Mathijs Tielemans
Dutch footballer (born 2002)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mathijs Dimphinus Wilhelmus Tielemans (born 26 April 2002) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Eredivisie club Excelsior.[4]
|
Tielemans (left) in 2023 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mathijs Dimphinus Wilhelmus Tielemans[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 26 April 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | Veldhoven, Netherlands[2] | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[3] | ||
| Position | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Excelsior | ||
| Number | 8 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2008–2010 | RKVVO | ||
| 2010–2020 | PSV | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2023 | Jong PSV | 77 | (8) |
| 2023– | Vitesse | 41 | (1) |
| 2025 | → Excelsior (loan) | 13 | (0) |
| 2025– | Excelsior | 2 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23:47, 12 November 2025 (UTC) | |||
Career
PSV
Tielemans was born in Veldhoven, North Brabant, Netherlands, and started playing football for local club RKVVO in 2008.[5] In 2010, he joined the PSV youth academy, progressing through the youth teams before reaching the reserve team, Jong PSV in 2020.[2] On 20 June 2020, Tielemans signed his first professional contract with PSV, a one-year contract.[6]
He made his professional debut for Jong PSV on 6 November 2020, playing the full away match against FC Den Bosch in the Eerste Divisie, which they won 2–1, and in which Tielemans provided an assist for Fodé Fofana.[7] Jong PSV was without eighteen players for the game, twelve of whom were sidelined due to a COVID-19 infection. As a result, they fielded a number of youth players, including Tielemans.[8] On 24 November, he scored his first professional goal in a 1–1 league draw against Jong Utrecht, heading in the follow-up from Joël Piroe's saved shot.[9][10]
Following Tielemans' breakthrough for Jong PSV, his contract with the club was extended on 23 March 2021; he signed a two-year contract until 2023.[11][12]
In the 2022–23 season, Tielemans evolved into a key player for Jong PSV and was appointed team captain.[13][14] On 24 October 2022, he scored his first brace in a convincing 6–0 victory against local rivals Helmond Sport.[15]
Vitesse
On 19 June 2023, Tielemans signed a three-year contract with Vitesse after leaving PSV on a free transfer.[16] He made his competitive debut on 11 August, scoring in a 2–1 Eredivisie win against FC Volendam.[17] That would be his only goal of the campaign, which ended with Vitesse relegated to the Eerste Divisie after finishing last with six points, following an eighteen-point deduction for financial irregularities.[18]
Excelsior
On 4 February 2025, Tielemans joined Excelsior on loan for the remainder of the season, with an option to buy included in the deal.[19] He debuted on 21 February in a 1–1 Eerste Divisie draw with Helmond Sport.[20] Excelsior went on to secure second place in the league, earning direct promotion back to the Eredivisie.[21]
On 26 May 2025, Excelsior confirmed it had exercised the option to buy, with Tielemans signing a contract through 2028.[22] He missed the opening months of the 2025–26 season with an ankle injury and bruised ribs, returning on 26 October in a 2–0 league defeat away to Go Ahead Eagles.[23]