With the first round of the 2025/26 Eredivisie behind us, it's time to find out who keep an eye on the remaining 33 rounds. Here are the eleven stars that sparkled the brightest during the opening weekend in the Netherlands.
GK: Gonzalo Crettaz (NEC) – 8.1
In their first game after losing Robin Roefs to Sunderland and Stijn van Gassel on Excelsior, Gonzalo Crettaz from Free-Agent Acquisition showed that he was on the test when the Argentinian stop saved six. All six, which prevents an XG of 1.69, came against shots from the box. An excellent start of life in the Eredivisie for the former Castellon stopper.
Def: Youri Reigner (Ajax) – 7.9
A surprise in the starting line-up of Ajax and our team of the week, Youri Regeer played a stable season opener against Telstar, who won Ajax 2-0.
Reign, who surprisingly got the nod about Lucas Rosa and last season's starter Anton Gauei, hardly set a foot with a pass completion rate of 97%, seven won duels from nine, two won tackles and a clearance.
Def: Anselmo Garcia -MacNulty (PEC Zwolle) – 7.9
The Spanish-Irish Garcia-Macnulty was one of PEC Zwolle's clear places in the last weeks of the Eredivisie season 2024/25, and the defender continued that fine form in the new campaign.
PEC defeated FC Twente 1-0 in a surprising season opener. Garcia MacNulty free the ball 11 times, completed seven of his 11 long steps, won three of his four duels and intercepted the ball three times.
Def: Mike van der Horn (FC Utrecht) – 8.0
FC Utrecht started the season in red -hot form, and the consistency of Mike van der Hoorn is an important factor in the successes of the team in the Eredivisie and outside the Dutch borders.
During the 4-0 victory of Utrecht against Heracles Almelo, Van der Horn won seven of his 11 duels, won the ball five times, created a big chance and completed 84% of his passes (38/45).
The best XI of this week of the EredivisieLash score
Def: Denzo Kasius (AZ) – 8.4
AZ Right back Denzo Kasius enjoyed a wonderful start to the 2025/26 season. After missing the goal in the first match of AZ against Ilves, Kasius was involved in three goals in his last three games with a goal against Ilves, an assist against Vaduz, and now a goal against FC Groningen.
His opener on Sunday – a low -driven shot that Ricoched was by Groningen – goalkeeper Hiddle Jurjus – was one of the two attempts against the pride of the North. The attacking back the back brought in 79 touches, won all six of his duels and knew the ball four times in an impressive 4-1 seasonal victory.
MID: Joey Veerman (PSV) – 9.4 (player of the week)
Our player of the week comes from PSV's crushing 6-1 win over Sparta Rotterdam. Midfield General Joey Veerman, who is linked to Brentford, scored remotely and gave two assists in the flawless season opener of the ruling champions.
The Volendam -Native recorded 105 touches in 90 minutes, completed 73 of 84 Passes (87%), recorded a pass completion rate of 84% (42/50) in the last third part and created one big chance against Sparta.
Joey Veerman's statistics against Spartaopta via StatesPeach / Marcel van Dorst / Defodi Images / Profimedia
Joey Veerman has earned his first 9.4 rating his first player of the weekly title, and it feels like it will not be his last.
Mid: Levi Smans (Heerenveen) – 8.2
Heerenveen disappointed in their season opener when the promoted side FC Volendam Frisia left with a point, but Levi Smans gave the home crowd enough to enjoy during the 1-1 draw.
Smans, who was forced to leave the field after 53 minutes with an apparently important knee injury, registered one assist, 30 touches, 10 completed passes in the last third and six won duels against Volendam. Let's hope his injury won't keep him out for long.
MID: Steven Berghuis (Ajax) – 8.3
A wrestling Ajax side had a hard time going against the promoted side Telstar, who were beaten 2-0, largely thanks to the creative brain of Steven Berghuis.
The veteran started in midfield and created the opener with a perfectly timed deep ball to Wout, who escaped from the tight coverage of Guus offer and slid the ball home. The two also made a connection for the 2-0, which Berghuis made from a corner.
In addition to the assists, Berghuis shot five times, completed 56 of his 68 steps, 7/10 went on its long passes and crosses and registered 82 touches.
FW: Ivan Perisic (PSV) – 8.8
The man who wanted FC Barcelona brought his form from last season to this season-Iivan Perisic scored a goal and assisted two more at PSV's 6-1 victory, giving him an 8.8 rating.
The Croatian veteran was a threat throughout the evening, while he dismissed three attempts on Joel Drommel's goal, completed 87% of his passes and the PSV attack led in a clinical victory.
FW: Koki Ogawa (NEC) – 8.5
The Japanese striker Koki Ogawa received NEC against the promoted outfit Excelsior, who were welcomed in the Eredivisie with a 5-0 defeat.
Ogawa scored twice against the Rotterdam side – once with a brilliant overhead kick, and once with a perfectly timed header. The Japanese Hitman scored with two of his three touches in the box of the opposition, with a level of efficiency that NEC bore to a commander home victory.
FW: Wout Weghorst (Ajax) – 8.5
Where Berghuis gave the assists, Wout Weghorst gave the crucial finish when Ajax took its way to a victory.
Weghorst opened the score in the first half with a quiet finish before the game brought to bed in the 83rd minute, when the former striker of Manchester United led the ball home from a corner. Weghorst also created a great chance, won seven of his 11 duels and recorded 47 touches in 90 minutes (both second in a league match since the start of last season).