Tijjani Reijnders
Active- Current or last club
- Al-Qadsiah
- Country (nationality)
- Netherlands
- League or competition
- Saudi Pro League
- Position
- Midfielder
- How is the religion known?
- Reported by reputable media
- Last checked
- 7 October 2026
We list a player’s religion only where they have spoken about it publicly or it has been reliably reported, and we link our sources. If something is wrong, or a player’s views have changed, please tell us and we will review it.
Table of Contents
What religion is Tijjani Reijnders?
Tijjani Reijnders is a Dutch professional footballer who comes from a Christian background, though he generally keeps his personal religious practices private. Because of his first name, Tijjani, there is a frequent misconception that he is of Muslim or African heritage. However, the Dutch midfielder has explicitly clarified that he has zero ties to Nigeria or Islam.
Reijnders is of Dutch-Indonesian descent and has previously shared glimpses of his life referencing his Christian upbringing, such as referring to the football pitch as “our church” on his Instagram profile.
Tijjani Reijnders plays as a midfielder for Saudi Pro League club Al-Qadsiah and the Netherlands national team. He represented various Dutch junior teams before beginning his professional career with PEC Zwolle. After just one full season at the club, he moved to AZ Alkmaar in 2017. He initially spent time with AZ’s U21 team and went on a brief loan spell to RKC Waalwijk during the 2019–20 season. Upon his return, in July 2023, Reijnders completed a €20 million transfer to AC Milan. After two years in Italy, he signed for Manchester City in 2025. In the 2025-26 season, he won the EFL Cup and the FA Cup with the team before being sold to Saudi side Al-Qadsiah in August 2026.
Early life and early career
Tijjani Martinus Jan Reijnders was born on July 29, 1998, in Zwolle, Netherlands, to an Indonesian mother and a Dutch father. He has a brother, Eliano, who is also a professional footballer.
When Reijnders was five years old, he began playing with local club WVF Zwolle. He moved to PEC Zwolle’s youth system at age nine. In 2011, he joined FC Twente’s academy, but the club released him in 2015. He then spent a year playing for the amateur side CSV ’28 before eventually returning to PEC Zwolle, where he finally made his official senior debut.
Club career
Tijjani Reijnders made his professional debut for his hometown club, PEC Zwolle, in August 2017, in a Dutch first-division match. He played only rarely for the first team over the next year before moving to AZ Alkmaar.
AZ Alkmaar signed Reijnders in 2018, and he was initially assigned to the club’s reserve side, Jong AZ. He later joined RKC Waalwijk on loan for the 2019–20 season to gain valuable first-team experience. After returning to AZ, he grew into one of the most effective midfielders in the league, playing over 120 matches for the club and helping AZ reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa Conference League during the 2022–23 season, which included a famous win over Italian side Lazio.
AC Milan
On 19 July 2023, AC Milan signed Reijnders from AZ Alkmaar for a reported fee of approximately €20 million on a five-year contract. He made his official debut on August 21, 2023, coming off the bench to make an assist in a 2–0 win over Bologna. During his debut 2023–24 campaign, he adapted to Italian football by making 50 appearances across all competitions and scoring 6 goals in league play. Amid subsequent transfer interest from Manchester City and Chelsea, Reijnders signed a contract extension with the club running until June 2030.
During the 2024–25 season, Reijnders scored 15 goals and made five assists across 54 matches in all competitions. His individual performances included a brace against Club Brugge and a winning goal against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in the UEFA Champions League. This form earned him the Serie A Midfielder of the Year award for 2024–25 while also helping AC Milan secure the Supercoppa Italiana alongside consecutive Trofeo Silvio Berlusconi titles in 2023 and 2024.
Manchester City
In the summer of 2025, Manchester City signed Reijnders from AC Milan for a reported fee of £46.5 million on a five-year contract. He scored on his Premier League debut during a 4–0 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers. However, his regular playing time dropped heavily as the season progressed. He started just two league matches between February and the end of the year. Despite his drop in starts, he completed the 2025–26 campaign with 7 goals in 50 appearances across all competitions, helping Manchester City secure both the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.
Al-Qadsiah
In August 2026, Al-Qadsiah completed the permanent signing of Reijnders from Manchester City. The Saudi Arabian club paid a reported transfer fee of £52 million to secure the deal. The transfer occurred just 12 months after his move to Manchester City.
Reijnders signed a five-year contract running until June 2031, which reportedly guarantees a total salary package exceeding €100 million over the length of the deal.
International career
Reijnders made his senior international debut for the Netherlands on 7 September 2023, appearing as a second-half substitute during a UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying match against Greece. He scored his first international goal for his country a few months later against Scotland on March 22, 2024. His excellent midfield form earned him a spot in the final Netherlands squad for the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament that summer. Reijnders was part of the Dutch squad at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Personal life
Reijnders was named after former Super Eagles and Ajax winger Tijani Babangida despite having zero ties to the country of Nigeria. He is half Indonesian through his mother, who is from Ambon, Maluku, in Indonesia.
