Djai Essed

Djai Essed
Personal information
Date of birth (1998-04-25) 25 April 1998
Place of birth Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Playing position Centre-back, Forward
Club information
Current team
 Feather River Golden Eagles
Number 14
Youth career
MPC Stars FC
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016– Feather River Golden Eagles 11 (3)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
–2014 RISC Takers FC
2015–2016 Flames United SC
National team‡
2016– Sint Maarten 3 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:02, 25 May 2016 (UTC).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12:56, 23 March 2016 (UTC)

Djai Essed (born 25 April 1998) is a St. Maartener footballer who plays college soccer for the Feather River Golden Eagles, and the Sint Maarten national team.[1]

Youth career

In 2009, Essed played in the School Division of the St. Maarten Soccer Educational Foundation (SMSEF) for Sister Magda '98. That year, the team defeated the Caribbean International Academy to win the top division championship. That season, Essed was the top division's top scorer with 11 goals.[2] Essed played for MPC Stars FC of the SMSEF youth league while attending Milton Peters College. In 2011, he attended training in the Netherlands organized by AFC Ajax while in 2014 he took part in a training camp on Sint Maarten held by the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer.[3] For his performances at the Red Bull camp, he was awarded the event's Excellence Award.[4]

In 2016, Essed took part in the 2016 West Virginia Tri-State Elite College Combine in hopes of securing a spot to play college soccer in the United States.[4] In 2016 he decided to join the Golden Eagles of Feather River College in Quincy, California.[5]

Club career

Essed played for RISC Takers FC of the SMSA Senior League until 2014.[3] By age 15, he was a starter for Flames United SC.[4] In Summer 2014 at age 16 he was invited to train with FC Dordrecht who were at the time in the Eredivisie, the top level of football in the Netherlands.[3]

International career

Essed first represented Sint Maarten in the 2013 CONCACAF Under-15 Championship held in the Cayman Islands. It was at that tournament that his primary position became centre-back.[4]

Essed made his senior international debut for Sint Maarten in a friendly against Anguilla on 13 March 2016 at age 17.[6] He started the match and played the full 90 minutes.[7] The match was Sint Maarten's first senior international in 12 years and was played in preparation for each side's 2017 Caribbean Cup qualification campaigns which were set to begin the following week.[8]

In 2016, he was also called up to be part of Sint Maarten's U20 squad[4] and was called up again in June for 2017 CONCACAF U-20 Championship qualifying as Sint Maarten hosted their group.[9] The team suffered three defeats in the opening round of the tournament and were eliminated.[10] Essed served as captain of the team for the tournament.[11]

International career statistics

As of match played 22 March 2016.[6]
Sint Maarten national team
YearAppsGoals
201630
Total30

References

  1. ↑ "FRC Profile". Feather River College Athletics. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  2. ↑ "Primary and Secondary Schools Champions Crowned" (PDF). The Daily Herald. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 "Young footballers ready for Red Bull training". The Daily Herald. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "DJAI ESSED '16 RECRUITING PROFILE". NCSA Sports. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  5. ↑ "FRC Recruiting Profile". NCSA. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  6. 1 2 "CFD profile". Caribbean Football Database. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  7. ↑ "Sint Maarten vs. Anguilla". Caribbean Football Database. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  8. ↑ "Sint Maarten and Martinique win friendlies". Caribbean Football Union. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  9. ↑ "U20 Championship Squad". Sint Maarten Soccer Association. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  10. ↑ "Antigua and Cuba advance in CFC U20 Qualifier". The Daily Herald. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  11. ↑ "U20 coach upbeat about St. Maarten chances in Caribbean Football tourney". The Daily Herald. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
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