Robin Roefs in 2026: Net Worth and Salary, Injury, Transfer, Wife, Nationality, Height and FAQs

Robin Roefs had one of the most impressive debut Premier League seasons of any goalkeeper in recent memory. In just his first year in England, the 23-year-old Dutchman kept ten clean sheets in 35 Premier League starts for Sunderland, saved all three penalties in an FA Cup shootout against Everton, received his first senior Netherlands call-up, and was named in Ronald Koeman's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. All of this from a player who had barely 42 Eredivisie appearances to his name before arriving at the Stadium of Light.

With Chelsea reportedly willing to pay 50 million euros for him and his market value sitting at 25 million euros, Roefs is now one of the most talked-about young goalkeepers in European football. People want to know about his background, his personal life, his injury record, how much he earns, and what his future looks like. This article covers all of it.

Robin Roefs Profile 

Early Life and Background

Robin Gerardus Petrus Roefs was born on 17 January 2003 in Heeswijk, a small village in the North Brabant province of the Netherlands. His early football life was shaped entirely by the local community. He started playing for VV Heeswijk, the village club, from the age of six in 2009, and spent five years there before NEC Nijmegen came in to scout him in 2014. That move to a professional academy at the age of eleven was the first sign that the local coaches had spotted something worth developing.

He spent the next six years working through NEC's youth setup, from 2014 all the way to 2020, before stepping into the professional environment properly. In the 2021-22 season, while he was still waiting for his senior breakthrough, he actually went back to help train goalkeepers at VV Heeswijk, which tells you something about his character. He could have been sitting around waiting for his shot at NEC but instead kept himself sharp by contributing back to the club where it all started.

In September 2023, with Roefs yet to make his first team debut, NEC made the decision to extend his contract until 2028, describing him publicly as their future first-choice goalkeeper. That endorsement proved accurate. Two weeks later, he made his professional debut coming off the bench for the injured Jasper Cillessen in a 3-0 Eredivisie win over Utrecht. He never really looked back after that.

Robin Roefs Nationality and Height

Robin Roefs is Dutch. He was born and raised in the Netherlands and holds Dutch citizenship. On the international stage, he represented the Netherlands at youth level before receiving his first senior Oranje call-up on 29 August 2025, just weeks after joining Sunderland, making him one of the quickest recipients of a senior Netherlands call-up following a transfer in recent memory. On 27 May 2026, he was named in Ronald Koeman's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is a significant milestone for a goalkeeper who only turned 23 in January.

On the question of height, Roefs stands at 1.93 metres, which is just under 6 feet 4 inches. For a goalkeeper, that is an excellent frame. It gives him a natural presence in the air and helps him cover the angles at Premier League level. His left-footedness is also notable among goalkeepers at the top level, where right-footed keepers are far more common, and it is part of why his distribution from the left side of goal tends to be particularly natural and accurate.

Career Journey and Transfer to Sunderland

After making his NEC debut in September 2023, Roefs quickly established himself as the first-choice goalkeeper in Nijmegen. His first full season in 2024-25 was outstanding. He made 42 appearances across all competitions, kept 13 clean sheets, and played a significant role in helping NEC finish eighth in the Eredivisie. He also represented the Netherlands at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, where he helped the Dutch side reach the semi-finals before losing to eventual winners England.

Roefs had hinted in May 2024 that he wanted to move on if more playing time could not be guaranteed at a higher level, and Sunderland moved decisively. On 1 August 2025, newly promoted Premier League side Sunderland announced his signing for an undisclosed fee on a five-year contract running until June 2030. In his first Sunderland interview he said that joining a club with such a rich history was a proud moment and that he was excited for the challenge of the Premier League.

That challenge was met head on. His debut came on 16 August 2025 in a 3-0 Premier League win over West Ham United, keeping a clean sheet on his very first day. What followed was a debut season that most experienced goalkeepers would be proud of: 35 Premier League starts, ten clean sheets placing him sixth in the league rankings, an average FotMob rating of 6.95, and enough individual moments of quality to attract the serious transfer interest that began circulating by spring 2026.

His agent is listed with SEG, one of the leading football agencies working across Europe. The fact that his name has appeared in reports linking Chelsea and Liverpool to the same goalkeeper position suggests that the transfer window ahead of the 2026-27 season will be interesting for both Sunderland and for Roefs personally.

Robin Roefs Wife

Robin Roefs has not publicly confirmed a wife or girlfriend. He keeps his personal life entirely away from the public eye and has not spoken about a relationship in any interview or shared one on social media in any confirmed capacity. At 23 years old, with his first Premier League season just completed and a World Cup ahead of him, his public attention is firmly on football rather than his private life.

No credible source has published any information about a partner. Until Roefs chooses to share something himself, this remains private.

Robin Roefs Injury History

Roefs has had a largely strong fitness record but did pick up one notable setback during the 2025-26 Premier League season that caused real concern at Sunderland at a crucial stage of the campaign.

In early March 2026, manager Regis Le Bris confirmed that Roefs had suffered a minor hamstring injury during a save, stretching his leg at an awkward angle. The injury was reported to require two to three weeks of recovery, ruling him out of the match against Leeds United. His backup, Swedish goalkeeper Melker Ellborg, stepped in to cover during his absence.

Roefs publicly acknowledged the frustration of the setback during his recovery. For a young goalkeeper in his debut Premier League season, missing games through injury rather than form is a hard thing to accept, and he was open about that. Regis Le Bris confirmed his return to contention shortly after the two to three week window passed, and he returned to the first team in time to finish the season strongly, helping Sunderland to European qualification on the final day.

Beyond that hamstring issue, there are no other significant injury records publicly associated with Roefs from his time at NEC or Sunderland. For a goalkeeper his age with the workload he carried in his debut Premier League season, that is a positive indicator of his physical durability.

Robin Roefs Net Worth and Salary in 2026

Roefs earns an estimated 10,000 pounds per week at Sunderland, which amounts to around 520,000 pounds per year. This places him at the lower end of the Premier League goalkeeper salary spectrum, which reflects the fact that his contract was structured before his standout debut season, when he was still an unproven Eredivisie player arriving from the Netherlands. It is the kind of wage that clubs sometimes have to work quickly to address when a player significantly outperforms their contractual value, and his situation at Sunderland is likely to attract internal discussions ahead of the 2026-27 season.

His transfer market value has climbed to approximately 25 million euros as of mid-2026, a considerable increase from what Sunderland paid for him in August 2025. Reports of Chelsea's interest at a fee of around 50 million euros would, if accurate, represent one of the highest goalkeeper transfer fees in Premier League history for a player of his age and experience level.

Taking into account his professional earnings from NEC and Sunderland combined, his current salary, any signing fees or bonuses associated with his Sunderland contract, and the early commercial visibility that comes with a World Cup squad inclusion, Icon Polls estimates Robin Roefs's net worth in 2026 to be between 6 million and 10 million dollars. This figure will move significantly upward if his next contract reflects his current market value and if any high-profile transfer materialises.

The Everton Penalty Shootout: The Moment That Made Everyone Notice

If there was one moment in the 2025-26 season that made the wider football world stop and pay attention to Robin Roefs, it was 10 January 2026 at Goodison Park. Sunderland and Everton had drawn 1-1 after extra time in the FA Cup third round. In the penalty shootout that followed, Roefs saved every single kick Everton attempted, three from three, sending Sunderland through 3-0 on penalties.

Penalty saves are partly about preparation and partly about reading the shooter, but saving all three in a shootout at a Premier League ground against an experienced Everton side in January was a statement. The clip of Roefs celebrating after the third save was widely shared, and it introduced him to a much larger audience than the Sunderland fanbase alone.

That performance, placed alongside his ten league clean sheets and his World Cup call-up, defines what his debut year in England looked like. It was not a quiet, gradual settling-in period. It was an immediate statement that Sunderland had signed a genuine top-level goalkeeper.

Playing Style and Strengths

Roefs is a left-footed goalkeeper standing at 1.93 metres with strong shot-stopping reflexes and good distribution. His left-footedness makes his goal kicks and build-up passing particularly natural from the left side, which suits Sunderland's possession-based approach under Regis Le Bris. He averages over three saves per Premier League game this season, which reflects both the quality of opposition Sunderland have faced and the regularity with which he has been called into action.

He scored highly on clean sheets and matches started among Premier League goalkeepers in the 2025-26 FotMob rankings, and his response to adversity, including the hamstring injury setback in March 2026, showed a mental resilience that young goalkeepers do not always demonstrate in their first year at the top level. His NEC manager had described him as someone who processes pressure calmly, and that quality has been visible throughout his time at Sunderland.

Frequently Asked Questions About Robin Roefs

1. Who is Robin Roefs?

Robin Roefs is a 23-year-old Dutch professional goalkeeper who plays for Sunderland in the Premier League and is part of the Netherlands squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

2. Where was Robin Roefs born?

He was born on 17 January 2003 in Heeswijk, a small village in the North Brabant province of the Netherlands.

3. What nationality is Robin Roefs?

He is Dutch. He holds Dutch citizenship and represents the Netherlands at international level.

4. How tall is Robin Roefs?

He stands at 1.93 metres, which is approximately 6 feet 4 inches. He is also notably left-footed, which is relatively uncommon among top-level goalkeepers.

5. What club does Robin Roefs play for?

He plays for Sunderland AFC in the Premier League, wearing the number 22 shirt.

6. When did Robin Roefs join Sunderland?

He signed for Sunderland on 1 August 2025, joining from NEC Nijmegen for an undisclosed fee on a five-year contract running until 30 June 2030.

7. What is Robin Roefs's contract length at Sunderland?

His contract runs until 30 June 2030, making him committed to the club through five seasons from his arrival in 2025.

8. Has Robin Roefs been linked with a transfer?

Yes. Reports emerged in 2026 that Chelsea were willing to pay approximately 50 million euros for him, and his name has also appeared in connection with Liverpool. Sunderland's long-term contract gives the club a strong negotiating position.

9. Does Robin Roefs have a wife?

There is no publicly confirmed information about a wife or girlfriend. He keeps his personal life private.

10. What injury did Robin Roefs have?

He suffered a minor hamstring injury in early March 2026, stretching his leg awkwardly during a save. He was ruled out for two to three weeks and missed the match against Leeds United before returning to the side.

11. What is Robin Roefs's net worth?

Icon Polls estimates his net worth in 2026 to be between 6 million and 10 million dollars, based on his earnings from NEC Nijmegen, his Sunderland contract, and the growing commercial profile that comes with World Cup selection.

12. What is Robin Roefs's salary at Sunderland?

He earns an estimated 10,000 pounds per week, approximately 520,000 pounds per year. This reflects a pre-breakout contract and is likely to be a point of discussion given his debut season performance.

13. What is Robin Roefs's market value?

His transfer market value is estimated at approximately 25 million euros as of mid-2026, a significant increase from what Sunderland paid for him in August 2025.

14. How many clean sheets did Robin Roefs keep in his first Premier League season?

 He kept 10 clean sheets in 35 Premier League starts in the 2025-26 season, placing him sixth in the league clean sheet rankings.

15. What happened in the Everton FA Cup shootout?

On 10 January 2026, Roefs saved all three penalties in an FA Cup third round shootout against Everton at Goodison Park after the match had ended 1-1. Sunderland won the shootout 3-0.

16. Is Robin Roefs in the Netherlands World Cup squad?

Yes. He was named in Ronald Koeman's Netherlands squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on 27 May 2026.

17. When did Robin Roefs receive his first senior Netherlands call-up?

He received his first senior Oranje call-up on 29 August 2025, just weeks after joining Sunderland, making it one of the quickest senior international recognitions following a transfer in Dutch football.

18. Where did Robin Roefs play before Sunderland?

He came through the youth academy of VV Heeswijk before joining NEC Nijmegen's academy in 2014. He made his professional debut for NEC in September 2023 and went on to make 42 appearances in the 2024-25 season before moving to Sunderland.

19. What is Robin Roefs's average FotMob rating in the Premier League?

He averaged a FotMob rating of 6.95 across 3,150 minutes played in the 2025-26 Premier League season, reflecting consistently solid performances throughout the campaign.

20. Who is Robin Roefs's agent?

He is represented by SEG, one of Europe's leading football agencies with a strong portfolio of Dutch and European players.

Robin Roefs has done in one season what most goalkeepers take three or four years to achieve after moving to a new league. He arrived from the Eredivisie as an unknown quantity to most English football fans and left his debut campaign as a World Cup goalkeeper with clubs of the stature of Chelsea reportedly circling. Ten clean sheets, a penalty shootout masterclass at Goodison Park, and a Netherlands call-up before the season was three weeks old: his first year in England has been remarkable by any measure.

At 23 with a contract until 2030, Sunderland are in a strong position. But if Roefs continues to develop at the rate he has shown, this will not be the last time his name appears in major transfer discussions. The 2026 World Cup and the 2026-27 Premier League season will tell us a lot about whether he can sustain this level and whether Sunderland can hold onto him.