Bjorn van Zyl

Bjorn van Zijl was still playing amateur football for SC Leeuwen when, in the final match of the 2023–24 season, he scored five goals to secure the Vijfde Klasse title for the club. Within weeks he had joined VVV Venlo, initially for the under-21 side. The step up took time to arrive: he made his senior debut only in February 2025, marking it with his first professional goal against Volendam on 22 February. That season brought 13 league appearances and two goals, enough for VVV Venlo to hand him his first professional contract, signed in June 2025 and running to the middle of 2027.

The following campaign showed how quickly he had grown into the role. Across the 2025–26 Eerste Divisie season he made 30 league appearances, scored nine goals and added four assists, finishing as the club's top scorer in the league. That form led to a move to De Graafschap on 2 July 2026, on a three-year contract with an option for a fourth, for a fee reported at around €500,000. He swapped VVV Venlo's number 18 for the number 7 shirt at his new club. Early into the new spell, he had made five league appearances for De Graafschap and scored once.

Van Zijl plays as a striker or on the right wing. He was born in Roermond.