Mees Rijks
{{short description|Dutch footballer (born 2003)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Mees Rijks
| image =
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|3|8|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Amstelveen, Netherlands
| height = 1.88 m
| position = Striker
| currentclub = Vålerenga
| clubnumber = 9
| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2014 | youthclubs1 = Abcoude
| youthyears2 = 2014–2015 | youthclubs2 = AFC
| youthyears3 = 2015–2021 | youthclubs3 = FC Utrecht
| years1 = 2021–2024 | caps1 = 92 | goals1 = 20 | clubs1 = Jong FC Utrecht
| years2 = 2022 | caps2 = 1 | goals2 = 0 | clubs2 = FC Utrecht
| years3 = 2024– | caps3 = 27 | goals3 = 13 | clubs3 = Vålerenga
| nationalyears1 = 2019 | nationalteam1 = Netherlands U17 | nationalcaps1 = 2 | nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2021–2022 | nationalteam2 = Netherlands U19 | nationalcaps2 = 7 | nationalgoals2 = 1
| club-update = 14 November 2024
| ntupdate = 7 June 2022
}}
Mees Rijks (born 8 March 2003) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a striker for Norwegian club Vålerenga of the Eliteserien.{{cite web|website=Soccerway|title=Mees Rijks|url= https://int.soccerway.com/players/mees-rijks/686640/ |accessdate=29 April 2025}}
Club career
He played as a youngster for FC Abcoude and Amsterdamsche FC prior to joining the youth academy at FC Utrecht. After four feats progressing through their youth ranks, Rijks signed his first professional contract in June 2019 at the age of 16 years-old, agreeing to a two-year deal, with the option for an additional season.{{cite web|title= Rijks signs first professional contract|date=
June 5, 2019|accessdate=29 April 2025|url= https://www.fcutrecht.nl/nieuws/2019/juni/spits-rijks-tekent-eerste-profcontract|website=fcutrecht.nl}}
Rijks made his debut in the Eerste Divisie for Jong FC Utrecht in the 2020–21 season as a second-half substitute in an 1-0 defeat against MVV Maastricht on 5 March 2021. {{cite web|website=Soccerway|accessdate=29 April 2025|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2021/03/05/netherlands/eerste-divisie/jong-utrecht/stichting-mvv/3305074/|title= UTRECHT II VS. MVV 0 - 1|date=5 March 2021}} Rijks scored his first goal in the Eerste Divisie against FC Eindhoven on the 12 May 2021, getting the first for his side in a 2-2 away draw.{{cite web | url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2021/05/12/netherlands/eerste-divisie/fc-eindhoven/jong-utrecht/3305177/ | title=Eindhoven vs. Utrecht II|date=12 May 2021|website=Soccerway|accessdate=29 April 2025 }} After finding the net again at the start of the 2021-22 season, Rijks signed a new professional contract with Utrecht at the age of 18 years-old in September 2021, extending his contract until 2023.{{cite web|url=https://www.rtvutrecht.nl/sport/3156026/talentvolle-spits-mees-rijks-nu-tot-2023-bij-fc-utrecht | title=talentvolle spits Mees Rijks nu tot 2023 bilj fc Utrecht|website=rtvutrecht.nl|date=10 September 2021|accessdate=29 April 2025}}
On 13 March 2022, Rijks made his Eredivisie debut for the Senior FC Utrecht side, appearing as an 82nd minute substitute in a 1-0 home defeat against PSV Eindhoven.{{cite web | url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2022/03/13/netherlands/eredivisie/stichting-fc-utrecht/psv-nv/3512685/ | title=Utrecht vs. PSV |date=13 March 2022|website=Soccerway|accessdate=29 April 2025 }}
On 12 February 2024, Rijks signed a three-year contract with Vålerenga in Norway.{{cite web|publisher=Vålerenga|url=https://www.vif-fotball.no/nyheter/mees-rijks-er-kongebla|title=MEES RIJKS ER KONGEBLÅ!|trans-title=MEES RIJKS IS ROYAL BLUE!|date=12 February 2024|access-date=12 February 2024|language=no}} He scored his first league goal for the club in April 2024 against Stabaek in a 3–1 defeat for his side.{{cite web|url= https://www.vartoslo.no/bydel-gamle-oslo-daniel-hakans-elias-hagen/forsvarskollaps-ga-valerenga-en-skikkelig-pa-trynet-jaevlig-trist-for-fansen/560103 |title= Defensive collapse gave Vålerenga a real slap in the face: – Damn sad for the fans! |website=Vartoslo.no|date=14 April 2024|accessdate=29 April 2025}} Following their promotion to the Eliteserien, he made his debut in that division for Vālarenga in a 3-1 win over Viking FK on 30 March 2025. {{cite web|website=Soccerway|accessdate=29 April 2025|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2025/03/30/norway/eliteserien/valerengen-idrettsforeningen/viking-fotballklubb/4581318/|title= VALERENGA VS. VIKING 3 - 1 |date=30 March 2025}}
International career
Rijks played for Netherlands U19 in the 2022 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification matches.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtvutrecht.nl/sport/3222034/rijks-fc-utrecht-beleeft-met-oranje-onder-19-bizar-kwalificatieduel|title=rijks fc utrecht beleeft met oranje onder-19 bizar kwalificatieduel|website=rtvutrecht.nl|accessdate=29 April 2025}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Vålerenga Fotball squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rijks, Mees}}
Category:Dutch men's footballers
Category:Netherlands men's youth international footballers
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Jong FC Utrecht players
Category:Vålerenga Fotball players
Category:Eerste Divisie players
Category:Norwegian First Division players
Category:Dutch expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Norway