Mees Bakker Explained

Mees Bakker
Birth Date:11 March 2001
Birth Place:Heiloo, Netherlands
Height:1.90 m[1]
Position:Goalkeeper
Currentclub:Den Bosch
Clubnumber:TBD
Youthyears1:–2011
Youthclubs1:HSV Heiloo
Youthyears2:2011–2019
Youthclubs2:AZ
Years1:2018–2023
Clubs1:Jong AZ
Caps1:13
Goals1:0
Years2:2020–2023
Clubs2:AZ
Caps2:0
Goals2:0
Years3:2022–2023
Clubs3:De Graafschap (loan)
Caps3:1
Goals3:0
Years4:2023–2024
Clubs4:De Graafschap
Caps4:17
Goals4:0
Years5:2024–
Clubs5:Den Bosch
Caps5:0
Goals5:0
Nationalyears1:2016
Nationalteam1:Netherlands U15
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2016–2017
Nationalcaps2:6
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2017–2018
Nationalcaps3:4
Nationalgoals3:0
Nationalyears4:2018
Nationalcaps4:3
Nationalgoals4:0
Nationalyears5:2019
Nationalcaps5:5
Nationalgoals5:0
Club-Update:18:22, 11 February 2024 (UTC)

Mees Bakker (born 11 March 2001) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for club Den Bosch.

Club career

AZ

Bakker started his youth career at hometown club HSV Heiloo before joining the academy of AZ.[2] He made his professional debut for reserve team Jong AZ on the first matchday of the 2018–19 Eerste Divisie. At home against Almere City, he was named in the starting lineup by coach Michel Vonk and played the full game. However, he conceded three goals within the first thirty minutes in an eventual 3–2 loss.[3] [4]

Prior to the 2020–21 season, Bakker was included in the first team as the new third-choice goalkeeper. Additionally, he continued to play for the reserves.[5]

De Graafschap

On 7 July 2022, Bakker joined De Graafschap on a season-long loan with an option to buy.[6] [7] He made his debut for the club on 19 May 2023 in a 3–0 victory against Den Bosch.[8]

De Graafschap made the transfer permanent on 1 June 2023, and Bakker signed a one-year contract, with an option for a second year.[9] He began the 2023–24 season as the starting goalkeeper, assuming the position after Hidde Jurjus departed for Groningen.[10] However, he ceded the starting spot to Thijs Jansen in December 2023 after a string of poor performances.[11]

Den Bosch

On 6 June 2024, Eerste Divisie club Den Bosch announced Bakker as the club's new signing, with him penning a three-year deal. Upon signing, Den Bosch's technical director Bernard Schuiteman expressed his delight with Bakker's transfer to the club: "Mees [Bakker] has proven to be an excellent goalkeeper during his time at De Graafschap. He has the (modern) profile we were looking for in a goalkeeper, and at 23 years old, he still has plenty of room to develop."[12]

International career

He made one group-stage appearance with the Netherlands national under-17 football team at the 2018 UEFA European Under-17 Championship and was the backup in the other games, as Netherlands won the tournament.[13]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueKNVB CupEuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Jong AZ2018–19Eerste Divisie1010
2019–20Eerste Divisie2020
2020–21Eerste Divisie100100
2021–22Eerste Divisie0000
Total130130
AZ2019–20Eredivisie00000000
2020–21Eredivisie00000000
2021–22Eredivisie00000000
2022–23Eredivisie00000000
Total00000000
De Graafschap (loan)2022–23Eerste Divisie10200030
De Graafschap2023–24Eerste Divisie1700000170
Total1802000200
Den Bosch2024–25Eerste Divisie000000
Career total310200000330

Honours

Netherlands U17

Notes and References

  1. Web site: M. Bakker: Profiel . Voetbal International . 11 February 2024.
  2. News: Doelman Mees Bakker uit Heiloo verhuurd aan De Graafschap . 11 February 2024 . BeatFM . 8 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220709230337/https://beatfm.nl/nieuws/artikel/doelman-mees-bakker-uit-heiloo-verhuurd-aan-de-graafschap . 9 July 2022 . nl.
  3. Web site: AZ II vs. Almere City 2–3: Summary . Soccerway . 11 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210630152117/https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2018/08/20/netherlands/eerste-divisie/jong-az/fc-omniworld/2794380/ . 30 June 2021.
  4. News: Almere City heeft aan bliksemstart genoeg bij Jong AZ . 11 February 2024 . Algemeen Dagblad . 20 August 2018 . nl.
  5. News: Mees Bakker nieuwe derde doelman bij AZ: "Vroeger altijd al fan geweest" . 11 February 2024 . NH Nieuws . 19 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240211181238/https://www.nhnieuws.nl/nieuws/270306/mees-bakker-nieuwe-derde-doelman-bij-az-vroeger-altijd-al-fan-geweest . 11 February 2024 . nl.
  6. Web site: De Graafschap trekt doelman Mees Bakker aan . De Graafschap . 12 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220707170435/https://www.degraafschap.nl/nieuws/de-graafschap-trekt-doelman-mees-bakker-aan . 7 July 2022 . nl . 7 June 2022 . live.
  7. News: Brinkman . Theo . Keeper Mees Bakker wordt door AZ verhuurd aan De Graafschap . 11 February 2024 . Noordhollands Dagblad . 7 July 2022 . nl.
  8. Web site: De Graafschap sluit seizoen op waardige manier af met 3-0 winst op FC Den Bosch . De Graafschap . 11 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230607015920/https://www.degraafschap.nl/nieuws/de-graafschap-x-fc-den-bosch . 7 June 2023 . nl . 20 May 2023 . live.
  9. Web site: De Graafschap. De Graafschap legt doelman Mees Bakker vast. 1 June 2023. nl.
  10. News: Made . Richard van der . Keeper Mees Bakker wil 'laten zien wie De Graafschap is' . 11 February 2024 . Omroep Gelderland . 28 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230829094040/https://www.gld.nl/sport/7999415/keeper-mees-bakker-wil-laten-zien-wie-de-graafschap-is . 29 August 2023 . nl.
  11. News: Willemsen . Raymond . Met Thijs Jansen staat 'Mr. clean sheet' in doel bij De Graafschap: 'Het was de laatste tijd iets minder bij Mees Bakker' . 11 February 2024 . Algemeen Dagblad . 16 December 2023 . nl.
  12. Web site: Doelman Mees Bakker naar FC Den Bosch . FC Den Bosch . 9 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240609021859/https://www.fcdenbosch.nl/doelman-mees-bakker-naar-fc-den-bosch/ . 9 June 2024 . nl-NL . 6 June 2024.
  13. Web site: UEFA. Netherlands U17 v Serbia U17 game report. 11 May 2018.
  14. Web site: Saffer . Paul . Netherlands win #U17EURO: at a glance . UEFA.com . 20 May 2018.