Charlie Setford

Charlie Setford (born 11 May 2004) is a professional footballer who plays for Jong Ajax as a goalkeeper. Born in the Netherlands, he represents England at youth level.[6]

Charlie Setford
Personal information
Date of birth (2004-05-11) 11 May 2004[1][2]
Place of birth Haarlem, Netherlands[3][4][5]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Jong Ajax
Youth career
2011–2021 Ajax
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020– Jong Ajax 25 (0)
International career‡
2019 Netherlands U15 3 (0)
2019 Netherlands U16 1 (0)
2019–2020 England U16 5 (0)
2021 England U18 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:33, 25 October 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10:13, 18 March 2022 (UTC)

Career

Setford was scouted by AFC Ajax at age 7, and he has been part of the club ever since.[2] He featured regularly at every level of the club's youth system.[4] He signed a three-year contract with Ajax in June 2020.[2] On 2 April 2021, aged 16, Setford made the bench for Jong Ajax in a league match for the first time.[7][8] He made the bench on three more occasions before the end of the season.[3]

Setford made his first appearance and start for Jong Ajax during the 2021–22 season in a league match on 20 August 2021 against FC Den Bosch.[9][10] Aged only 17, this made him the youngest goalkeeper ever to play for Ajax.[11][9] Jong Ajax won 3–2 and Setford made an important one-on-one save.[11] Setford made a second start against MVV on 27 September, saving a penalty in a 3–1 win.[12]

Setford also made the bench for the senior Ajax team for the league match against PEC Zwolle on 11 September 2021, and from then on has made regular appearances on the bench for the seniors, including in the UEFA Champions League match against Besiktas on 28 September.[3]

International career

Setford was born in the Netherlands to an English father and Dutch mother, and is eligible to play for both England and the Netherlands at international level.[2][13][5] He has played for both nations at youth level, playing a combined four appearances for Netherlands U15 and Netherlands U16 before 2020, as well as making five appearances for the England U16 team.[4] However, Setford later announced that he had decided to commit to playing for England over the Netherlands at international level, explaining: "It was my own choice, and my family as well. My heart lays at England. At England, they've got more trust in me than they would at Holland, for my feeling. So that's one of the biggest reasons why I chose for England."[14]

On 27 August 2021, Setford received his first call up to the England U18s.[15] He made his first appearance on 3 September 2021, starting a 1–1 draw against Wales U18.[16] On 18 March 2022, he received his first call up the England U20 squad.[17]

Setford is considered one of the most exciting England prospects of his generation.[18]

Personal life

Charlie has a younger brother, Tommy Setford, who also plays for the Ajax youth teams as a goalkeeper and the England U16s.[13] Charlie and Tommy's father is English pro golfer Chris Setford, who has been living in the Netherlands due to his career.[13][19]

Setford's favourite team other than Ajax is Southampton, as his English father is from Alton near the city.[5] Setford says he and his family only speak English at home.[5]

Honours

Individual

References
  1. "Charlie Setford stats, news, bio". ESPN. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  2. "Charlie Setford" (Family website). The Setford Brothers. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  3. Charlie Setford at Soccerway
  4. Stead, Matthew (30 March 2021). "A completely foreign-based England squad for Euro 2020". Football365. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  5. Statham, Michael (3 May 2021). "'England trusted me more than Holland': Ajax goalkeeper Setford". Football-Oranje.com. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  6. "'I want to make my dad proud'". BBC Sport.
  7. "16-year-old Charlie Setford makes the bench for Jong Ajax for the first time in Holland's second-tier". English Players Abroad. 2 April 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  8. "Jong Ajax saves deserved point against NAC". Ajax.nl. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  9. "Debuting Charlie Setford becomes youngest Young Ajax goalkeeper ever". Sportnieuws.nl. 20 August 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  10. "Charlie Setford Stats". FBref.com. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  11. Meijer, Chris (20 August 2021). "De Graafschap wins again with Seuntjens; Jong Ajax books first win". voetbalzone. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  12. "Jong Ajax wins against MVV for third time in a row". Ajax.nl. 27 September 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  13. Volcano, Carlos (21 May 2020). "Ajax goalkeeper Charlie Setford favours England over Holland". Tribal Football. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  14. Statham, Michael (3 May 2021). "'England trusted me more than Holland': Ajax goalkeeper Setford". Football-Orange.com. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  15. Smith, Frank (27 August 2021). "Wales trip for MU18s squad". England Football (The FA). Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  16. "Cymru U18 v England U18 - WATCH LIVE". YouTube. FA Wales. 3 September 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  17. Veevers, Nicholas (18 March 2022). "England MU20s squad named for Poland and Germany games". England Football. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  18. Maston, Tom (13 July 2021). "Delap, Chukwuemeka, Elliott & the NXGN talents who could make England even better". Goal. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  19. "Ajax-talent played youth international for the Dutch team: 'Better feeling with England'". voetbalzone. 19 May 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  20. "Setford verkozen tot Ajax' grootste talent uit de opleiding; goalie ontvangt Abdelhak Nouri Trofee". 8 June 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
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