Tika de Jonge

Tika de Jonge's route to professional football ran through the province of Zeeland rather than one of the traditional Dutch academy hubs. Born in Zierikzee, he started out at local clubs VV MEVO and VV Zierikzee before Feyenoord picked him up at the age of eight. The move did not last: after three seasons he left Rotterdam behind, worn down by the long commute from Zeeland, and returned closer to home for a season with JOVZ in Vlissingen.

NAC Breda gave him a more settled base, taking him into their youth setup at 12 and keeping him for five years. In the summer of 2020 he moved on a free transfer to FC Groningen's academy, where he worked his way up through the ranks and made his senior debut in October 2023.

His first season in Groningen's first team came in the Eerste Divisie, where he made around ten appearances as the club finished second and won promotion to the Eredivisie. He kept his place in the top flight the following season, making 21 league appearances and contributing a goal and an assist in 2024/25.

Groningen have backed him with fresh terms twice in quick succession: a contract extension to the middle of 2026 signed in July 2024, followed by a further extension in April 2025 that ties him to the club until mid-2028, with an option for an additional year.