Sven Botman

Sven Adriaan Botman (born 12 January 2000) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Newcastle United. He has represented the Netherlands at youth levels under-15 through under-21.

Sven Botman

Botman playing for Lille in 2021
Personal information
Full name	Sven Adriaan Botman[1]
Date of birth	(2000-01-12) 12 January 2000 (age 25)[2]
Place of birth	Badhoevedorp, Netherlands
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)[3]
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Newcastle United
Number	4
Youth career
0000–2009	RKSV Pancratius
2009–2020	Ajax
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2018–2020	Jong Ajax	28	(2)
2019–2020	→ Heerenveen (loan)	26	(2)
2020–2022	Lille	62	(3)
2022–	Newcastle United	61	(2)
International career
2015	Netherlands U15	5	(0)
2015–2016	Netherlands U16	5	(0)
2017	Netherlands U18	3	(0)
2018–2019	Netherlands U19	10	(0)
2019	Netherlands U20	2	(0)
2020–2022	Netherlands U21	12	(2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:56, 25 May 2025 (UTC)

Club career

Ajax

On 23 June 2018, Botman made his debut for the senior team of Ajax in a friendly against VVSB.^[4] He made his Eerste Divisie debut for Jong Ajax on 17 August 2018 in a game against Roda JC Kerkrade.^[5]

Lille

On 15 May 2020 he signed a deal with Ajax, which would keep him at the club until 30 June 2023. However, a few months later, on 31 July 2020, he signed a five-year deal with the French club Lille OSC, who bought him from Ajax for almost 7 million euros.^[6] He made a good start^[7] and was a starter for the entire 2020–21 season. Lille surprisingly won the Ligue 1 and, for the first time in the club's history, also the Trophée des Champions. This supercup was won by a 1–0 victory over Coupe de France Paris Saint-Germain.

Newcastle United

On 28 June 2022, Botman signed for Premier League club Newcastle United on a five-year deal for €40 million.^[8] On 24 September 2023, Botman scored his first goal for Newcastle in a record 8–0 away win over Sheffield United.^[9] In March 2024, he sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury during an FA Cup match against Manchester City, which would sideline him for six to nine months.^[10] On 16 December, Botman made his return from his anterior cruciate ligament injury in a Professional Development League Premier League 2 game vs the Chelsea F.C. Development Squad and Academy^[11]

International career

He has captained the Netherlands at under-21 level, as well as being called up to the senior Netherlands squad for the first time in November 2020.^[12] In October 2022, Botman was included in the preliminary squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.^[13]

Personal life

Botman's girlfriend Chana Kesselaar is a fashion stylist from Amsterdam. The pair have been in a long-term relationship since 2016.^[14]

He welcomed daughter Giulia with girlfriend Chana in September 2024.

Career statistics

As of match played 25 May 2025^[15]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup[a]		League cup[b]		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Jong Ajax	2018–19	Eerste Divisie	28	2	—		—		—		—		28	2
Heerenveen (loan)	2019–20[16]	Eredivisie	26	2	4	0	—		—		—		30	2
Lille	2020–21[17]	Ligue 1	37	0	2	0	—		8[c]	0	—		47	0
	2021–22[18]	Ligue 1	25	3	1	0	—		5[d]	0	1[e]	0	32	3
	Total		62	3	3	0	0	0	13	0	1	0	79	3
Newcastle United	2022–23[19]	Premier League	36	0	1	0	7	0	—		—		44	0
	2023–24[20]	Premier League	17	2	3	0	1	0	1[d]	0	—		22	2
	2024–25[21]	Premier League	8	0	0	0	2	0	—		—		10	0
	Total		61	2	4	0	10	0	1	0	—		76	2
Career total			177	9	11	0	10	0	14	0	1	0	213	9

1. Includes KNVB Cup, Coupe de France, FA Cup
2. Includes EFL Cup
3. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
4. Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
5. Appearance in Trophée des Champions

Honours

Lille

• Ligue 1: 2020–21^[22]
• Trophée des Champions: 2021^[23]

Newcastle United

• EFL Cup: 2024–25;^[24] runner-up: 2022–23^[25]