Ruud Nijstad
 Nijstad in 2026 with FC Twente | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 17 January 2008 | ||
| Place of birth | Almelo, Netherlands | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | FC Twente | ||
| Number | 43 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| DETO | |||
| FC Twente | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2025– | FC Twente | 21 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2023-2024 | Netherlands U16 | 9 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | Netherlands U17 | 9 | (0) |
| 2025– | Netherlands U18 | 6 | (1) |
| 2026– | Netherlands U19 | 2 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16:31, 17 May 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 19:33, 28 March 2026 (UTC) | |||
Ruud Nijstad (born 17 January 2008) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a central defender for FC Twente of the Eredivisie.[1]
Club career
[edit]Born in Almelo, Nijstad played as a youngster for amateur club DETO and later trained in the joint youth academy of FC Twente and Heracles Almelo. He signed a three-year professional contract with FC Twente in February 2024.[2]
He made his professional debut for FC Twente in the Eredivisie on 5 October 2025 at the age of 17 years-old appearing as a substitute in the eighth minute for Robin Pröpper against Heracles, in a 2-1 victory for his side.[3][4][5]
International career
[edit]Nijstad is a youth international for the Netherlands, havind made his debut for the Netherlands U16 in October 2023.[2]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of match played 30 July 2026
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Twente | 2025–26 | Eredivisie | 21 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 1 | ||
| 2026–27 | Eredivisie | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 21 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 1 | ||
- ↑ Two appearances in UEFA Europa League
References
[edit]- ↑ "Ruud Nijstad". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- 1 2 "Top clubs refuse to sign Ruud Nijstad: who is this Twente talent?". Voetbal Nieuws. 25 February 2024. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ↑ "De Oosttribune Extra: ´Ik vergeleek Ruud Nijstad een beetje met Frank de Boer´". Drimble.nl. 6 October 2025. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ↑ ten Voorde, Leon (8 October 2025). "Proud mentor Wout Brama on Ruud Nijstad's debut: "This is what FC Twente stands for. Not everything from outside is better."". Tubantia.nl. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ↑ "Twente vs. Heracles 2-1". Soccerway. 5 October 2025. Retrieved 14 October 2025.