match played 27 March 2023

Ajax

Eredivisie: 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14 Johan Cruyff Shield: 2013 Barcelona

La Liga: 2017–18, 2018–19 Copa del Rey: 2016–17, 2017–18 Supercopa de España: 2018 Netherlands

FIFA World Cup third place: 2014 UEFA Nations League runner-up: 2018–19 Individual

Gelderland Footballer of the Year: 2011 Gillette Player of the Year: 2014 Ajax Player of the Year (Rinus Michels Award): 2014–15, 2015–16 Eredivisie Team of the Month: September 2022, February 2023