Ruben Kluivert

Early years

Born in Amsterdam, Kluivert began playing as a youth for local club AFC before moving to Utrecht, where he made his senior debut with the reserve team in the Eerste Divisie. In December 2019, at the age of 18, Kluivert signed his first professional contract with Utrecht, initially running until 2022. On 16 March 2022, he extended his contract until 2024 with an option for an additional season. He made his first-team debut on 11 May 2022 in the Eredivisie as an added-time substitute for Willem Janssen in a 2–2 home draw with AZ. In September 2023, after five seasons at Utrecht, he left the club due to limited first-team prospects as judged by the technical management.

Dordrecht (2023-2024)

On 1 September 2023, Kluivert signed a two-year contract with Dordrecht.

Casa Pia (2024-2025)

In late June 2024, he joined Primeira Liga side Casa Pia. During the 2024–2025 season, he played 24 matches (21 in the league and 3 in cup competitions) and scored his first professional goal on 25 October 2024 in a 1–0 victory over Nacional.

Lyon (since 2025)

On 25 July 2025, Kluivert joined Ligue 1 side Lyon for a fee of €3.78 million and signed a contract until June 2030.

2025-2026 season

His early months in France were marked by adaptation difficulties. Initially deployed as a right-back, he faced criticism for his inexperience and committed several defensive errors. On 2 October 2025, he scored his first goal for the club in a 2–0…

Kluivert is a versatile defender capable of playing as a centre-back or lateral. He is distinguished by his pace and physical strength in duels. While he is effective in offensive heading situations, his profile is noted for lapses in concentration and technical inconsistency in his clearances.

As of match played 16 September 2026

Kluivert hails from a footballing family. His grandfather Kenneth played for Surinamese team Robinhood and moved to the Netherlands in 1970. His father, Patrick, played for European clubs including Ajax and Barcelona, and was a long-time Dutch international. His older brother Justin is also a professional footballer for AFC Bournemouth and the Netherlands. He has two younger brothers, Quincy and Shane, who play for Zeeburgia and Barcelona U18 respectively.