Sven Braken
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.jpg) Braken in 2023 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Sven André Marie Braken[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 12 June 1993 | ||
| Place of birth | Maastricht, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | MVV | ||
| Number | 9 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| SC Jekerdal | |||
| –2004 | RKSV Leonidas-Wolder | ||
| 2004–2011 | MVV | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2011–2015 | MVV | 95 | (17) |
| 2015–2017 | Almere City | 16 | (11) |
| 2017–2019 | NEC | 52 | (21) |
| 2019 | → Emmen (loan) | 12 | (2) |
| 2019–2021 | Livorno | 49 | (7) |
| 2021–2023 | VVV-Venlo | 59 | (24) |
| 2023–2024 | Deinze | 21 | (2) |
| 2024– | MVV | 68 | (18) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 28 April 2026 | |||
Sven André Marie Braken (born 12 June 1992) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a striker for Eerste Divisie club MVV.[2] He most notably played for NEC, Livorno, VVV-Venlo, and Deinze.
MVV
Braken was born in Maastricht, and made his professional debut for hometown club MVV on 22 April 2011 in a 2–1 home win over Telstar in the Eerste Divisie, replacing the injured Lance Voorjans in the 40th minute.[3]
He scored his first goal for the club on 23 November 2012, delivering the equalizer on his first touch in the 73rd minute of a league game against Go Ahead Eagles – one minute after coming on as a substitute for Bryan Smeets, as the game ended in a 3–3 draw.[4]
Braken played five seasons for MVV, in which he made 95 appearances and scored 17 goals.[2]
Almere City
On 16 June 2015, Braken joined Almere City after failing to reach an agreement over a contract extension with MVV.[5] He made his debut for the club, also making his first start, on 7 August in a 3–3 home draw against VVV-Venlo in the Eerste Divisie.[6] On 21 September, his second game for City, he scored his first goals for the club, a brace in a 2–2 away draw against Telstar.[7] Braken sustained a knee injury in a league game against Go Ahead Eagles on 23 October, ruling him out for the remainder of the 2015–16 season.[8]
Braken's time with Almere City was marked by injuries,[9] and he only made sixteen appearances during his two years with the club. He proved himself productive in limited time on the pitch, scoring eleven goals.[2]
NEC
On 16 August 2017, Braken signed a four-year contract with NEC, who had recently been relegated from the Eredivisie.[10] There, he was seen as a replacement for outgoing strikers Taiwo Awoniyi, Kévin Mayi and Jay-Roy Grot.[11] He made his debut for the club on 25 August, immediately scoring his first goal in the 11th minute of play in a 1–1 away draw against Go Ahead Eagles. In the following match he scored a brace, bringing his tally to three goals in two appearances.[12]
Loan to Emmen
Braken joined Eredivisie club Emmen on a six-month loan deal on 23 January 2019.[13][14] Emmen were struggling in the bottom half of the league table and needed a goalscorer, which they found in Braken who was season top goalscorer for NEC with nine goals in 19 appearances.[14] He made his debut for the club on 26 January, replacing Jafar Arias in the 81st minute of a 3–2 away victory against VVV-Venlo.[15] He made his first start for the club on 10 February, also scoring his first goal for Emmen in a 3–2 home win over ADO Den Haag.[16]
Return to NEC
After managing survival in the Eredivisie with Emmen, Braken returned to NEC for the 2019–20 season.[17] He made three more appearances for the club, scoring once, amidst rumours of a transfer to Querétaro,[17] which eventually fell through in July 2019.[18]
Livorno
On 2 September 2019, Braken signed with Italian Serie B club Livorno.[19] He made his debut for the club, starting in a 2–0 away loss to Ascoli in Serie B on 14 September.[20] On 18 January 2020, Braken scored his first goal for Livorno in a 4–4 home draw against Virtus Entella after an assist by Murilo.[21] Livorno would finish bottom of Serie B, which meant relegation to Serie C.[22]
Braken continued playing for the club in its season in Serie C, contributing with 24 appearances in which he scored six goals.[2] Despite his efforts, Livorno suffered its second successive relegation amid financial irregularities.[23] He made a total of 50 appearances for the club, scoring seven goals, as his contract with the club expired after the 2020–21 season.[2]
VVV-Venlo
On 26 June 2021, Braken returned to the Netherlands where signed a two-year contract with recently relegated Eerste Divisie club VVV-Venlo.[24] He scored his first career hat-trick on 15 April 2022, helping his side to a 3–2 league win over Telstar.[25] With eleven goals in 27 appearances, Braken finished his first season with VVV as club top goalscorer, his most notable a bicycle kick against former club MVV on 4 February 2022.[26] His goal was later awarded Goal of the Season by the Eerste Divisie.[27]
Ahead of the 2022–23 season, Braken was appointed team captain of VVV by new head coach Rick Kruys.[28]
Deinze
On 29 April 2023, it was announced that Braken had signed a two-year contract with Belgian second division club Deinze, effective as of June 2023.[29] The deal included an option to extend by a further year.[30]
Return to MVV
On 25 July 2024, Braken returned to MVV and signed a two-year contract.[31] He made his return debut for De Sterrendragers on 9 August, starting in a 1–0 home loss to Cambuur on the opening matchday.[32]
