With Netherlands-born striker Simon van Duivenbooden said to have attained his South African passport and is now eligible to represent Bafana Bafana, we take a look at some quick facts about the Vitesse star.
The story
On Monday, Van Duivenbooden confirmed that he attained his South African citizenship at Home Affairs in Cape Town, according to iDiski Times.
Now with the marksman having declared his intentions to play for Bafana, here some quick facts about the young forward:
A dual citizen
The 22-year-old's father was born in South Africa, with many of the player's family members also living in the country while he was born in Uithoorn - a city on the western peninsula of the Netherlands.
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A PSV Eindhoven academy star!
In 2019, Van Duivenbooden joined the PSV academy after beginning his journey at Legmeervogels Uithoorn Youth, followed by stints at Alphense Boys Jeugd and the Vitesse academy.
Notably, the PSV academy has produced renowned stars, past and present, including Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Steven Bergwijn, Ibrahim Afellay, Cody Gakpo, and Memphis Depay.
High productivity!
Although his senior professional career is still in its burgeoning phase, the striker has a productive goal-scoring rate, showing his solid ability in front of goal. In 75 appearances for Vitesse from the U17s level to the first-team, Van Duivenbooden has registered 49 goals and seven assists, according to Transfermarkt.
Played with two of Europe's rising superstars!
Van Duivenbooden has shared the dressing room with some formidable teammates and among those who stand are Noni Madueke of Chelsea and PSV's Johan Bakayoko. The latter is one of the most sought-after wingers in Europe following a brilliant 2023/24 campaign where he contributed 14 goals and 14 assists in 49 matches. Madueke, meanwhile, enjoyed a respectable debut season at Stamford Bridge, producing five goals and two assists in 23 Premier League games.
The unfortunate 2023/24 relegation
Last season, his side Vitesse were relegated from the Eredivisie after they were docked a staggering 18 points due to their relationship with ex-Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich. It is alleged that the Russian billionaire had been bankrolling the club for years, with their financial ties deemed to be in breach of certain rules.
Van Duivenbooden will now play in the second-tier of Dutch football and his contract expires in June 2025.
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