The World Cup is just around the corner, but there are also a number of international players who are still on holiday or other football players for whom the summer break has started. In this section we will keep you informed of the best messages and photos on social media.
Oranje-international Jackie Groenen (31) has played for Paris Saint-Germain since 2022. To date, she has only won the Coupe de France Féminine in 2024 with the Paris club, but the men of PSG are a lot more successful. Groenen was together with teammates in Budapest on Saturday, where Luis Enrique’s team won the Champions League final for the second year in a row. It is not yet time for a holiday for the Greens, because with the Orange Lionesses they will first play World Cup qualifiers against Ireland (on Friday, June 5 in Cork) and Poland (on Tuesday, June 9 in Almelo).
Jan Paul van Hecke (25) left Arnemuiden on Saturday for Zeist, where preparations for the World Cup have started. The Zeeland defender of Brighton & Hove Albion shared great news on Sunday with his wife Sofie, whom he married last year. Sofie is pregnant with twins and has already announced that they will be two boys.
Cody Gakpo (27) and his friends Noa van der Bij shared some great news on Sunday. “Our family is growing. We can’t wait to meet you,” the couple wrote in a series of photos on Instagram.
One of the photos shows the couple with their son Samuel. The two-year-old wears a cap with the text “big brother“.
Liverpool striker Gakpo and model Van der Bij announced at the end of 2020 that they are in a relationship. In April 2024 they became parents of Samuel.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk (34) thanked Arne Slot on Instagram. The Dutch trainer was fired from the English club on Saturday.
“We will never forget winning the Premier League in our first season together,” Van Dijk wrote with a photo of the two after winning the league title in 2025. “Thank you, coach. Good luck to you and your family in the future.”
Liverpool were unable to continue the success of the first year under Slot last season. The team finished in fifth place, which earned them a ticket for next season’s Champions League.
Van Dijk has now joined the Dutch team, which had the first group training for the World Cup on Sunday in Zeist.
Ryan Gravenberch (24) shared words to the same effect on social media after Arne Slot’s departure from Liverpool.
Ajax goalkeeper Maarten Paes (28) got on a plane to Italy after the play-offs. On the Amalfi Coast he proposed to his partner Luna Bijl, who had been internationally successful as a model for years.
Teun Koopmeiners (28) The Dutch team will play the opening match against Japan at the World Cup in two weeks, but has something to celebrate in the run-up to that match. During his holiday, the Juventus midfielder proposed to his girlfriend Rosa Schmidt. The couple shared a video and several photos of the supreme moment on Instagram on Saturday afternoon.
Jude Bellingham (22) enjoys his holiday in Cannes after a long season. The Real Madrid midfielder is there with his brother Jobe, who plays for Borussia Dortmund. Jude is relaxing in the French city before he plays his first match at the World Cup against Croatia with England on June 17.
Thibaut Courtois (34) blew out 34 cards two weeks ago, while his wife is celebrating her birthday on June 5. Enough reason for the Real Madrid goalkeeper to celebrate their birthdays together in Ibiza. And of course that includes cake. Courtois can report to the national team next week. The goalkeeper will simply go to the World Cup.
Ayase Ueda (27) became top scorer in the Eredivisie this season with 25 goals for Feyenoord. The striker did not participate in the last match against PEC Zwolle last week, because he had already flown to Japan. There he was with his wife Natsuki Yufu and their daughter, born in April. The battery will be fully charged again for the World Cup, which starts for Ueda on June 14 with the match against the Dutch team.
Or Luciano Valente (22) will participate in the World Cup is still uncertain, but in the run-up to his appearance on the world stage, the Feyenoord midfielder is already enjoying a holiday. On Instagram he shows images from Ibiza. Valente enjoys impressive views during a ride on a jet ski. If he does indeed go to North America for the World Cup, he will at least arrive at the start rested.
The Feyenoord talents Jan Plug (21) and Tobias van den Elshout (19) went to Ibiza with Valente. ‘It was nice and normal’ Valente writes in the comments on the photo series of Plug, who played at FC Dordrecht under his uncle Dirk Kuyt for the past six months.
For Joey Veerman (27) These have been special weeks. He became champion with PSV for the third season in a row, but will not go to the World Cup with the Dutch team. On Sunday he spoke about national coach Ronald Koeman, but then it was time for a well-deserved holiday after a season with 8 goals and 15 assists in 41 games.
That holiday starts well for Veerman, because he has proposed to his partner Chantalle Schilder. Schilder answered the question with a resounding yes. They can now go on holiday with their two sons Frenkie and Jame.
So they no longer do that as boyfriend and girlfriend, but as fiancées. “A million times yes,” Schilder writes with the photo, in which she shows the ring on her finger. Congratulations soon followed in the comments on Instagram from Frenkie de Jong’s partners, Justin Bijlow, Cody Gakpo and Donny van de Beek.
Ricky van Wolfswinkel (37) played his 636th and very last match as a professional football player on Sunday at PSV – FC Twente (5-1). There was something great on the agenda for the striker from Woudenberg on Wednesday. The Johan Neeskens sports park was opened at RCH in Heemstede. Neeskens played at that club before leaving for Ajax in 1970, where he subsequently won the European Cup three times in four seasons. Van Wolfswinkel is married to Bianca Neeskens, the daughter of football legend Johan Neeskens. Willem van Hanegem, Arie van Eijden, Clarence Seedorf and Aron Winter were also present.
Marcos Senesi (29) played with Bournemouth against Manchester City (1-1) on Tuesday evening. It was the former Feyenoord defender’s last home game for Bournemouth, which can still qualify for the Champions League on Sunday. Senesi is now going to the World Cup with Argentina and will then leave on a free transfer to another club. He ran a lap of honor together with his girlfriend Kelci-Rose Bowers. Senesi was also named Players’ Player of the Year.
For Justin Kluivert (27) Bournemouth – Manchester City was also a special match. He came on in the 75th minute after being out of action since early January due to a knee injury. Afterwards he stood on the field with tears in his eyes. His fiancée Shanna Taihuttu and his father Patrick were there to give him a hug after a few tough months. Kluivert will now wait anxiously to see whether Ronald Koeman will take him to the World Cup.
