# Tijjani Reijnders

Tijjani Martinus Jan Reijnders (Dutch pronunciation:; born 29 July 1998) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club AC Milan and the Netherlands national team.
After representing various Dutch junior teams, Reijnders began his career with his hometown club, PEC Zwolle, before moving to fellow Dutch club AZ Alkmaar in the 2017−18 season. He was then loaned to RKC Waalwijk until the conclusion of the 2019−20 campaign. After returning to AZ from his loan, Reijnders was named to the Eredivisie Team of the Month in September 2022 and April 2023, before signing for AC Milan in the summer of 2023.
Reijnders is a Dutch international, having progressed from the under-20 level onwards. He made his senior international debut for the country in September 2023.

## Club career
### Early career

Reijnders' role in the football scene started at a young age, where he started his career with the FC Twente youth team. He played at FC Twente until the U-17 team before being released to CSV '28 and playing for one year from 2015 to 2016.
In 2016, Reijnders joined his homeland team PEC Zwolle U-19 where he then moved up the level and appeared in the Eredivisie club's first team. Even at PEC Zwolle, Reijnders only played one year.

### AZ Alkmaar

In 2017, development of his career accelerated rapidly. From working at a local Aldi supermarket and training in Zwolle, he crossed over to AZ's Under-21 team and moved up to the first professional team in 2018.
In 2020, he was loaned to RKC Waalwijk for six months, from January to June. Afterwards, Reijnders returned to AZ and became part of the first team, in which he managed to play in the 2022–23 Europa Conference League semi-finals.

### AC Milan

On 19 July 2023, Reijnders joined Serie A club AC Milan, signing a five-year contract until June 2028. On 21 August, he made his first competitive start for Rossoneri in a Serie A match against Bologna. On 11 November, in a Serie A match against Lecce at Stadio Via del mare, Reijnders scored his debut goal for Milan. On 3 March 2025 AC Milan announced that Tijjani Reijnders had signed a contract extension, committing to the club until 30 June 2030.

## International career

As a result of his family background, Reijnders was eligible to play for both Indonesia and the Netherlands national teams but ultimately chose to represent the latter.
In June 2023, Reijnders received his first official call-up to the Netherlands national team for the 2023 UEFA Nations League Finals.
On 7 September 2023, Reijnders made his Netherlands debut as a substitute in a 3–0 win over Greece in a UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier. On 13 October, he made his first start as the Netherlands were defeated 2–1 by France in the same competition.
Reijnders scored his first senior international goal in a 4–0 win over Scotland at the Johan Cruyff Arena on 22 March 2024.
On 29 May 2024, Reijnders was named in the Netherlands' squad for UEFA Euro 2024.

## Style of play

Reijnders is a mobile central midfielder with the penchant for going forward into the final third and the opposition's penalty area, to either make attempts at scoring or to press opponents.
Upon his transfer to Milan, he was immediately integrated into the team's starting XI by manager Stefano Pioli as a left-sided central midfielder, known as mezzala in Italy, in a 4–3–3 formation. He also played as part of the double pivot in a 4–2–3–1 formation, again primarily on the left despite being right-footed.
According to Reijnders, tactical reasons played a somewhat significant role in him choosing AC Milan over FC Barcelona as his proposed playing position in the latter team would have limited his movement.

## Personal life

Reijnders is the son of the former footballer Martin Reijnders and the brother of Eliano Reijnders, a professional footballer playing for PEC Zwolle. Reijnders is of Indonesian descent through his mother.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 15 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | Europe | Europe | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| PEC Zwolle | 2017–18 | Eredivisie | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jong AZ | 2017–18 | Eerste Divisie | 32 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 32 | 6 |
| Jong AZ | 2018–19 | Eerste Divisie | 36 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 36 | 8 |
| Jong AZ | 2019–20 | Eerste Divisie | 16 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | 3 |
| Jong AZ | 2020–21 | Eerste Divisie | 8 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 2 |
| Jong AZ | Total | Total | 92 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 92 | 19 |
| AZ | 2017–18 | Eredivisie | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| AZ | 2018–19 | Eredivisie | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| AZ | 2019–20 | Eredivisie | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 |
| AZ | 2020–21 | Eredivisie | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 22 | 0 |
| AZ | 2021–22 | Eredivisie | 36 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | — | 47 | 6 |
| AZ | 2022–23 | Eredivisie | 34 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 4 | — | — | 54 | 7 |
| AZ | Total | Total | 96 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 25 | 4 | — | — | 128 | 13 |
| RKC Waalwijk (loan) | 2019–20 | Eredivisie | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 0 |
| AC Milan | 2023–24 | Serie A | 36 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 1 | — | — | 50 | 4 |
| AC Milan | 2024–25 | Serie A | 28 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 42 | 13 |
| AC Milan | Total | Total | 64 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 22 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 92 | 17 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 262 | 40 | 11 | 1 | 47 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 321 | 49 |
* ↑ Includes KNVB Cup, Coppa Italia
* 1 2 Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
* ↑ Six appearances in UEFA Champions League, six appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
* ↑ Appearances in Supercoppa Italiana

### International

    As of match played 16 November 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Netherlands | 2023 | 6 | 0 |
| Netherlands | 2024 | 14 | 3 |
| Total | Total | 20 | 3 |
Scores and results list Netherlands' goal tally first
International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition :
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 22 March 2024 | Johan Cruyff Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands | 7 | Scotland | 1–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 7 September 2024 | Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands | 16 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2–1 | 5–2 | 2024–25 UEFA Nations League A |
| 3 | 10 September 2024 | Johan Cruyff Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands | 17 | Germany | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2024–25 UEFA Nations League A |

## Honours

AC Milan
* Supercoppa Italiana: 2024–25