11.02.2026 14:00
Niek Schiks, who joined PSV at the age of 8 and made his first appearance for the first team 13 years later, was named the best on the field and experienced an unforgettable night with tears.
The Dutch team saw goalkeeper Matej Kovar and Nick Olij injured in the last training session, leading to Niek Schiks guarding the goal in the away match against FC Groningen. The 22-year-old keeper was named man of the match in his first game with the first team.
HISTORIC NIGHT AT THE CLUB HE JOINED AT AGE 8
Schiks, who joined the PSV youth academy at the age of 8 and was later trained as a goalkeeper after changing positions, wore the first team jersey for the first time after 13 years. The young glove man, who stepped in for the first time due to the injuries of both the starting and backup goalkeepers, caught attention with his performance in the match that his team won 2-1.
THE CROWD CALLED, HE COULDN'T HOLD BACK HIS TEARS
At the end of the match, Schiks responded to the crowd's call and experienced emotional moments. The young goalkeeper, unable to hold back his tears, stated in an interview with ESPN, "This is the result of hard work over the past few years. It comes out for a moment. I am an emotional person, so I was expecting this. There’s nothing I can do since it’s in front of the cameras." Schiks is expected to guard the goal again in the away match against FC Volendam on Friday night.