Ryan Gravenberch
Dutch footballer (born 2002)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ryan Jiro Gravenberch (Dutch pronunciation: [Ryɑn ɣrɑvɛnbɛrx]; born 16 May 2002) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Liverpool and the Netherlands national team.
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Gravenberch playing for Bayern Munich in 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Ryan Jiro Gravenberch[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 16 May 2002[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Amsterdam, Netherlands | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Defensive midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Liverpool | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 38 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2018 | Ajax | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2020 | Jong Ajax | 44 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2022 | Ajax | 72 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Bayern Munich | 25 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023– | Liverpool | 93 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Netherlands U16 | 6 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018 | Netherlands U17 | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2020 | Netherlands U19 | 8 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2023 | Netherlands U21 | 11 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021– | Netherlands | 25 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 11 April 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 27 March 2026 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Gravenberch began his career with Ajax, where he won three Eredivisie titles. In 2022, he signed for Bayern Munich, helping them win the Bundesliga. He transferred to Liverpool in 2023, where he emerged as a focal player in the club’s 2024–25 Premier League win.
Gravenberch played for the Netherlands at various youth levels, and was part of the under-17 squad that won the 2018 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. He made his senior debut in 2021 and represented the country at UEFA Euro 2024.
Club career
Ajax
Gravenberch joined the Ajax Youth Academy in 2010, and worked his way up through the junior levels.[4] On 7 June 2018, he received the first ever "Abdelhak Nouri Trofee", which recognises the best talent in the Ajax academy.[5] He signed his first professional contract with Ajax that same day, keeping him at the club until 2023.[6] Gravenberch made his professional debut with Jong Ajax in a 5–2 Eerste Divisie win over Dordrecht on 24 August 2018.[7]
Gravenberch made his senior debut with Ajax on 23 September 2018, in a 3–0 Eredivisie loss to PSV.[8] He became the youngest ever Ajax player to play in the Eredivisie at 16 years and 130 days, surpassing the record of 16 years and 242 days set by Clarence Seedorf.[9] Three days later, Gravenberch made his first start for Ajax, scoring in a 7–0 KNVB Cup win against Te Werve, becoming the youngest goalscorer for the club in the process.[10]
On 25 November 2020, Gravenberch scored his first Champions League goal in a 3–1 win over Midtjylland in the 2020–21 season.[11]
On 18 April 2021, Gravenberch scored the first goal in a 2–1 win over Vitesse in the 2021 KNVB Cup final.[12]
Bayern Munich
On 13 June 2022, Gravenberch signed for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich on a five-year contract.[13] The transfer fee paid to Ajax was a reported €18 million, with an additional €5 million in variables.[14] On 31 August, he scored his first goal and provided an assist in a 5–0 win over Viktoria Köln in the DFB-Pokal.[15]
Liverpool
On 1 September 2023, the final day of the Premier League transfer window, Gravenberch signed for Liverpool on a five-year contract.[16] The fee, officially undisclosed, was reportedly €40 million.[17][18] On 16 September, Gravenberch made his debut appearance for Liverpool, entering as an extra-time substitute to replace Mohamed Salah in the 93rd minute of what would be a Premier League away victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers.[19]
On 21 September, Gravenberch made a lengthy pass into the box to assist Luis Diaz, his first assist for Liverpool, during a Europa League group stage victory against LASK in which his side won 3–1.[20] On 5 October, Gravenberch scored his first goal for Liverpool in a 2–0 win against Union Saint-Gilloise in the UEFA Europa League.[21][22] Gravenberch started a number of games in the Premier League in October and November 2023 owing to the absence of regular starter Curtis Jones due to a suspension and then an injury.[23] On 21 April 2024, Gravenberch scored his first Premier League goal in a 3–1 win over Fulham.[24]
At the start of the 2024–25 campaign, Gravenberch was shifted by new manager Arne Slot to a more deep-lying midfield role, accredited to being a central defensive midfielder in Arne Slot's 4-2-3-1 formation.[25] He won plaudits for his early performances in this new position, particularly for his dominance in a 3–0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford.[26] He was widely praised by pundits for his performances in this new role.[27][28] On 27 April 2025, Liverpool beat Tottenham Hotspur 5–1 to secure the Premier League title, with Gravenberch providing an assist for Alexis Mac Allister's goal.[29] Gravenberch received praise for his part in Liverpool's successful league campaign and breakthrough in his new midfield role.[30][31][32] At the end of the season, Gravenberch was awarded with the Premier League Young Player of the Season award.[33]
On 7 March 2026, Gravenberch signed a new six-year contract with the club, reportedly keeping him at the club until 2032.[34][35]
International career
Gravenberch was a youth international for the Netherlands. At the age of 15, he represented the Netherlands U17s at the 2018 UEFA European Under-17 Championship, helping his team to victory.[36] At 16, he played for the Netherlands U19s in a friendly 4–1 loss to the England U19s on 5 September 2018.[37]
He was first called up to the senior Netherlands squad in November 2020.[38] He made his debut on 24 March 2021 in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Turkey. On 2 June 2021, Gravenberch was named in the Dutch squad for UEFA Euro 2020.[39] Four days later, he scored his first international goal in a 3–0 win against Georgia in a pre-tournament friendly match.[40][13] At the tournament finals, Gravenberch appeared as a substitute in the team's second group match against Austria,[41] and played the full 90 minutes in the third group match against North Macedonia.[42]
On 4 September 2023, days after signing for Liverpool, Gravenberch declined a call-up to the Netherlands U21s for their European Championship qualification campaign.[43] The team confirmed his absence was a choice to "focus on his new club", with national coach Ronald Koeman and U21s coach Michael Reiziger condemning the decision.[44][45]
On 29 May 2024, Gravenberch was named in the Netherlands' squad for UEFA Euro 2024.[46]
Personal life
Gravenberch was born in the Netherlands to Afro-Surinamese parents.[47] In August 2025, Gravenberch and his partner Cindy Peroti announced the birth of their first child, a daughter.[48]
His older brother, Danzell, is a former professional footballer.[49]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 11 April 2026[50]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Jong Ajax | 2018–19 | Eerste Divisie | 27 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 27 | 2 | ||||
| 2019–20 | Eerste Divisie | 17 | 6 | — | — | — | — | 17 | 6 | |||||
| Total | 44 | 8 | — | — | — | — | 44 | 8 | ||||||
| Ajax | 2018–19 | Eredivisie | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 1 | ||
| 2019–20 | Eredivisie | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | 1[c] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 3 | ||
| 2020–21 | Eredivisie | 32 | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | 11[d] | 1 | — | 47 | 5 | |||
| 2021–22 | Eredivisie | 30 | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | 8[e] | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | 42 | 3 | ||
| Total | 72 | 7 | 10 | 4 | — | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 103 | 12 | |||
| Bayern Munich | 2022–23 | Bundesliga | 24 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 6[e] | 0 | 1[g] | 0 | 33 | 1 | |
| 2023–24 | Bundesliga | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 25 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 1 | |||
| Liverpool | 2023–24 | Premier League | 26 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5[c] | 2 | — | 38 | 4 | |
| 2024–25 | Premier League | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9[e] | 0 | — | 49 | 0 | ||
| 2025–26 | Premier League | 30 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10[e] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 5 | |
| Total | 93 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 130 | 9 | ||
| Career total | 234 | 20 | 17 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 50 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 311 | 30 | ||
- Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
- Six appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League, five appearances in UEFA Europa League
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- Appearance in Johan Cruyff Shield
- Appearance in DFL-Supercup
International
- As of match played 27 March 2026[51]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 2021 | 10 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 25 | 1 | |
- As of match played 27 March 2026
- Netherlands score listed first, score column indicates score after each Gravenberch goal.[51]
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 June 2021 | De Grolsch Veste, Enschede, Netherlands | 5 |  Georgia | 3–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
Honours
Ajax
Bayern Munich
Liverpool
Netherlands U17
Individual
- Ajax Talent of the Future (Abdelhak Nouri Award): 2018[59]
- Ajax Talent of the Year (Marco van Basten Award): 2021[60]
- Eredivisie Talent of the Year: 2020–21[61]
- Johan Cruyff Trophy: 2020–21[62]
- Eredivisie Player of the Month: March 2021[63]
- Eredivisie Talent of the Month: March 2022[64]
- Eredivisie Team of the Month: March 2022[64]
- Premier League Young Player of the Season: 2024–25[33]
- Premier League Fan Team of the Season: 2024–25[65]
- The Athletic Premier League Team of the Season: 2024–25[66]
- PFA Team of the Year: 2024–25 Premier League[67]
