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Dirk Proper
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<h2 id="club-career">Club career</h2> <p>Born in <a href="/facts/Elst,_Gelderland/BFW3uQVM">Elst</a>, <a href="/facts/Gelderland/II7M9HSz">Gelderland</a>, Proper started playing football at amateur club SV Spero before joining the <a href="/facts/NEC_Nijmegen/SmA62Wd7">NEC</a> youth academy at the age of nine, where he was quickly regarded as one of the club's most promising prospects.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> He made his professional debut in the Dutch second-tier <a href="/facts/Eerste_Divisie/nuYjkh6m">Eerste Divisie</a> on 13 December 2019 in a 3–2 loss to <a href="/facts/Almere_City_FC/Wszyd6Ja">Almere City</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> In January 2020, Proper was definitively promoted to the NEC first team. He gradually became integrated into the first team during this 2019–20 season, with head coach <a href="/facts/Fran%C3%A7ois_Gesthuizen/EmfjEQot">François Gesthuizen</a> utilising him as an <a href="/facts/Midfielder/FEWpVjnD">attacking midfielder</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> </p><p>In July 2020, Proper's contract was extended until the summer of 2023.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> Proper scored his first goal on 3 October 2020 in the 6–0 win over <a href="/facts/FC_Eindhoven/ACErMupQ">Eindhoven</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> On 23 May 2021, Proper won promotion to the <a href="/facts/Eredivisie/doEwpeU3">Eredivisie</a> with NEC, by beating <a href="/facts/NAC_Breda/FnqWU3Ea">NAC Breda</a> 2–1 in the final of the play-offs.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p><p>Proper made his debut in the Eredivisie on 14 August 2021, the first matchday of the <a href="/facts/2021%E2%80%9322_Eredivisie/IvvEVGMQ">2021–22 season</a>, starting in a 5–0 away loss to <a href="/facts/AFC_Ajax/e3hAEP77">Ajax</a> at the <a href="/facts/Johan_Cruyff_Arena/d0vCl2pa">Johan Cruyff Arena</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="international-career">International career</h2> <p>From under-15 level, Proper has been part of Netherlands youth teams. With the <a href="/facts/Netherlands_national_under-17_football_team/sVV2bJ2g">Netherlands under-17 team</a>, he won the <a href="/facts/2019_UEFA_European_Under-17_Championship/Cec0Dmwa">2019 UEFA European Under-17 Championship</a>. He also participated in the <a href="/facts/2019_FIFA_U-17_World_Cup/c5deTpFL">2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="personal-life">Personal life</h2> <p>Proper combines his football career with a study in psychology at the <a href="/facts/Radboud_University_Nijmegen/HzHJcIWX">Radboud University</a> in Nijmegen.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="career-statistics">Career statistics</h2> <i>As of match played 6 May 2024</i><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<table><tbody><tr><th rowspan="2">Club</th><th rowspan="2">Season</th><th colspan="3">League</th><th colspan="2">National cup</th><th colspan="2">Europe</th><th colspan="2">Other</th><th colspan="2">Total</th></tr><tr><th>Division</th><th>Apps</th><th>Goals</th><th>Apps</th><th>Goals</th><th>Apps</th><th>Goals</th><th>Apps</th><th>Goals</th><th>Apps</th><th>Goals</th></tr><tr><td rowspan="5"><a href="/facts/NEC_Nijmegen/SmA62Wd7">NEC</a></td><td><a href="/facts/2019%E2%80%9320_Eerste_Divisie/U5B7tf6l">2019–20</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Eerste_Divisie/nuYjkh6m">Eerste Divisie</a></td><td>9</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td colspan="2">—</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>9</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/2020%E2%80%9321_Eerste_Divisie/2puBU655">2020–21</a></td><td>Eerste Divisie</td><td>30</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td colspan="2">—</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>31</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/2021%E2%80%9322_Eredivisie/IvvEVGMQ">2021–22</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Eredivisie/doEwpeU3">Eredivisie</a></td><td>22</td><td>0</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td colspan="2">—</td><td colspan="2">—</td><td>25</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/2022%E2%80%9323_Eredivisie/gquLQuXX">2022–23</a></td><td>Eredivisie</td><td>32</td><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td colspan="2">—</td><td colspan="2">—</td><td>35</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/2023%E2%80%9324_Eredivisie/N5b9k1vC">2023–24</a></td><td>Eredivisie</td><td>25</td><td>4</td><td>4</td><td>2</td><td colspan="2">—</td><td colspan="2">—</td><td>29</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><th colspan="3">Career total</th><th>118</th><th>6</th><th>11</th><th>3</th><th>0</th><th>0</th><th>0</th><th>0</th><th>129</th><th>9</th></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="honours">Honours</h2> <p>Netherlands U17 </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/UEFA_European_Under-17_Championship/P4e6p1CP">UEFA European Under-17 Championship</a>: <a href="/facts/2019_UEFA_European_Under-17_Championship/Cec0Dmwa">2019</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://int.soccerway.com/players/-/525939/">Dirk Proper</a> at Soccerway.com<a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q63992714#P2369"> </a></li> <li><a href="https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/dirk-proper/">Dirk Proper</a> at WorldFootball.net<a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q63992714#P2020"> </a></li> <li><a href="https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=140153">Dirk Proper</a> at Soccerbase.com<a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q63992714#P2193"> </a></li> <li><a href="https://www.kicker.de/dirk-proper/spieler">Dirk Proper</a> at <a href="/facts/Kicker_(magazine)/5qLaSCKa">kicker</a> (in German)<a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q63992714#P8912"> </a></li> <li><a href="https://fbref.com/en/players/77b49e13/">Dirk Proper</a> at <a href="/facts/FBref.com/dE2x9aLq">FBref.com</a><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q63992714#P5750"> </a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Summer interview (4): football talent Dirk Proper moves between Goffert stadium and the university". Vox Magazine. 28 July 2020. <a href="https://www.voxweb.nl/english/summer-interview-4-football-talent-dirk-proper-moves-between-goffert-stadium-and-the-university" target="_blank">https://www.voxweb.nl/english/summer-interview-4-football-talent-dirk-proper-moves-between-goffert-stadium-and-the-university</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"NEC vs. Almere City - 13 December 2019 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 8 April 2021. <a href="https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2019/12/13/netherlands/eerste-divisie/nijmegen-eendracht-combinatie/fc-omniworld/3031859/" target="_blank">https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2019/12/13/netherlands/eerste-divisie/nijmegen-eendracht-combinatie/fc-omniworld/3031859/</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Broek, Danny van den (13 February 2020). "Blik op NEC: Rol van regisseur vindt Dirk Proper nog overdreven". de Gelderlander (in Dutch). <a href="https://www.gelderlander.nl/nec/blik-op-nec-rol-van-regisseur-vindt-dirk-proper-nog-overdreven~a0740188/" target="_blank">https://www.gelderlander.nl/nec/blik-op-nec-rol-van-regisseur-vindt-dirk-proper-nog-overdreven~a0740188/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Zundert, Bram van (8 July 2020). "Talent Dirk Proper (18) verlengt contract bij NEC met twee jaar". de Gelderlander (in Dutch). <a href="https://www.gelderlander.nl/nec/talent-dirk-proper-18-verlengt-contract-bij-nec-met-twee-jaar~ad75fd98/" target="_blank">https://www.gelderlander.nl/nec/talent-dirk-proper-18-verlengt-contract-bij-nec-met-twee-jaar~ad75fd98/</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"NEC biedt volop vermaak in Goffert, FC Eindhoven figureert". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 3 October 2020. <a href="https://www.ad.nl/nederlands-voetbal/nec-biedt-volop-vermaak-in-goffert-fc-eindhoven-figureert~a9d56fa4/" target="_blank">https://www.ad.nl/nederlands-voetbal/nec-biedt-volop-vermaak-in-goffert-fc-eindhoven-figureert~a9d56fa4/</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"NEC verslaat NAC in slotfase en keert na vier jaar terug in de eredivisie". nos.nl (in Dutch). 23 May 2021. <a href="https://nos.nl/artikel/2382041-nec-verslaat-nac-in-slotfase-en-keert-na-vier-jaar-terug-in-de-eredivisie" target="_blank">https://nos.nl/artikel/2382041-nec-verslaat-nac-in-slotfase-en-keert-na-vier-jaar-terug-in-de-eredivisie</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Spaans, Jan Willem (20 August 2021). "Interview Dirk Proper: "Zo gaan we wel punten pakken"". Elfvoetbal (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 20 August 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2023. <a href="https://www.elfvoetbal.nl/binnenland/280895/interview-dirk-proper-zo-gaan-we-wel-punten-pakken" target="_blank">https://www.elfvoetbal.nl/binnenland/280895/interview-dirk-proper-zo-gaan-we-wel-punten-pakken</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"OnsOranje - Dirk Proper - O17". Ons Oranje (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 April 2021. <a href="https://www.onsoranje.nl/toernooien/4225/selectie/184965/speler/23686/loopbaan?page=1" target="_blank">https://www.onsoranje.nl/toernooien/4225/selectie/184965/speler/23686/loopbaan?page=1</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"Student Psychologie doordeweeks en profvoetballer in het weekend". Radboud University (in Dutch). Retrieved 9 October 2024. <a href="https://www.ru.nl/dirk-proper" target="_blank">https://www.ru.nl/dirk-proper</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Dirk Proper at Soccerway. Retrieved 14 January 2023. <a href="https://int.soccerway.com/players/dirk-proper/525939/" target="_blank">https://int.soccerway.com/players/dirk-proper/525939/</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"Netherlands retain #U17EURO title: at a glance". UEFA. 19 May 2019. <a href="https://www.uefa.com/under17/news/0252-0cda3713f2a5-734ecd159c81-1000--netherlands-retain-u17euro-title-at-a-glance/" target="_blank">https://www.uefa.com/under17/news/0252-0cda3713f2a5-734ecd159c81-1000--netherlands-retain-u17euro-title-at-a-glance/</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>