The first image perfectly describes the character. "He never stopped; I had to tell him to calm down and not chase everyone." Pascal Jansen, former coach of AZ Alkmaar from 2018 to 2023, lights up when he talks about Tijjani Reijnders, relays via Gazzetta.it.
The player's former coach delves into the story of why Tijjani is nicknamed 'Duracell'.
"It’s not just a figure of speech, I assure you," he says. "The impressive thing was not only that he ran everywhere, but he did so without losing clarity or quality."
Reijnders has remained the same even in Italy. The second message, however, contains a promise.
"If you keep playing like this, in a couple of years, you could easily do it with the guys in white who were in front of you today." The reference is, of course, to Real Madrid.
Pascal sent him this after last Tuesday's victory at the Bernabéu. Tijjani laughed and kept doing what he does best: running, fighting, assisting teammates, and attacking spaces without holding back.
Jansen has no doubts about AC Milan's dutch midfielder:
"For me, Reijnders is among the best in the world. Right now, perhaps only Rodri and Bellingham are ahead of him, but he can surpass them. After all, if he always plays like this..."
However, his career hasn't always been smooth sailing, especially at the beginning. After a couple of seasons with AZ's senior team, Tijjani couldn't find space in the first team and was sent on loan to Waalwijk.
"There was nothing wrong with him; he just needed to grow and gain experience. I chose to send him out to play. Before he left, I told him, ‘Go now, and you’ll be back soon.’ And that’s how it was. From the following year onward, he stayed with us, and I never took him out. Not even for a single game."
On Reijnders assist for Rafael Leao against Cagliari:
"I’ve seen him do it a million times in matches and training. I think back to the ball he played to Pavlidis against Anderlecht in the Europa League. It was very similar—again, a delicate chip that served up a ball ready to be slotted into the net."
Jansen added:
"I’ve always followed him; he’s a champion of humility. People often say these things about everyone, just for the sake of saying them. But in his case, it’s truly the way he is. And in this, his family played an important role."
Tijjani's father, Martin Reijnders, is a youth coach at AZ, while his brother plays in the Eredivisie for PEC Zwolle...
"But no one ever pressured him or pushed him to become a footballer. It all came naturally. We were always aware we had a gem in our hands; it just needed to be nurtured and developed."
On his growth, Jansen said:
"For me, he’s already among the best in the world. But if I close my eyes, I can imagine him in a few years with a trophy in his hands. Who knows, maybe even a Scudetto with Milan..."
