Unveiling Davy Klaassen’s Journey: Intelligence, Family, and Football

There’s a reason Davy Klaassen is nicknamed “Cheese Straw” and “Mister 1-0.” The latter comes from his habit of often scoring the first goal in a match, while “Cheese Straw” refers to his lean, tall physical appearance. Davy Klaassen has an intriguing story worth telling. This article delves into the life of a disciplined footballer whose intelligence made headlines even during his early years. What’s Davy’s secret? It’s simple—he uses the principles of mathematics to sharpen his thinking on the pitch. Additionally, Klaassen is a product of his grandfather Jaap Klaassen’s wisdom. A former Ajax player himself, Jaap laid the foundation for his grandson’s career. In this article, you’ll discover why the Dutch midfielder is known as ‘Cheese Straw’ and ‘Mister 1-0,’ and how his family and intelligence have shaped his journey in football.

Preamble:

The story of Davy Klaassen goes beyond his technical abilities on the field. This biography provides insights into his life, covering his childhood story, early life, and family background. You will learn about his parents, Kitty and Gert-Jan Klaassen, his twin siblings—brother Aron and sister Naomi—and his influential grandfather, Jaap Klaassen. We’ll also explore his personal life, including his relationship with Laura Benschop, his family origins, religion, and ethnicity.

Davy Klaassen’s biography begins with the events surrounding his birth and an exploration of his boyhood years. We will then delve into his early experiences in soccer, including the challenges he faced on his path to fame. Finally, we will uncover how this native of Hilversum found success in the world of football.

We hope to spark your interest in Davy Klaassen’s life story as you read his biography. To start, let’s share a photo gallery that captures the Dutchman’s journey. From his early years in Hilversum to the moment he became a national hero, Davy has truly come a long way.

Yes, everyone knows he is a leader on the pitch, a Baller who gives more creativity and goals (despite being a midfielder). Davy’s strong positioning and ability to control the ball at speed has made him the perfect reference when transitioning between the midfield and forward lines.

In our years of research about Dutch attacking midfielders, we found a knowledge gap. The truth is, not many fans have read an in-depth version of Davy Klaassen’s Biography, which is quite interesting. Now without further ado, let’s begin.

Davy Klaassen Childhood Story:

For Biography starters, he bears the nicknames; “Cheese Straw” and “Mister 1-0”. Do you know?… his second nickname, “Mister 1-0”, was given to Davy because he often scores the first goal of a match.

The first nickname, “Cheese Straw”, came because of Klaassen’s physical appearance. And please note, Klaassen is not an Albino.

Davy was born on the 21st day of February 1993 to his Mother, Kitty Klaassen and Father, Gert-Jan Klaassen, in Hilversum, Netherlands. He (a Sunday baby) was born by cesarean section.

Because Baby Davy (upon birth) had a white crest and lush blond hair on the head, he became the centre of attraction in the hospital (a Celebrity Baby).

The Dutch professional footballer is one among other children, including twins siblings, born to the blissful marital union between his Dad and Mum.

Now, let’s introduce you to Davy Klaassen’s Parents. Each time the Baller looks into their eyes, he sees the purest of love.

Growing-Up:

Although he might not be a twin like these footballers;… Taiwo Awoniyi (CF), Radja Nainggolan, Jurrien Timber (CB), etc., Davy has twins in his family. Just like Paul Pogba, he grew up in a home with twin siblings.

Now, let’s introduce you to Davy Klaassen’s Sister (Naomi) and Brother (Aron). Do you know?… these Klaassen twins were born eleven minutes apart.

Before his siblings were born, Davy was more of an easygoing baby. A boy who would, most times, quickly sit and play in the corner of his family home.

Little Davy was two years and a few months old when his siblings (the twins Naomi and Aron) were born.

At first, nobody noticed any jealousy from him over his twin siblings. But a few weeks after their birth, a jealous Davy started demanding extra attention from his parents, mostly his Mum.

By the time he turned into a toddler and preschooler, Klaassen learned his responsibility as a first child, which was to be the big brother and look after his twin brother and sister.

The Orange Superstar always sees his twin siblings as his biggest and oldest fans.

The twins, who are three years younger than him, always travel to watch their big brother’s games as well as encourage him. We’ll tell you more about Aron and Naomi as we progress with this Bio.

Davy Klaassen Early Life:

The Soccer celebrity and his siblings spent their childhood years at Hilversum, a province of North Holland.

As a boy, Davy adored his sister (Naomi) and hung out more with his brother, Aron. Both brothers (Davy and Aron) took a likeness for soccer, and they both aspired to become professionals.

For Davy, he was the sort of kid who was more disciplined and committed to his dreams. Since childhood, he knew that being a professional footballer wasn’t about the need to make millions but having to give up a lot.

The Hilversum star (who always had a trademark smile) began his career on solid footing.

Davy Klaassen Family Background:

To start with, the Hilversum midfielder grew up in a football-loving household. Gert-Jan Klaassen, who is Davy’s Father, has been a devoted Ajax fan.

Again, Gert-Jan has been a season ticket holder for more than 30 years. Davy’s Mum (Kitty), Sister (Naomi) are also Ajax fans. The only exception is Aron, who has been a Feyenoord supporter since childhood.

Asides from being fans of the game, playing the top sport has also been a Klaassen family affair. Our research reveals that Davy’s Grandfather (Jaap Klaassen) was a former Ajax player.

So therefore, it is not surprising that the entire family (except Aron) supports Ajax. Davy is the only family member who has achieved more honours with the Amsterdam giant.

On another note, it is pertinent to state that Davy Klaassen’s family are very close knitted. Gert-Jan and Kitty operated a middle-class home, and they successfully raised their kids equally.

The bond that links these Klaassens is not just one of blood but one that exemplifies the joy and respect they have for one another.

Davy Klaassen Family Origin:

First things first, Cheese Straw, as they nicknamed him, has Dutch nationality. Both his parents, Kitty and Gert-Jan Klaassen identify the Netherlands as their country.

Regarding the part of Holland he comes from, our research points to the town of Hilversum.

Davy Klaassen’s family hails from Hilversum, a municipality in the province of North Holland. This town is well-known for its architecturally significant Town Hall, also known as Raadhuis Hilversum. As shown on the map below, Hilversum is located is about 22 km from the centre of Amsterdam.

Ethnicity:

Davy Klaassen identifies with the Germanic ethnic group, which is native to his country. In other words, Davy Klaassen belongs to the Dutch people Ethnic group.

Members of his family speak the Dutch language, and he joins around 76.9% of persons in his country who are ethnically Dutch.

Davy Klaassen Education:

According to Naomi, her brother was a good student who did his schooling with two fingers in his nose. In other words, it means Davy is intelligent, and he successfully went through schooling with little effort.

Klaassen and his siblings were all intelligent students. Naomi, his sister, studied nursing, while Aron, his brother, is a business economics graduate.

Davy did not only aspire to become a professional footballer but also to graduate successfully from high school (which he did). After five years of VWO (preparatory scientific education), the footballer still had to go for a HAVO diploma.

Completing his education up to the level he wanted wasn’t possible because of the demands of his professional football life. Now, let’s begin his career story.

Davy Klaassen Biography – Football Story:

The journey to becoming a professional began at the age of six in Hilversum, at a time he joined HVV de Zebra.

This is a Dutch amateur football club in the Minckelersstraat district of his hometown, Hilversum. Klaassen began his football career there on solid footing, and he played there until 2003.

At the age of 10, he transferred to HSV Wasmeer, another academy in Hilversum. Klaassen rose through the youth ranks of the local amateur side to become one of the best in his age group.

His dedication to the game made him a subject of interest to the watchful eyes of football scouts.

FC Utrecht was initially interested in Davy Klaassen, and the academy invited him for an internship.

After undergoing a number of test training sessions, the club (who wasn’t still convinced of his talent) told him to come back for more test matches.

In no time, the boy got scouted by his family club, Ajax. Davy Klaassen’s parents approved his decision to reject FC Utrecht and accept Ajax in 2004. So, he enrolled and began playing at Ajax Academy when he was twelve.

Davy had a solid start to life with the academy of the Dutch giants. Thanks to his charisma, maturity and dedication, he was made captain of his Ajax youth team.

Road to Fame Story:

The footballer continued his captaincy role as he progressed through the youth age groups of Ajax. Davy Klaassen wasn’t necessarily very big or fast, but he was very good tactically. He played football with his brain, and he was the type who saw very well the spaces to shoot for a goal.

Thanks to his all-around play, Klaassen forged his Ajax team to many victories. Back then, after each game, the captain always walked to the section where the family seats.

Davy was seen as someone who always made them proud, either when he scored great goals or when he spoke as a youth leader during trophy celebrations.

Early professional life:

On the 22nd day of November 2011, the Ajax midfielder and captain achieved his dream of becoming a professional football player.

Finally, Davy became a product of Ajax’s world-renowned youth academy. He joined a great Ajax team (who, at that time) had big youngsters like Christian Eriksen (CM), Jan Vertonghen, and Toby Alderweireld.

Under the command of Frank de Boer, Davy helped his team to win the Eredivisie for three straight seasons.

Just like his youth, the Baller rose to become captain of the Ajax senior team. For the 2015–16 season, Davy was named Ajax’ captain after replacing Niklas Moisander, who left the club.

The journey to Everton:

During Ronald Koeman‘s reign with the English club, he recruited Klaassen alongside other top talents. For example, the likes of Nikola Vlasic (AM), Gylfi Sigurdsson, Wayne Rooney and Ademola Lookman. Unfortunately, Davy’s stay at Everton did not go as he had expected. 

The Orange international once attributed his failed adventure with Everton to many factors. Davy said the English club’s playing style did not suit him.

Moving on, Klaassen activated a transfer to Werder Bremen, where he completely revived his career.

With Bremen, the Dutch combined well with Josh Sargent, a feat that gave him the power to defeat dragons.

Davy Klaassen Biography – Rise to Fame Story:

There is a saying that you should never go back to your first senior club until your career is almost over. But in the case of Davy Klaassen, his shock return to Ajax came because the club needed a saviour. Ajax saw him as the best man who could occupy the space left vacant by Donny van de Beek.

After successfully winning the fight for Klaassen, Ajax gained other new top talents like Sébastien Haller, Brazil’s Antony and Mohammed Kudus. In his second return to the club, Klaassen became the second-highest goal scorer behind Dusan Tadic.

The second season of his return to Ajax saw him, Steven Berghuis and Ryan Gravenberch being the best midfielder performers in the club.

Because of his input to his team, Klaassen earned his nickname “Mister 1-0”. This name came because the Baller was always the person who scored the first goal of a match.

Under the command of Erik ten Hag, the Hilversum star helped the club win more trophies (in his second spell with the club). By winning these trophies the second time, Davy affirmed his status as an Ajax Legend.

National team Success:

During his first spell with Ajax, Louis van Gaal called the Dutch to represent his country at the senior level.

With his debut for the Netherlands, Klaassen became the 100th current Ajax player in history to wear the Dutch national team shirt. Unfortunately, the Netherlands failed to not make it to the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

At the time of writing Davy Klaassen’s Biography, he is still a vital part of a Louis van Gaal Dutch national side to participate in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The rest, as we say, is now history.

Love Life:

The Hilversum-born midfielder is not single as of 2022. Previously, Davy was known to have dated his childhood sweetheart, Amber Moolenbeek, who comes from Hilversum.

Now, behind his success comes a new WAG who goes by the name Laura Benschop. As many would say, she is Davy Klaassen’s Girlfriend and, possibly, his wife-to-be.

Who is Laura Benschop?

To start with, Davy Klaassen’s wife-to-be is a lady who possesses both beauty and brains. Our findings show that Laura Benschop studied criminology at a Canadian University. Added to her work experience, Davy Klaassen’s girlfriend is a hairstylist and interior designer.

Laura Benschop was born on the 8th day of November 1992. By implication, she is one year older than her Davy Klaassen. Do you know?… Laura Benschop (who is a huge dog lover) once participated in Miss Netherlands in 2017. Her childhood photo, including that of the modern-day, reveals someone with a great personality.

Personal Life:

Davy Klaassen’s parents, including himself and his twin siblings, have lived ‘normally’ in a terraced house for years. Even while he started earning money as a professional, Davy never got tired of living with his patents. This photo reveals Davy Klaassen’s house in Amsterdam. Back then, the footballer took up the role of his family’s chef. Dacy is someone who enjoys his cooking duties.

Hobbies:

During his spare hours, Davy devotes himself to playing the piano. The Orange midfielder once ensured he attended piano classes three times a week, despite his busy football schedule. Typical Davy is someone who never cancels his piano classes, and he ensures punctuality.

Next on his hobby, the Orange talent is someone who has a habit of solving mathematical questions.

Klaassen once revealed that his love for mathematics helps his thinking ability in the field of play. Have you noticed that Klaassen’s spatial insight is responsible for him scoring lots of goals as a midfielder?

While playing good football with Ajax, he also ensures he achieves good educational results. Davy, like most footballers, aspires to become a university graduate.

He once proved his intelligence in mathematics after achieving a satisfactory grade during a maths test. What was the secret?… The Soccer genius had a mathematics teacher at Ajax who taught him pre-university education maths.

Lifestyle:

Speaking of the way he lives, the Dutch midfielder is not someone who is materialistic. This comes even though Davy now lives in a nice house in Amsterdam.

Klaassen is someone who always wants to share part of his wages with family members. He does find time to take his girlfriend (Laura Benschop) to some of the best seaside destinations in Europe.

At a time when it happens to be summer, Davy and his girlfriend (Laura) can be seen here enjoying a perfect feel of their natural seaside surroundings. For the Ajax footballer, it is a perfect way to recharge his batteries after a long season with his club.

When it comes to his love for holiday adventures, do you know that Davy and Laura put Africa on their list? Yes, Cape Town, known for being home to Nelson Mandela, is one of their favourite holiday places.

Here is an April 2018 photo of the love birds enjoying their tour of the beautiful country of South Africa.

Davy Klaassen Car:

Although automobiles are a necessary evil for footballers, the Dutch do not fancy the idea of having an exotic brand.

Among the cars that Klaassen owns is a little Mercedes, which he acquired many years ago when he was 18.

Davy Klaassen Family Life:

As a boy, many knew Cheese Straw as this carefree kid who never fails to put up an alluring smile.

Klaassen never fails to appreciate his parents for their encouragement. This includes the guidance of other family members who made his childhood worthwhile. Now, let’s tell you more about them.

Davy Klaassen Father:

Gert-Jan is a Hilversummer who has always spoken with a strong Amsterdam accent. He works closely with Essel sports management to ensure his son’s career interest is well represented.

To this day, Klaassen’s Dad remains a passionate Ajax fan. Let’s not forget that he has been a season ticket holder for the club, even before his beloved son was born.

Once upon a time, Gert-Jan was close to seeing his son join FC Utrecht before Ajax came calling.

On the day FC Utrecht approved a second test match for Davy, Ajax came forward, and the family club wanted their son in its globally famous academy.

Davy Klaassen’s Dad could not say NO to his beloved Ajax. So, Gert-Jan (who was initially being modest) asked FC Utrecht if Davy could come another day for his second test match. The answer to that was a definite No, and that made Gert-Jan discard the club for Ajax.

Davy Klaassen Mother:

Kitty, like her husband, rarely gets media headlines except for an event that happened in February of 2021.

On that day, Dutch media reported that Davy Klaassen’s mother washed all her son’s football shirts too hot (with a washing machine). That period was indeed a turbulent time for Ajax, who had just made a mistake.

First, the Dutch club forgot to register their most expensive purchase (Haller) for the Europa League.

Secondly, Andre Onana was facing a nine-month ban. Then came the mistake of Davy’s Mum turning the washing machine to 90 degrees, which is too hot to wash her son’s jersey.

Kitty’s mistake began when Davy brought home the jersey he had in the dressing room. And no one separated the shirts from other clothes that needed hot temperature wash.

According to Klaassen, it wasn’t his mum’s intention to turn the washing machine to 90 degrees. Despite the error, Kitty is seen as a devoted mother who never waivered the support she has for her sons.

Klaassen remains one of the football sons of the cheerful and very useful Mum. At the time Ajax first took notice of his talent, they reached out to Kitty, his mum.

When the ex-coach, Mr Blind (the father of Daley Blind), spoke with her about her son joining Ajax, Kitty first thought it was a joke.

Davy Klaassen Siblings:

This section of his Bio will break down more facts about his brother (Aron) and sister (Naomi), who are twins. So, without further ado, let’s begin.

Davy Klaassen Brother:

Aron, a business economics graduate, works at Essel Sports Management. This is a soccer agency that has managed Davy’s career since he was a child.

Although Aron didn’t succeed in becoming a professional footballer, he is still very involved in the sport.

Davy Klaassen’s Brother, during his free time, plays football with SV Huizen. Aron, who used to wear Ajax pyjamas (as he told Fox Sports), remains the only family member who supports Feyenoord.

Back in the day, many people argued that Aron was a better footballer than Davy. However, his older brother was seen as more disciplined, and that became the key to his career success. For failing to become a footballer, Aron is now dedicated to helping young footballers avoid the mistakes that he once made.

Davy Klaassen Sister:

Naomi works for the disabled homes in Hilversum, her birthplace. Like Josh Sargent‘s sister (Taylor), she is a professional nurse. Recently, in 2021, Naomi left her family’s residence to live with her boyfriend in Bussum, a commuter town in North Holland. Davy Klaassen’s Sister’s boyfriend is from Bussum.

Nurse Naomi Klaassen doesn’t know much about soccer; she, however, never fails to support Davy from the stands. Here is a photo of Naomi and Aron Klaassen, the twins who are the biggest supporters of their big brother.

Davy Klaassen’s Grandfather:

Jaap possesses a hobby of keeping scrapbooks of his grandson’s entire career. This scrapbook contains Davy’s childhood soccer photos. All of these photos have Jaap’s beautiful handwriting texts (a bit oblique). He, a huge fan of the Johan Cruijff ArenA, has been very fond of Davy’s football-inspired moments.

Untold Facts:

In the final section of Davy Klaassen’s Biography, we’ll unveil more truths you might not know about him. So, without further ado, let’s begin.

How Rich is the Dutch Midfielder?

The average person living in the Netherlands earns roughly 36.5 thousand euros per year. So you know?… Such a person would need 89 years to make Davy Klaassen’s annual Ajax salary of €3,264,999. Wow!

Davy Klaassen FIFA:

At 28, the Dutch midfielder lacks nothing in football besides goalkeeping and defending. Dominik Szoboszlai and Emile Smith Rowe have similar stats with the Dutchman. Let’s not forget to mention the name Dani Parejo.

Now, here is a reason why Davy is one of football’s best utility players, a Baller who is driven by success and determination.

Davy Klaassen Albino Facts:

The Dutch soccer player has a skin tone which is quite similar to Paul Scholes and Kevin DeBruyne. It is pertinent to state that Davy’s skin colour should not be interpreted as him being an Albino.

As researchers would say, Abino or Albinism is an inherited condition which shows someone having very light skin, eyes and hair. Albinos have less melanin amount than usual that is supposed to be in their body.

Davy Klaassen Religion:

Although the Ajax Midfielder hasn’t given any clue about his faith, our odds are in favour of him being non-religious. Davy Klaassen’s parents raised him in a country where 55% of its citizens are non-religious.

EndNote:

Davy Klaassen’s nicknames are “Cheese Straw” and “Mister 1-0”. The Dutch soccer star was born on the 21st day of February 1993. Davy’s birthplace is Hilversum, the Netherlands. His parents are as follows: Kitty Klaassen (his Mum) and Gert-Jan Klaassen (his Dad).

Aron (a business economist) and Naomi (a nurse) are the Siblings of Davy Klaassen. The two Klaassens are Twins who are 11 minutes apart. Davy Klaassen’s grandpa, Jaap Klaassen, shaped his childhood. Not to mention, Laura Benschop is the current girlfriend of the Dutch midfielder. Amber Moolenbeek is Davy’s ex-lover.

The children of Kitty and Gert-Jan are well-educated. Davy passed through his early schooling at Hilversum, his hometown.

Davy Klaassen completed his high school education while he was with Ajax’s youth. Since graduation, the utility midfielder (a fan of maths) has yearned to further his studies.

Davy’s journey to becoming a professional began in 1999 when he joined HVV de Zebra. Later (in 2003), he moved to HSV Wasmeer (a hometown club). This was before he earned a deserved enrolment with the world-renowned Ajax Academy.

The Hilversum native showed lots of promise as a professional footballer, a feat that led to him winning the Eredivisie (three times) and the Johan Cruyff Shield. Everton signed Davy Klaassen in 2017.

Following a difficult start to life at the club, he joined Werder Bremen, and in 2020, a return to Ajax followed.

At the time of writing the History of Davy Klaassen, he was favoured alongside notables like Memphis Depay (CF), Steven Berghuis (RW), Cody Gakpo, etc. These footballers represent some of the biggest hope the Netherlands has in their quest to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Appreciation Note:

Thank you for taking the time to read our version of Davy Klaassen’s Biography. We strive for fairness and accuracy in our quest to deliver you European Soccer Stories. Davy Klaassen’s Bio is a product of our collection of Dutch Footballers.

Kindly reach out to us via comments if you find anything that doesn’t look right in this memoir about the athlete named Cheese Straw. Also, use our comment section to tell you what you think about the Ajax midfielder’s career and the amazing content we’ve written about him.

Aside from Davy Klaassen’s Biography, we’ve got other great Dutch Stories lined up for you. The Life History of Xavi Simons and Denzel Dumfries will interest your reading pleasure.