_(cropped).jpg) Struijk in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Pascal Augustus Struijk[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1999-08-11)11 August 1999 (age 26)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Deurne, Belgium | ||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[3] | ||
| Position | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Leeds United | ||
| Number | 5 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2006–2016 | ADO Den Haag | ||
| 2016–2018 | Ajax | ||
| 2018 | Leeds United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018– | Leeds United | 157 | (12) |
| International career | |||
| 2016 | Netherlands U17 | 3 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23:30, 9 November 2025 (UTC) | |||
Pascal Augustus Struijk (born 11 August 1999) is a professionalfootballer who plays as acentre-back forPremier League clubLeeds United.
Struijk started his youth career atADO Den Haag at the age of seven before moving toAjax in 2016.[4][5] In his age group, he would compete with fellow left-sided centre-back and future internationalSven Botman and struggled to make an impression, even being tried as a striker in some youth games.[6] With his contract due to expire in the summer of 2018, Struijk joinedLeeds United on trial in January of the same year before signing permanently later that month on a three-and-a-half-year deal.[6]
His first involvement with the first team came on 13 March 2018, when he was named on the bench againstAston Villa in a 1–0 defeat.[7] Struijk was a regular for theLeeds United under-23 side over the course the 2018–19 season,[8] and he featured in the team that won theProfessional Development League on 6 May 2019, beatingBirmingham City on penalties having drawn the final 0–0.[9] He was named on the bench byMarcelo Bielsa for both legs of the Championship play-off semi-final againstDerby County, but did not come off the bench for either; Leeds lost 4–3 on aggregate over the two legs.[10]
On 10 December 2019, Struijk made his debut for Leeds United, coming on as a 91st-minute substitute forHélder Costa in a 2–0 victory at home toHull City.[11] His second appearance came in the following match as a late substitute in a 3–3 draw at home toCardiff City, with Struijk failing to clear the ball in the build-up toRobert Glatzel's late equaliser.[12][13] He made his third appearance for the club as a 61st-minute substitute in a 1–0 win againstBarnsley on 17 July 2020, with him being praised for his performance as adefensive midfielder.[14] He made his full debut on 19 July 2020, starting in the team that beat Derby County 3–1 in the penultimate game of the season.[15] Another appearance againstCharlton Athletic followed in the final game of the season as Leeds finished the2019–20 season at the top of the Championship, and were thus promoted to thePremier League.[16][17]
Due to an injury to fellow Leeds United centre-backLiam Cooper, Struijk started Leeds' first league game of the2020–21 season; a 4–3 away defeat to Premier League championsLiverpool.[18][19] He signed a new three-and-a-half-year deal on 20 November 2020, lasting until summer 2024.[20] He scored the first goal of his senior career on 14 February 2021 in a 4–2 defeat away toArsenal,[21][22] netting a header from aRaphinha corner in the 58th-minute.[22] He scored once in 27 league appearances in his debut Premier League campaign.[21]
On 12 September 2021, Struijk came on in the 33rd minute for the injuredDiego Llorente, in a 3–0 home loss toLiverpool. In the 58th minute, Struijk fouledHarvey Elliott, which dislocated Elliott's ankle. Struijk was then sent off in the 60th minute for the tackle.[23] With Leeds in the Premier League relegation places with two matches of the Premier League season remaining, Struijk headed in a 92nd equaliser to draw 1–1 withBrighton & Hove Albion in their penultimate match,[24][25] before a 2–1 final day victory overBrentford, in which Struijk appeared as a substitute, ensured Leeds' Premier League survival as they finished 17th.[26] Struijk made 29 Premier League appearances over the course of the season.[27]
Struijk started the2022–23 season playing atleft-back due to an injury toJunior Firpo.[28][29] He scored his first goal of the season in the club's 2–1 loss toCrystal Palace on 9 October 2022.[30] On 21 December 2022, it was announced that Struijk had extended his contract until the summer of 2027.[31] "It's an amazing club. It was really easy for me to extend because I am really happy here," the BBC cited Struijk as saying.[32] On 17 February 2025, he netted his first brace for theWhites in a 2–1 victory overSunderland, two headed goals after being introduced as a 71st minute substitute, sending Leeds back to the top of the Championship.[33]
Struijk's2024-25 campaign ended on 11 April 2025 after suffering a season-ending foot injury in a 1-1 draw againstLuton Town atKenilworth Road.[34] He was promoted back to thePremier League with Leeds following a 6-0 win overStoke City atElland Road[35] andSheffield United's 2-1 loss toBurnley atTurf Moor.[36] Leeds United won the2024-25 EFL Championship title following a 2-1 win overPlymouth Argyle atHome Park on 3 May 2025.[37]
Struijk was capped three times by theNetherlands under-17 team in 2016.[4] In September 2022, he was named in a provisional Netherlands squad for international fixtures later that month,[38] before being named in a 39-man provisional Dutch squad for the2022 FIFA World Cup.[39]
Struijk is left-footed.[40] He primarily plays as acentre-back, but can also play as adefensive midfielder,[41] and as aleft-back.[42] Impressive in the air at either end, Struijk has been compared toDutch internationalVirgil van Dijk due to his imposing physical play and ability on the ball.[43]
Struijk was born inDeurne in Belgium, but moved toThe Hague at the age of three.[4] He is of Indonesian descent through his maternal grandfather.[44]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Leeds United | 2019–20[45] | Championship | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 2020–21[21] | Premier League | 27 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 1 | |
| 2021–22[27] | Premier League | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 1 | |
| 2022–23[46] | Premier League | 29 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 2 | |
| 2023–24[47] | Championship | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 25 | 5 | |
| 2024–25[48] | Championship | 35 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 5 | |
| 2025–26 | Premier League | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| Career total | 157 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 168 | 14 | ||
Leeds United
