Kian Fitz-Jim
Dutch footballer (born 2003)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kian Franklin Fitz-Jim (born 5 July 2003) is a Dutch professional footballer who currently plays as a defensive midfielder for Eredivisie club Ajax.
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Fitz-Jim with Ajax in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kian Franklin Fitz-Jim[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 5 July 2003 | ||
| Place of birth | Amsterdam, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Ajax | ||
| Number | 28 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2011–2013 | Buitenveldert | ||
| 2013–2015 | AFC | ||
| 2015–2019 | AZ Alkmaar | ||
| 2019–2020 | Ajax | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2024 | Jong Ajax | 102 | (5) |
| 2023– | Ajax | 48 | (2) |
| 2023–2024 | → Excelsior (loan) | 12 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2017–2018 | Netherlands U15 | 5 | (1) |
| 2018–2019 | Netherlands U16 | 2 | (0) |
| 2019 | Netherlands U17 | 4 | (0) |
| 2021 | Netherlands U19 | 6 | (0) |
| 2023 | Netherlands U20 | 1 | (0) |
| 2025– | Netherlands U21 | 4 | (1) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22 March 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 25 March 2025 | |||
Club career
Ajax
After developing in the youth academies of Buitenveldert, AFC, and AZ Alkmaar, Fitz-Jim signed with Ajax on 18 June 2019.[3] He made his professional debut with the reserve team, Jong Ajax, in the Eerste Divisie on 21 December 2020, appearing as a substitute in a 2–1 loss to SC Telstar.[4] Over the next few seasons, Fitz-Jim became a key player and regular starter for Jong Ajax, eventually making over 100 appearances for the team in the Eerste Divisie.[5] He made his unofficial senior team debut in a friendly against FC Utrecht on 24 March 2021.[6][7]
Fitz-Jim made his competitive debut for Ajax's first team under manager Alfred Schreuder on 8 January 2023, coming on as a substitute in a 1–1 Eredivisie draw away to NEC.[8] He made three further appearances during the 2022–23 season, two coming in the KNVB Cup.[5]
On 30 August 2023, Fitz-Jim extended his contract with Ajax until June 2027 and was immediately sent on a season-long loan to fellow Eredivisie side Excelsior.[9] He scored his first Eredivisie goal while at Excelsior, making 12 league appearances and 14 total appearances for the club during the first half of the season.[5] However, on 11 January 2024, Ajax recalled Fitz-Jim, terminating the loan spell early.[10] He featured primarily for Jong Ajax after his return for the remainder of the 2023–24 season.[5]
The 2024–25 season marked Fitz-Jim's breakthrough into the Ajax first team under new manager Francesco Farioli. He became a regular member of the midfield rotation, making frequent appearances as both a starter and substitute.[5] He scored his first competitive goals for Ajax during this season, netting twice in the Eredivisie by mid-March 2025.[5] He also made significant contributions in the UEFA Europa League, scoring his first European goal in the qualifying rounds[5] and adding three more goals during the league phase, including strikes against Beşiktaş[11] and Galatasaray.[12][5] His goal against Galatasaray was voted Ajax's Goal of the Month for January 2025.[12]
International career
Fitz-Jim is a youth international for the Netherlands.[3] He is also eligible to represent Hong Kong and Suriname through his parents.[13] In 2023, the then Hong Kong national team manager Jørn Andersen expressed interest in selecting him to represent Hong Kong.[14]
Personal life
Fitz-Jim was born in the Netherlands, his father, also born in the Netherlands, is of Surinamese and Chinese descent.[15] His mother is HongKonger and emigrated to the Netherlands in childhood.[16] Fitz-Jim has never been to Suriname but has often visited Hong Kong.[17] He also holds Hong Kong identity card and speaks Cantonese.[18]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 22 March 2026[5]
| Club | Season | League | KNVB Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Jong Ajax | 2020–21 | Eerste Divisie | 21 | 1 | — | — | — | 21 | 1 | |||
| 2021–22 | Eerste Divisie | 34 | 0 | — | — | — | 34 | 0 | ||||
| 2022–23 | Eerste Divisie | 30 | 3 | — | — | — | 30 | 3 | ||||
| 2023–24 | Eerste Divisie | 17 | 1 | — | — | — | 17 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 102 | 5 | — | — | — | 102 | 5 | |||||
| Ajax | 2022–23 | Eredivisie | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 2023–24 | Eredivisie | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2024–25 | Eredivisie | 27 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 15[a] | 4 | — | 44 | 6 | ||
| 2025–26 | Eredivisie | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5[b] | 0 | — | 21 | 0 | ||
| Total | 47 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 71 | 6 | ||
| Excelsior (loan) | 2023–24 | Eredivisie | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 162 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 188 | 12 | ||
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League