Sam de Grand

Sam de Grand
Personal information
Date of birth (2004-10-05) 5 October 2004 (age 21)
Place of birth 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position Left-back
Team information
Current team
 AZ
Number 13
Youth career
2009–2013 OH Leuven
2013–2016 Anderlecht
2016–2022 Genk
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2023 Jong Genk 2 (0)
2023–2026 Lommel 73 (3)
2026– AZ 0 (0)
International career‡
2022 Netherlands U18 1 (1)
2025– Netherlands U21 2 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17:43, 20 April 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 30 March 2026

Sam de Grand (born 5 October 2004) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Eredivisie club AZ.

Early life

De Grand was born on 5 October 2004 in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. When he was one month old, his family relocated to Leuven, Belgium, after his father took up a position at Canon, and he grew up there.[2]

Club career

Early years

De Grand began his youth career at OH Leuven, the club local to where he grew up, before joining the academy of Anderlecht.[3] In 2017, at the age of 12, he joined Genk, where he progressed through the youth ranks, represented the club in the UEFA Youth League, and made his professional debut for Jong Genk in the Challenger Pro League in 2022.[2] He described the transition from Genk's reserves to first-team football as having been difficult, with limited opportunities leading him to seek a move.[4]

Lommel

On 31 January 2023, De Grand joined Lommel in the Challenger Pro League.[5][6] Having made only six league appearances in the second half of his debut season, he grew into a regular starter during the 2023–24 season, though a knee injury in April 2024 cut short his campaign.[7] He extended his contract until June 2028 in May 2024, despite reported interest from clubs in the Eredivisie, and by the 2025–26 season had become near ever-present at left back, starting almost every match in Lommel's push for promotion.[2]

AZ

On 26 July 2026, De Grand signed a four-year contract with Eredivisie club AZ.[8][9]

International career

De Grand made his first international appearance for the Netherlands under-18 in 2022, scoring in his only cap at that level.[3]

Having spent virtually his entire life in Belgium, De Grand was approached by the Royal Belgian Football Association about representing Belgium at international level, but declined in favour of the Netherlands.[10][7] He received his first call-up to the Netherlands under-21 squad in October 2025, one of five players making their debut in the squad that month.[11] He made his under-21 debut on 14 October 2025, starting in a 2–0 home victory over Lithuania in UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification. Reflecting on the experience afterwards, he said: "It went pretty well, which is nice. There was little tension—I just wanted to show what I could do."[10] He earned his second cap on 30 March 2026, starting in a 2–1 victory over Belgium.[2]

Style of play

De Grand has described himself as a technical left-back who draws on his background as a midfielder, comparing his style to that of Daley Blind.[2]

Career statistics

As of match played 23 May 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Jong Genk 2022–23 Challenger Pro League 2 0 — — 2 0
Lommel 2022–23 Challenger Pro League 6 0 0 0 — 6 0
2023–24 Challenger Pro League 25 1 1 0 0 0 26 1
2024–25 Challenger Pro League 13 1 0 0 — 13 1
2025–26 Challenger Pro League 29 1 1 0 6[a] 2 36 3
Total 73 3 2 0 6 2 81 5
AZ 2026–27 Eredivisie 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career total 75 3 2 0 6 2 83 5
  1. ^ One appearance in Challenger Pro League promotion play-offs

Honours

AZ

References

  1. ^ "Sam De Grand". worldfootball.net.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Wie is Sam de Grand, de linksback van Jong Oranje met Belgische roots?" [Who is Sam de Grand, the left back of Jong Oranje with Belgian roots?]. VoetbalNieuws.nl (in Dutch). 14 October 2025. Archived from the original on 18 November 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
  3. ^ a b "Wie is Sam De Grand, de Nederlandse linksachter van Lommel met een verleden bij OHL, RSCA en Genk?". Voetbalflitsen.be (in Dutch). 12 September 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
  4. ^ "Van overbodig bij Jong Genk tot basispion bij Lommel SK: kronen De Grand en co zich tot 'best of the rest' in 1B?" [From surplus to requirements at Jong Genk to first choice at Lommel SK]. Het Belang van Limburg (in Dutch). 14 April 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
  5. ^ "Lommel SK werft op laatste transferdag vier nieuwe spelers aan" [Lommel SK sign four new players on final transfer day]. Het Belang van Limburg (in Dutch). 31 January 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
  6. ^ "Sam De Grand joins Lommel SK". KRC Genk. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
  7. ^ a b Inan, Johan (10 October 2025). "Één maand woonde hij in Nederland, 21 jaar later staat Jong Oranje te wachten: "Ik stond perplex"" [He lived in the Netherlands for one month, 21 years later Jong Oranje came calling: 'I was dumbfounded']. Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 May 2026.
  8. ^ "De Grand kiest voor AZ" [De Grand chooses AZ]. AZ. 26 July 2026. Archived from the original on 28 July 2026. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
  9. ^ "AZ presenteert Jong Oranje-talent De Grand: "Mijn familie bestaat uit AZ-supporters"" [AZ presents Jong Oranje talent De Grand: 'My family are all AZ supporters']. ESPN.nl (in Dutch). 26 July 2026. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
  10. ^ a b "Jong Oranje-debutant De Grand wimpelde België af" [Jong Oranje debutant De Grand turned down Belgium]. Voetbal International (in Dutch). 15 October 2025. Archived from the original on 3 May 2026. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
  11. ^ "Vijf debutanten in 23-koppige definitieve selectie van Jong Oranje" [Five debutants in 23-man final squad of Jong Oranje]. OnsOranje (in Dutch). 3 October 2025. Archived from the original on 3 May 2026. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
  12. ^ "AZ rout 10-man PSV 4-0 to lift second Johan Cruyff Shield". NL Times. 2 August 2026. Retrieved 3 August 2026.

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