
Heerkens from boarding school to the ArenA: 'The Czech Republic made me tough'
Joeri Heerkens grew up in a tiny hamlet surrounded by the tranquil scenery of the Czech Republic. At twelve, he traded his parents’ familiar campsite for the strict life of a boarding school. He wanted to give up, but pulled himself together and became mentally unbreakable. Since 2025, he has been a goalkeeper at Ajax. Time for an in-depth conversation. "I spent sleepless nights, and when my dad dropped me off, I clung to him in tears."