Koen Bucker

Last updated

Koen Bucker
Koen bucker -1694345568.jpg
Bucker in 2023
Personal information
Date of birth (1996-06-18) 18 June 1996 (age 29)
Place of birth Wormer, Netherlands [1]
Height 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)
Position Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Emmen
Number 1
Youth career
WSV '30
2011–2016 AZ
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2016–2018 Jong AZ 5 (0)
2018–2023 Heracles Almelo 14 (0)
2023–2025 Roda JC 22 (0)
2025– Emmen 0 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20:34, 5 December 2025 (UTC)

Koen Bucker (born 18 June 1996) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Eerste Divisie club Emmen.

Contents

Career

Jong AZ

Bucker was born in Wormer, and began his football journey in the youth teams of WSV '30 and later joined the ranks of AZ's youth setup in 2011. [1]

In 2015, he received a promotion to the club's reserves, Jong AZ. While he made three appearances for Jong AZ, he primarily served as the backup to Nick Olij during the 2016–17 season, a campaign that culminated in Jong AZ clinching the Tweede Divisie championship and promotion to the Eerste Divisie. [2] Bucker made his professional debut with Jong AZ in a 1–0 loss to RKC Waalwijk on 12 January 2018. [3]

Heracles Almelo

On 31 July 2018, Bucker signed with Eredivisie club Heracles Almelo on a two-year deal with an option for an additional season. [4] He was slated to take over as the third goalkeeper on the depth chart, following the retirement of Harm Zeinstra on the same day. [4]

In 2020, Bucker was promoted to backup goalkeeper for Heracles. On 1 November 2020, Bucker made his Eredivisie debut for the club, as Janis Blaswich and Michael Brouwer were absent. He started in a 4–1 victory against Utrecht, in what newspaper Tubantia described as an "outstanding debut". [5]

Roda JC

On 14 August 2023, Bucker joined Eerste Divisie club Roda JC on a two-year contract with the option for a further year. [6] There, he was set to compete with Rody de Boer for starting goalkeeper position. [1] Four days later, Bucker made his debut for Roda as a starter in a 3–0 away victory against ADO Den Haag, confirming himself as first goalkeeper on the depth chart for De Koempels. [7] In December 2023, he suffered an arm injury, which ruled him out for several months. [8]

In May 2025, Roda JC announced that Bucker would depart the club at the end of the 2024–25 season, following the decision not to activate the option to extend his contract. [9]

Emmen

On 7 August 2025, Bucker signed a one-year contract with Eerste Divisie club Emmen, including an option for a further season, after training with the first team during pre-season. [10] He joined the squad as the designated understudy to first-choice goalkeeper Luca Unbehaun. [11]

Bucker made his competitive debut for Emmen on 28 October 2025 in the first round of the KNVB Cup, starting in a 1–0 defeat to amateur fourth-tier side Hoogeveen. The decisive goal came from a penalty awarded after a foul committed by Bucker, a decision he disputed after the match, arguing that the opposing forward had gone to ground too easily. [12]

Career statistics

As of match played 28 October 2025 [13]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Jong AZ 2016–17 Tweede Divisie 30——30
2017–18 Eerste Divisie 20——20
Total50——50
Heracles Almelo 2020–21 Eredivisie 2000—20
2021–22 Eredivisie120202 [a] 0160
2022–23 Eerste Divisie0010—10
Total1403020190
Roda JC 2023–24 Eerste Divisie170001 [a] 0180
2024–25 Eerste Divisie5000—50
Total2200010230
Emmen 2025–26 Eerste Divisie0010—10
Career total4104030480
  1. 1 2 Appearances in Eredivisie promotion/relegation playoffs

Honours

Jong AZ

Heracles Almelo

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Koen Bucker straks eerste keus in Kerkrade". Rodi (in Dutch). 22 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Jong AZ promoveert naar Jupiler League dankzij titel in Tweede Divisie". NU (in Dutch). 1 April 2017. Archived from the original on 13 October 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  3. ↑ "RKC Waalwijk vs. AZ II 1–0: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Archived from the original on 13 July 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Harm Zeinstra stopt, Koen Bucker nieuwe doelman". Heracles Almelo (Press release) (in Dutch). 31 July 2018. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  5. ↑ Wagenaar, Fardau (2 November 2020). "Koen Bucker pakt kans: Jammer voor Janis en Michael, mooi voor mij". Tubantia (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  6. ↑ "Roda JC neemt doelman Koen Bucker over van Heracles Almelo". Roda JC Kerkrade (Press release) (in Dutch). 14 August 2023. Archived from the original on 14 August 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  7. ↑ Thimister, Bjorn (16 August 2023). "Nieuwe doelman Koen Bucker meteen onder lat Roda in Den Haag". ZO-NWS (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  8. ↑ Caelen, Sem (18 December 2023). "Forse blessure Bucker: Roda JC wil nieuwe keeper halen". L1 Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  9. ↑ "Roda JC neemt afscheid van verschillende spelers en stafleden" [Roda JC part ways with multiple players and staff]. Roda JC Kerkrade (in Dutch). 13 May 2025. Archived from the original on 9 June 2025. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  10. ↑ "FC Emmen legt doelman Koen Bucker vast" [FC Emmen sign goalkeeper Koen Bucker]. FC Emmen (Press release) (in Dutch). 7 August 2025. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
  11. ↑ Beije, Ton (8 August 2025). "Nieuwsflits Keuken Kampioen Divisie" [Newsflash Keuken Kampioen Divisie]. Haaglanden Voetbal (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 6 September 2025. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
  12. ↑ Renkema, Mathijs; Krale, Jan Willem (29 October 2025). "Zure FC Emmen-doelman spreekt van ouderwetse schwalbe: 'Hij laat zich gewoon vallen'" [Bitter FC Emmen goalkeeper calls it an old-fashioned dive: 'He just lets himself fall']. RTV Drenthe (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 5 December 2025. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
  13. ↑ Koen Bucker at Soccerway
  14. ↑ "Winnend Heracles ziet PEC niet uithalen en is kampioen van eerste divisie". NOS (in Dutch). 19 May 2023. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
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