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Gelderland | October 6, 2023

Ambassador and footballer Davy Pröpper: 'Sports bring so much joy, I want everyone to experience that.'

As a child, Davy Pröpper was always playing football with his two brothers. Gradually, it became clear he had talent, and through stints with clubs like VDZ Arnhem, Vitesse, and PSV, he even made it to the Dutch national team. He played 19 international matches, scoring three goals. But that wasn't a conscious career plan. "I'm actually always doing what I enjoy, playing football with all the boys who also want to play as well as possible. And I want all children to have that feeling."

When he was about seven, his father took him to VDZ Arnhem. "That's when you start and see if you like it. We lost the first matches by a wide margin; that was a crying shame! Later, you see that football comes easier to you than others. When I was about ten, I was allowed to play in talent competitions—exciting! After that, I went to the Vitesse youth academy, but they said: only 1 in 100 makes it. So I didn't immediately have big dreams of the Dutch national team or the Eredivisie; I just went and played football and saw what happened."

Fun in sports

So Davy was indeed that one in a hundred and has an impressive list of achievements. He played in the Premier League and UEFA Europa League and was twice named Gelderland Footballer of the Year. Yet, for him, enjoyment of the sport remains the most important thing. “You can have so much fun in sports! I lost that for a moment when I retired from professional football in January 2022. From the age of eleven, I was stuck in the same rut, which continued until I was thirty. You're driven by your own desires and you want to perform. I might be a bit strict with myself about that, and I didn't really enjoy that anymore. But after about six months, the itch came back. Just enjoying playing football, but with a bit of a performance-oriented approach, is what I love most. I've been injured for a while now, but thankfully, my recovery is going well.”

Secretly over the fence

Davy can't imagine life without football. "If my parents hadn't had the money for a club, I would have played in the playgrounds and neighborhoods. Or tried to sneak over a football club fence, risking being expelled. I have to admit, we still used to do that, climbing over the fence. But luckily we had an alternative. If you don't have money, you can't go anywhere."

Sports is not a side issue

That's why Davy encourages parents who can't afford sports clubs to contact the Youth Fund. "I get it, I have two children too. You tend to think that sports are a small thing, other things are more important. But with sports, you experience so much that you carry with you for the rest of your life. You learn to interact with a group, you develop a rhythm, develop discipline, and have a lot of fun. Asking for help is difficult, but I hope parents will take that step when they see that their children enjoy sports. The Youth Fund for Sports & Culture is here to help!"

More attention for the Youth Fund

That's why Davy is so keen to be an ambassador. "I never really realized that some families don't have the money for sports, and that there's a solution. I'm happy to help more parents learn about the Youth Fund, so more children can experience the joy of sports." He's certainly already seeing this in his own children. "My 7-year-old daughter is just starting to explore sports; she enjoys horseback riding and gymnastics. We don't push the children at all; they can decide for themselves what they want. But my son, no matter how small he is, grabs every ball he comes across without us telling him." And as a football player, I secretly find that really fun.”