Just before entering the hotel lobby for the interview, Bouwman shares a quick chat with Gerald Alders. He points out the piano in the corner to his teammate. "Gerald can really play the piano well. He definitely needs to play this week," the right-footer says with a laugh.
Darts
When asked whether he has any unusual interests or talents outside of football, Bouwman shakes his head. "No, I don’t really have any weird hobbies. I do have a dartboard at home. I enjoy it, even though I’m not very good. I’m interested in many ball sports, but I’ve only ever played football since I was a kid. I was focused solely on football and that hasn’t changed."
Bouwman began playing football at DSS and then moved to Kon. HFC, an Ajax partner club. Ajax came calling when he was eleven. It was a major step, not least because it came with an immediate change of position. "I can’t really remember what I thought at the time, but probably something like: ‘Damn, this is a bit of a letdown.’ Defending is so different from scoring goals."
With the benefit of hindsight, Bouwman is nothing but thankful. "Seeing where I’ve ended up, they were right. It was a good decision."
One natural question: does Bouwman still possess that ‘torinstinkt’ – as the Germans say? "If I’m being honest, not really. Maybe I still have a feel for positioning, but the finishing instinct is pretty much gone."
This is Bouwman’s second consecutive year attending the summer training camp. Last season, Francesco Farioli brought him in for the first time. The Italian was impressed by Bouwman – and the feeling was mutual. "He’s a really good coach," says Bouwman, who received praise himself. "He liked my height as a central defender and was happy with my composure on the ball and the way I play."
Bouwman made his unofficial debut, but that was as far as it went. "I was able to show what I could do during training and friendlies. I was on the bench against Telstar and Sparta, but never got to make my official debut. You also need a bit of luck with how the game goes. Those matches were just too close."
Impressed
Bouwman still hopes to get his chance this season. The fact that he’s only seventeen shouldn’t be a barrier. He believes strongly in the saying 'if you're good enough, you're old enough'. "Absolutely. Just look at Jorthy Mokio last season – only sixteen and playing so well. Truly impressive."
Mokio is one of Bouwman's peers. The same goes for Sean Steur, another player he rates highly. "In my opinion, he’s definitely one to watch," says Bouwman when asked who might surprise this season.
He also enjoys being surrounded by players of his generation in Zeist. That wasn’t the case last year at the camp in Wageningen. "Back then, I was pretty much the only youngster. Now there are a lot more, guys I’ve been playing with for years."
That’s one of the reasons Bouwman is thriving this week in Zeist, where he’s soaking up knowledge from more experienced players. "It’s great having those first-team guys around. It’s a pleasure to play with someone like Klaassen or Berghuis."
How are they helping him most? "Definitely with the professional side of things. The way they take care of their bodies and what they do every day is just incredible. On the pitch, they also help with coaching. As a central defender, it’s important for me to keep communicating."
Virgil van Dijk
Klaassen and Berghuis have often played with Virgil van Dijk for the national team – Bouwman’s biggest role model. "His composure on the ball, his technique, his passing, and of course his defending. It’s really everything about his presence," says Bouwman.
As the son of an English mother, Bouwman hopes to one day follow in Van Dijk’s footsteps by playing in England. "The top four of the Premier League is my ultimate dream, although playing at the top in Spain or another major footballing country would also be amazing."
That’s all for the future, he stresses. For now, his focus is firmly on developing at Ajax. Last season didn’t go quite as planned due to injuries, but he’s back on track. "First my hip, and then in my first match back with Jong Ajax I twisted my ankle badly. That wasn’t great, but now I’m back to my old level. The goal now is to stay fit and keep it going."
Ambitions
When it comes to his goals for the 2025/2026 season, Bouwman is clear, besides stayling fit: "My season will be a success if I make my debut for Ajax 1. I also want to play a lot for Jong Ajax – hopefully ninety minutes every week. And as the season goes on, I want to be part of the first team setup. But playing regularly is the most important thing."
