Ruud Nijstad (born 17 January 2008) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Eredivisie club FC Twente.
Club career Born in Almelo, Nijstad played as a youngster for amateur club DETO and later trained in the joint youth academy of FC Twente and Heracles Almelo. He signed a three-year professional contract with FC Twente in February 2024.
He made his professional debut for FC Twente in the Eredivisie on 5 October 2025, at the age of 17, appearing as a substitute in the eighth minute for Robin Pröpper against Heracles, in a 2–1 victory for his side.
International career Nijstad is a youth international for the Netherlands, having made his debut for the Netherlands U16 in October 2023.
Career statistics
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueCupEuropeOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsTwente2025–26Eredivisie21130——2412026–27Eredivisie610050—111Career total272305000352
References