Yaël Liesdek
Dutch footballer (born 2001)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Yaël Liesdek (born 21 October 2001) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Eerste Divisie club MVV Maastricht.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 21 October 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Amsterdam, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position | Right-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | MVV Maastricht | ||
| Number | 25 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| GeuzenMiddenmeer | |||
| UVV Utrecht | |||
| Zeeburgia | |||
| –2016 | Alphense Boys | ||
| 2016–2018 | Roda JC | ||
| 2018–2019 | Hollandia | ||
| 2019–2020 | De Volewijckers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2024 | Telstar | 56 | (2) |
| 2024–2025 | AB | 12 | (0) |
| 2026– | MVV Maastricht | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 3 October 2026 | |||
Career
Early years
Liesdek played youth football for GeuzenMiddenmeer, UVV Utrecht, Zeeburgia, Alphense Boys, Roda JC, Hollandia, and De Volewijckers.[1][2][3]
Telstar
In 2020, he joined Telstar after being scouted by head coach Andries Jonker, who had noticed Liesdek at his former club De Volewijckers.[4] On 30 August 2020, Liesdek made his professional debut during a home match against Volendam, which ended in a 2–2 draw.[5] Coming on as a substitute for Glynor Plet in the 85th minute, he stepped onto the field for the first time in his paid football career.[6] In the subsequent game, an away fixture against Eindhoven, he earned his first starting position and provided an assist to Shayne Pattynama's equalizer as Telstar went on to win 3–2.[7][8] He scored his first professional goal on 22 September in a league game against Excelsior, deciding the game by placing the ball into the bottom corner beyond the reach of the opposing goalkeeper, Alessandro Damen, in the 95th minute.[9][10] In December 2020, he signed a contract extension with Telstar until 2023.[1] In the second half of the season, Liesdek suffered successive injuries which limited his playing time.[11] He ended his first season in professional football with one goal in 21 appearances.[12]
After playing regularly for the first half of the 2021–22 season, Liesdek was subbed off in the 76th minute of a 2–1 loss to Volendam on 9 January 2022 with an achilles tendon injury which sidelined him for the rest of the season.[13] In October 2022, he dislocated his shoulder which kept him out for two months.[14] His return was short-lived, as he tore his achilles tendon in a 3–1 defeat to ADO Den Haag on 31 March 2023, effectively ending his season.[15][16]
Akademisk Boldklub
On 25 July 2024, Danish 2nd Division club Akademisk Boldklub (AB), confirmed that Liesdek had joined the club.[17] He made his debut for the club on 3 August, replacing an injured Hørður Askham shortly after half-time in a 1–1 home draw against Næstved.[18] He left the club in June 2025, after his contract was terminated by mutual agreement.[19]
MVV Maastricht
After not playing for over a year, on 25 September 2026 Liesdek signed with MVV Maastricht until the end of the season, to help the injury-depleted squad.[20]
Personal life
Liesdek is the youngest son of former footballer Marcel Liesdek who captained the Colourful 11, an exhibition team of Surinamese players playing professionally in the Netherlands.[2][4] Fifteen members of the Colourful 11 tragically lost their lives in 1989 as a result of the Surinam Airways Flight 764 disaster.[21] As Marcel Liesdek was in contract negotiations with his former club Fortuna Sittard at the time, he was not on the plane.[2]
Career statistics
- As of match played 26 April 2025[12]
| Club | Season | League | KNVB Cup | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Telstar | 2020–21 | Eerste Divisie | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 21 | 1 | |
| 2021–22 | Eerste Divisie | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 22 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23 | Eerste Divisie | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 14 | 1 | ||
| 2023–24 | Eerste Divisie | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| Total | 56 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 2 | ||
| AB | 2024–25 | Danish 2nd Division | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | |
| Career total | 69 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 73 | 2 | ||
