The fact that his parents had him at Vlaardingen (South Holland) automatically grants him both a Dutch passport and the country’s citizenship. However, there is more to Ian Maatsen’s origins. Research has it that the Dutch Leftback and Winger is of Surinamese descent. Now, where is Surinamese does the footballer come from?
Ian Maatsen’s family hails from Paramaribo, in Suriname. Paramaribo, situated on the banks of the Suriname River, is the capital city of Suriname. The country of Ian Maatsen’s ancestry, Suriname, speaks Dutch, and it is the smallest nation in South America, both in terms of land area and population.
As depicted on the map to the right, Suriname— the homeland of the Maatsen family— shares its borders with French Guiana to the east, Brazil to the south, Guyana to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the north.
What is Ian Maatsen’s Ethnicity?
The footballer identifies with an ethnic group known as “Dutch Surinamese.” This ethnic term describes a person of Surinamese descent who was born in, or has ties to, the Netherlands. It is pertinent to state that Suriname and the Netherlands share a history together. Suriname was a Dutch colony until it achieved independence in 1975.
There are a few footballers (present or retired) who are Dutch Surinamese that you probably don’t know about. Active footballers here include Denzel Dumfries, Ki-Jana Hoever, Tyrell Malacia, Xavi Simons and Crysencio Summerville. The list of retired footballers includes Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Edgar Davids, and the legendary Clarence Seedorf.
