BRIGHTON fans may have been forgiven for doing a double take at the sight of Jurgen Locadia at the World Cup.

The big money flop who only scored six in 46 appearances (23 starts + 23 as a sub) for the Seagulls led the line for footballing minnows Curaçao in Group E at the 2026 World Cup when they lost twice (2-0 to Côte d’Ivoire and 7-1 to Germany) but forced an honourable 0-0 draw with Ecuador.

The Dutchman won 35 caps for the Netherlands across under-17 to under-21 levels, but switched allegiance to Curaçao (the Dutch Caribbean island his family came from) who were managed by veteran boss Dick Advocaat, the man who launched Locadia’s PSV Eindhoven career.

Curaçao goalkeeper Eloy Room, a Miami FC teammate of Locadia, was largely instrumental in persuading other Dutch-born players with Curacaoan roots to join Advocaat’s squad in their unlikely World Cup adventure, which was made easier with the tournament’s expansion to 48 teams.

Although Locadia had been called up to the Dutch senior squad on various occasions between 2014 and 2017, he had withdrawn through injury. When he was fit and selected for games against Belarus and Sweden in 2017, he was an unused substitute.

Locadia’s time with Brighton was a costly disappointment apart from back-to-back matches at Christmas 2018 when he got an equaliser in a home draw with Arsenal and the winner as Everton were beaten at the Amex three days later.

He also buried a decent strike in the March 2019 FA Cup quarter final against Millwall when Albion recovered from 2-0 down, reducing the deficit with Locadia’s shot on the turn before Solly March’s lofted free-kick slipped through ‘keeper David Martin’s hands to equalise. Albion won the penalty shoot-out 5-4.

In the same competition, Locadia had made a goalscoring debut for the Seagulls 13 months earlier, converting an Anthony Knockaert cross in the 15^th minute as Albion beat Coventry City 3-1 at the Amex. A week later, after going on as a sub, he notched the fourth goal when Albion beat Swansea City 4-1 at Falmer.

He’d been at the club a month, unable to play because he was nursing a hamstring injury when signed from PSV, but such a start seemed to justify the then record £14.1m paid out for a player who’d already scored nine goals in 15 games for PSV earlier that season.

Boss Chris Hughton declared: “He is a player we have been aware of for some time and it’s been no secret we have wanted to add a striker of his type.

“He is a strong, powerful and quick centre-forward with a real eye for goal, and will increase our attacking options in the second half of the season.

“Jurgen already has a prolific goal record with PSV in the Dutch top division and it is one we hope he can continue here with us in the Premier League.”

Alas, after that early promise other goals were few and far between and a perceived lack of effort together with going public about not wanting to head the ball as well as a seemingly greater enthusiasm for being a DJ and producing house music didn’t endear him to Albion fans.

Born in Emmen in the Netherlands on 7 November 1993, Locadia was only five years old when he got his first taste of football with youth side VV Bargeres.

Spotted by local side FC Emmen, he rose through their ranks and had his first international call-up for the Dutch under-15s.

Tilburg-based Willem II took him on for the 2009-10 season and in June 2010 he joined PSV Eindhoven, where he remained for seven seasons, making 176 appearances, including 118 starts, scoring 62 goals and adding 39 assists across all competitions.

After scoring two hat-tricks in his first dozen games, in May 2014 the Sky Sports Scout feature profiled what it described as “one of the most exciting talents we have seen in recent times”.

Introduced to the first team squad during Advocaat’s reign, the article noted: “The 6ft 3in striker looks to have everything in his locker to take him to the top of the game. Similar in stature to somebody like Patrick Kluivert – it would be very easy to make comparisons between Locadia and the Dutch striking legend.

“Perhaps slightly quicker than Kluivert, it is clear Locadia’s main attribute is his eye for goal – he is happiest in the box. But he is anything but a goal poacher. Two good feet, he is capable of holding the ball up and he is also a real danger when playing off the last defender. All in all, he is a top, top prospect.”

Locadia was part of the PSV side that won the 2015-16 and 2017-18 Eredivisie championships as well as consecutive Dutch Super Cups in 2016 and 2017. He also made a combined 30 appearances in UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League matches.

In less than a year at Brighton, there were already rumblings of discontent which Hughton was questioned about.

While away on international duty, Locadia had told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf of his frustrations at a lack of game time claiming he had not had the chance “to show what I am worth”.

Hughton said the player’s comments were “taken out of proportion” but admitted: “That doesn’t escape the fact that he would like to play more. We expect every player that is not playing so much to think the exact same way.

“I have no problems with his views. He is a very good individual, he trains well and the most important thing is he is very motivated to play here.”

Hughton’s successor Graham Potter had not long been in the hot seat before sanctioning loans for the Dutchman: to Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga and Cincinnati in the MLS.

Yet Potter still seemed to hold out hope that Locadia might turn a corner in an Albion shirt. After reintroducing him to the squad in September 2021, the head coach told a fans forum: “Obviously, he has got an opportunity to show what he can do, he has got talent, he has got ability.

“Things have not quite worked out how he would have liked since he has been here. He has got to knuckle down and show what he can do because there is a player there.”

He made his first Brighton appearance in over two years on 22 September 2021, going on as a 76th-minute substitute for double goalscorer Aaron Connolly in a 2–0 home third round League Cup win over Swansea. In the next round, away to Leicester City, he started in the 2-2 draw when the home side went through 4-2 on penalties.

Three days later, he was an unused substitute in a 2–2 away league draw at Liverpool and his final appearance in the stripes was as a 68^th-minute substitute for misfiring Neal Maupay in a home 0-0 draw against Leeds United in November when, according to wearebrighton.com, a loose ball fell invitingly to him on the edge of the penalty area but he fell over his own leg when attempting a shot.

Early into the new year, Albion cut their losses and gave the player a free transfer to German side Bochum, Potter telling the club website: “Jurgen is keen to play, and Bochum provides him that opportunity, and the possibility to reinvigorate his career in the Bundesliga, where he has previously enjoyed success with Hoffenheim.”

After just half a season in Germany, his next stop was Persepolis in the Persian Gulf Pro League. But he left Iran in December 2022 amid security concerns after the Dutch government warned its nationals not to remain in the country. There had been nationwide protests in Iran in the previous three months and other European countries like Germany, France and Belgium had also urged their citizens to leave Iran.

Locadia’s next destination was China and he scored seven goals in 23 appearances for Cangzhou Mighty Lions in the Chinese Super League.

From there he moved to Spain and played for Basque side SD Amorebieta, a second-tier side, but, after their relegation, in June 2024 The Sun was reporting he was about to join his fifth club in two years, Alicante-based third division side Intercity.

He scored 10 goals in 24 appearances before heading back to the States in December 2025 to sign for Miami.

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