Thomas Ouwejan

Thomas Ouwejan
Ouwejan with Netherlands U21 in 2017
Personal information
Full name Thomas Ouwejan
Date of birth (1996-09-30) 30 September 1996
Place of birth Alkmaar, Netherlands
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position Left-back
Team information
Current team
 NEC
Number 5
Youth career
2000–2007 De Foresters
2007–2015 AZ
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2022 AZ 81 (2)
2016–2017 Jong AZ 8 (0)
2020–2021 → Udinese (loan) 15 (0)
2021–2022 → Schalke 04 (loan) 28 (3)
2022–2024 Schalke 04 45 (2)
2024– NEC 35 (3)
International career
2012–2013 Netherlands U17 5 (0)
2015 Netherlands U19 3 (0)
2015–2016 Netherlands U20 8 (0)
2016–2018 Netherlands U21 12 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 21 May 2026

Thomas Ouwejan (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈtoːmɑs ˈʌuəjɑn]; born 30 September 1996) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Eredivisie club NEC.

Career

AZ

Ouwejan joined the AZ youth academy from childhood club De Foresters in 2007. On 10 December 2015, he made his first appearance for the club, starting in a UEFA Europa League match against Athletic Bilbao. He was replaced in the 75th minute for Pantelis Hatzidiakos, another debuting player. Three days later, Ouwejan also made his Eredivisie debut in a game against PEC Zwolle. That season, he also came to 16 appearances and two goals for the reserve team, Jong AZ. In addition, he appeared once in the KNVB Cup and three times in the Eredivisie; with AZ finishing fourth and qualifying for the UEFA Europa League qualifying round.[1]

The following season, he played once for the reserve team and 16 times for the first team in all competitions.[1] In the following play-off games for participation in the Europa League preliminary round, AZ reached the final, but eventually lost to FC Utrecht on penalties.[2]

In the 2017–18 season, Ouwejan became a regular starter and appeared in six matches in the KNVB Cup and 31 matches in the Eredivisie.[1] AZ reached the final of the cup that year, in which they lost to Feyenoord.[3] In the Eredivisie, AZ took third place. He continued as a starter during the 2018–19 season, scoring two goals in 31 league appearances and one goal – his first in European tournaments – in the third qualifying round of the Europa League against Ukrainian side Mariupol.[4][1]

At the start of the 2019–20 season, new head coach Arne Slot preferred the newly emerged youngster Owen Wijndal at left back, which meant that Ouwejan mostly appeared as a midfielder, and found himself increasingly out of the starting lineup.[5] He finished the season with 10 appearances in the Eredivisie and six in the Europa League.[1]

Loan to Udinese

Ouwejan joined Italian club Udinese on a season-loan from AZ for the 2020–21 season, with an option to buy.[6][7]He made his Serie A debut on 27 September 2020, in a 1–0 loss to Verona.[8]

Schalke 04

On 1 June 2021, Ouwejan agreed to join Schalke 04 on loan for the 2021–22 season with an option to make the move permanent.[9] On 12 May 2022, Schalke exercised this option.[10]

NEC

On 14 August 2024, Ouwejan signed a three-year contract with Eredivisie club NEC.[11]

International career

Ouwejan gained five caps for the Netherlands under-17 team and took part with the under-19 team in the 2015 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. He was used in all three of the Netherlands' games in the tournament, which was eliminated after the group stage.[12] He then gained eight caps for at under-20 level,[13] and made his debut for the Netherlands U21 team in a friendly against Portugal on 15 November 2016 in Doetinchem.[14]

Career statistics

As of 9 November 2025[15]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Europe Other[a] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
AZ 2015–16 Eredivisie 301010—50
2016–17| Eredivisie 60301020120
2017–18 Eredivisie 31060——370
2018–19 Eredivisie 3124020—372
2019–20 Eredivisie 1003061—191
Total 812170101201103
Udinese (loan) 2020–21 Serie A 15000——150
Schalke 04 (loan) 2021–22 2. Bundesliga 28320——303
Schalke 04 2022–23 Bundesliga 17020——190
2023–24 2. Bundesliga 28200——282
Total 73540——775
NEC 2024–25 Eredivisie 29210—1[b]0312
2025–26 Eredivisie 6130——91
Total 35340—10403
Career total 204102501013024211
  1. ↑ Includes Eredivisie playoffs
  2. ↑ Apearances in European play-offs

Honours

Schalke 04

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "T. Ouwejan - Profile". int.soccerway.com. Perform Group. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  2. ↑ "FC Utrecht na stunt tegen AZ in Europa League" (in Dutch). KNVB. 28 May 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  3. ↑ "Feyenoord wint KNVB-beker mede dankzij prachtgoal Van Persie". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 22 April 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  4. ↑ "AZ Alkmaar-Mariupol". UEFA. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  5. ↑ "Ouwejan baalt: 'Vorig jaar was ik nog de beste speler'". RTL Nieuws (in Dutch). 25 January 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  6. ↑ "Thomas Ouwejan è bianconero!". Udinese Calcio (in Italian). 3 September 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  7. ↑ "Ouwejan op huurbasis naar Udinese". AZ Alkmaar (in Dutch). 3 September 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  8. ↑ "Hellas Verona - Udinese 1-0". Udinese Calcio (in Italian). 27 September 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020. Al 67' ci prova anche il neo entrato Ouwejan con una potente conclusione dal limite, Silvestri si distende e devia in corner.
  9. ↑ "Defender Thomas Ouwejan joins Schalke". FC Schalke 04. 1 June 2021.
  10. ↑ "Thomas Ouwejan is staying at Schalke!". FC Schalke 04. 12 May 2022.
  11. ↑ "N.E.C. haalt Thomas Ouwejan terug naar de Eredivisie". N.E.C. (in Dutch). 14 August 2024.
  12. ↑ "Thomas Ouwejan - Jeugd mannen onder 17". onsoranje.nl (in Dutch). KNVB. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  13. ↑ "Thomas Ouwejan - Jeugd mannen onder 19". onsoranje.nl (in Dutch). KNVB. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  14. ↑ "Thomas Ouwejan - Jeugd mannen beloftenelftal". onsoranje.nl (in Dutch). KNVB. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  15. ↑ "Thomas Ouwejan - Club matches". worldfootball.net.
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