{{Short description|Footballer (born 2001)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Niels Hartman | full_name = Niels Mark Pieter Hartman | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2001|01|17|df=y}} | birth_place = Schoonhoven, Netherlands | height = {{height|ft=6|in=2}} | position = Defensive midfielder, centre-back | currentclub = Mons Calpe | clubnumber = 6 | youthyears1 = 2010–2013 | youthclubs1 = Unión Estepona | youthyears2 = 2013 | youthclubs2 = San Roque | youthyears3 = 2013–2017 | youthclubs3 = Taraguilla | youthyears4 = 2017–2020 | youthclubs4 = Algeciras | collegeyears1 = 2023–2025 | college1 = Vermont Catamounts | collegecaps1 = 52 | collegegoals1 = 3 | years1 = 2020–2021 | caps1 = 2 | goals1 = 0 | clubs1 = Loughborough University | years2 = 2021–2022 | caps2 = 5 | goals2 = 0 | clubs2 = Lynx | years3 = 2021 | caps3 = 5 | goals3 = 0 | clubs3 = → VV HSC (loan) | years4 = 2022–2023 | caps4 = 20 | goals4 = 3 | clubs4 = Loughborough Students | years5 = 2024 | caps5 = 0 | goals5 = 0 | clubs5 = Ventura County Fusion | years6 = 2026– | caps6 = 3 | goals6 = 0 | clubs6 = Mons Calpe | nationalyears1 = 2023– | nationalteam1 = Gibraltar | nationalcaps1 = 7 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | club-update = 4 March 2026 | nationalteam-update = 26 March 2024 }} '''Niels Mark Pieter Hartman''' (born 17 January 2001) is a footballer who plays as a defender or midfielder for Mons Calpe. Born in the Netherlands, he represents Gibraltar at international level.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sportnieuws.nl/voetbal/buitenland/wie-is-niels-hartman-gibraltar-oranje-nederlands-elftal/|title=Wie is Niels Hartman, de Nederlander die tegen Oranje kan debuteren bij Gibraltar?|publisher=sportnieuws.nl|language=Dutch|date=26 March 2023|access-date=27 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ad.nl/nederlands-voetbal/deze-nederlander-kan-debuteren-tegen-oranje-misschien-shirtje-ruilen-zonder-dat-van-mij-te-geven~a223ba5e/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20230326190559/https://www.ad.nl/nederlands-voetbal/deze-nederlander-kan-debuteren-tegen-oranje-misschien-shirtje-ruilen-zonder-dat-van-mij-te-geven~a223ba5e/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2023-03-26|title=Deze Nederlander kan debuteren tégen Oranje: ‘Misschien shirtje ruilen zonder dat van mij te geven’|publisher=ad.nl (Archived)}}</ref>
==Club career== Having moved to Gibraltar as a child due to his parents relocating for work, Hartman spent his youth playing at a number of Spanish youth teams, most notably Unión Estepona and Algeciras.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dvhn.nl/sport/Gibraltarees-international-met-opa-en-oma-bij-de-Groninger-Museumburg-28326157.html|title=Niels Hartman (22), met een opa en oma in Groningen, staat maandag als international van Gibraltar tegenover Oranje. 'Ik realiseer me nog niet goed wat ik allemaal meemaak'|publisher=dvhn.nl|language=Dutch|date=26 March 2023|access-date=27 March 2023}}</ref><ref>[https://www.lapreferente.com/index.php?comp=14944&IDjugador=67994 Niels Hartman] LaPreferente. Retrieved 27 March 2023.</ref> In 2020 he moved to the United Kingdom to study mechanical engineering at Loughborough University, where he also played for their football team, however, the COVID-19 pandemic caused him to pause his studies and return to Gibraltar.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2468906-hartman-staat-met-gibraltar-voor-droomdebuut-in-de-kuip-zing-beide-volksliederen-mee|title=Hartman staat met Gibraltar voor droomdebuut in De Kuip: 'Zing beide volksliederen mee'|publisher=nos.nl|language=Dutch|date=26 March 2023|access-date=27 March 2023}}</ref> Upon his return, he completed the 2020–21 season at Lynx, before spending six months on an internship in the Netherlands, during which time he spent three months in the summer playing for local side VV HSC.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtvnoord.nl/nieuws/1007764/oud-hscer-niels-hartman-voetbalt-maandag-met-gibraltar-tegen-oranje-het-is-echt-een-jongensdroom|title=Oud-HSC'er Niels Hartman voetbalt maandag met Gibraltar tegen Oranje: 'Het is echt een jongensdroom'|publisher=rtvnoord.nl|language=Dutch|date=26 March 2023|access-date=27 March 2023}}</ref> In October 2021, he returned to Lynx for the start of the 2021–22 season.
Upon the resumption of his studies, he re-joined Loughborough Students in summer 2022. After three goals in 20 appearances during a league campaign which saw the Scholars finish third in the United Counties League Premier North,<ref>[https://fulltime.thefa.com/displayTeam.html?divisionseason=788351207&teamID=747104433#tab-1 Loughborough Students 2022–23] FA Full-Time. Retrieved 22 March 2024.</ref> he moved to the United States to play college soccer for the University of Vermont's side Vermont Catamounts. He played 20 games in his first season, scoring once.
In May 2024 he moved across the States to California to join USL League Two side Ventura County Fusion on a short term deal during the NCAA off-season, but did not make an appearance before returning to Vermont to complete his studies.<ref>[https://twitter.com/VCFusion/status/1786527473246904765 Thrilled to announce the first round of new signings from the NCAA Division 1 powerhouse Vermont University!] Ventura County Fusion. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.</ref> In his second season with Vermont, he played another 20 games, scoring once as the Catamounts won the NCAA College Championship for the first time in their history. After one more season in Vermont, which saw another conference title despite being defeated in the College Championship, Hartman returned to Gibraltar in January 2026 to join Mons Calpe.
==International career== Born in the Netherlands and raised in Gibraltar, Hartman was eligible to represent Gibraltar or the Netherlands. Upon receiving his British Overseas Territory passport, he made his international debut for Gibraltar against his birth country on 27 March 2023, appearing as a late substitute in a 3–0 defeat at De Kuip, just 30 kilometres away from his place of birth.<ref>[https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/match/2036315--netherlands-vs-gibraltar/ Netherlands vs Gibraltar] UEFA.com. 27 March 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2023.</ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|match played 14 March 2026}}
{| class=wikitable style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan=2|Club !rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|National Cup !colspan=2|League Cup !colspan=2|Continental !colspan=2|Other !colspan=2|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="1"|Loughborough University |2020–21 |rowspan="1"|United Counties League Premier Division North |2||0||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||0||0||2||0 |- |rowspan="3"|Lynx |2020–21 |rowspan="2"|Gibraltar National League |2||0||1||0||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||0||0||3||0 |- |2021–22 |3||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||0||0||3||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !5!!0!!1!!0!!colspan=2|—!!colspan=2|—!!0!!0!!6!!0 |- |rowspan="1"|VV HSC (loan) |2021–22 |Derde Klasse |5||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||0||0||5||0 |- |rowspan="1"|Loughborough Students |2022–23 |rowspan="1"|United Counties League Premier Division North |20||3||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||0||0||20||3 |- |rowspan="4"|Vermont Catamounts |2023 |rowspan="3"|NCAA Division I |20||1||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||20||1 |- |2024 |20||1||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||20||1 |- |2025 |12||1||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||12||1 |- !colspan="2"|Total !52!!3!!colspan=2|—!!colspan=2|—!!colspan=2|—!!colspan=2|—!!52!!3 |- |rowspan="1"|Ventura County Fusion |2024 |USL League Two |0||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||0||0 |- |rowspan="1"|Mons Calpe |2025–26 |Gibraltar Football League |3||0||3||0||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||0||0||6||0 |- !colspan=3|Career total !87!!6!!4!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!91!!6 |}
===International=== {{updated|26 March 2024}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- |colspan=3|Gibraltar |- !Year!!Apps!!Goals |- |2023||5||0 |- |2024||2||0 |- !Total!!7!!0 |}
==Honours== '''Vermont Catamounts''' *NCAA Division I Championship: 2024 *America East Championship: 2024, 2025 *America East regular season winner: 2024, 2025
==Personal life== His sister, Iris, plays for the Gibraltar national netball team.<ref>[https://uvmathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/niels-hartman/10114 Niels Hartman – Men's Soccer] University of Vermont Athletics. Retrieved 31 July 2023.</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Worldfootball.net|niels-hartman|new_id=pe809633}} * [https://www.gibraltarfa.com/player/niels-hartman-19855 Niels Hartman] at Gibraltar Football Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hartman, Niels}} Category:Living people Category:2001 births Category:People from Schoonhoven Category:Dutch emigrants to Gibraltar Category:Gibraltarian men's footballers Category:Dutch men's footballers Category:Men's association football defenders Category:Gibraltar men's international footballers Category:Loughborough University F.C. players Category:Lynx F.C. players Category:Vermont Catamounts men's soccer players Category:Ventura County Fusion players Category:Gibraltarian expatriate men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Spain Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States Category:Gibraltarian expatriate sportspeople in Spain Category:Gibraltarian expatriate sportspeople in the United States Category:21st-century Dutch sportsmen Category:21st-century British sportsmen