Wessel Speel
 Speel with Shelbourne in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 17 October 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Gouda, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | ||
| Position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Almere City (on loan from Minnesota United) | ||
| Number | 1 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Olympia | |||
| –2017 | Jodan Boys | ||
| 2017–2020 | FC Utrecht | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2023 | Hofstra Pride | 75 | (0) |
| 2024 | Duke Blue Devils | 19 | (0) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020 | Jong FC Utrecht | 0 | (0) |
| 2022 | Long Island Rough Riders | 13 | (0) |
| 2024 | Salem City FC | ||
| 2025 | Minnesota United 2 | 6 | (0) |
| 2025– | Minnesota United | 3 | (0) |
| 2025 | → Shelbourne (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| 2026 | → Shelbourne (loan) | 21 | (0) |
| 2026– | → Almere City (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 13:17, 20 August 2026 (UTC) | |||
Wessel Speel (born 17 October 2001) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Eerste Divisie club Almere City, on loan from Major League Soccer club Minnesota United.
Early life
Speel was born on 17 October 2001. Born in Gouda, the Netherlands, he is a native of the city.[1] Growing up, he attended Hofstra University in the United States and Duke University in the United States.
Career
Speel started his career with Dutch side Jong FC Utrecht in 2020, where he did not make a league appearance. Following his stint there, he signed for American side Long Island Rough Riders, where he made 18 appearances.[2]
Ahead of the 2025 season, he signed for Major League Soccer side Minnesota United. On 15 June 2025, he made his league debut for the club during a 4–2 home loss to San Diego FC.[3] On 22 July 2025, he was sent on loan to League of Ireland Premier Division side Shelbourne until the end of their 2025 season, following an injury to first choice goalkeeper Conor Kearns.[4][5] On 10 January 2026, it was announced that Speel would be returning to Shelbourne on a season-long loan.[6] On 31 July 2026, it was announced that Speel's loan at Shelbourne had been cut short, with Minnesota United extending his contract until the end of 2027 with the option of a further year in the club's favour, while he was also immediately sent out on loan to Eerste Divisie club Almere City in his homeland until the summer of 2027.[7]
Career statistics
- As of match played on 14 August 2026
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Jong FC Utrecht | 2019–20[8] | Eerste Divisie | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| Long Island Rough Riders | 2022[2] | USL League Two | 13 | 0 | — | — | 5[b] | 0 | 18 | 0 | ||
| Minnesota United 2 | 2025[8] | MLS Next Pro | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 6 | 0 | |||
| Minnesota United | 2025[8] | Major League Soccer | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2026[8] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | ||||
| Shelbourne (loan) | 2025[8] | LOI Premier Division | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11[c] | 0 | — | 22 | 0 | |
| Shelbourne (loan) | 2026[8] | LOI Premier Division | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0[d] | 0 | 0[e] | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Almere City (loan) | 2026–27[8] | Eerste Divisie | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 54 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 72 | 0 | ||
- ↑ Includes U.S. Open Cup & FAI Cup
- ↑ Appearances in the 2022 USL League Two playoffs
- ↑ 1 appearance in the UEFA Champions League; 2 appearances in the UEFA Europa League; 8 appearances in the UEFA Conference League
- ↑ Appearances in the UEFA Conference League
- ↑ Appearances in the Leinster Senior Cup
References
- ↑ "Wessel Speel volgt zijn Amerikaanse droom: "Ik ben een ambitieuze jongen, in het voetbal en daarbuiten"" [Wessel Speel follows his American dream: "I am an ambitious boy, in football and beyond"] (in Dutch). Algemeen Dagblad. 26 July 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
- 1 2 "Long Island Rough Riders | uslleaguetwo.com". www.uslleaguetwo.com.
- ↑ "Wessel Speel (ex-FC Utrecht) debuteert in MLS: 'Doelstelling behaald binnen vijf maanden in plaats van drie jaar'" [Wessel Speel (ex-FC Utrecht) makes his MLS debut: 'Objective achieved within five months instead of three years'] (in Dutch). De Gelderlander. 21 June 2025. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
- ↑ Woods, Caoimhe (22 July 2025). "Wessel Speel is a Red".
- ↑ Fallon, John (22 July 2025). "Shelbourne sign Dutch keeper as cover ahead of Champions League clash with Qarabag". Irish Examiner.
- ↑ Woods, Caoimhe (10 January 2026). "Shelbourne FC can confirm the signing of goalkeeper Wessel Speel on a season long loan".
- ↑ "Minnesota United Extends Goalkeeper Wessel Steel, Loans Him to Almere City FC | Minnesota United FC". MNUFC.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Wessel Speel at Soccerway
External links
- Wessel Speel at Soccerway
- 2001 births
- Living people
- People from Gouda, South Holland
- Dutch men's footballers
- Men's association football goalkeepers
- Major League Soccer players
- MLS Next Pro players
- USL League Two players
- League of Ireland players
- Eerste Divisie players
- Duke Blue Devils men's soccer players
- Hofstra Pride men's soccer players
- Jong FC Utrecht players
- Long Island Rough Riders players
- Minnesota United FC players
- Minnesota United FC 2 players
- Shelbourne F.C. players
- Almere City FC players
- Dutch expatriate men's footballers
- Expatriate men's association footballers in the Republic of Ireland
- Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States
- Dutch expatriate sportspeople in Ireland
- Dutch expatriate sportspeople in the United States
- 21st-century Dutch sportsmen