Another young talent has committed his future to the Mauves. Alexander De Ridder (18) has extended his contract with RSCA until 2029. The midfielder, who has been at Neerpede since the age of nine, developed into an indispensable part of the Futures midfield last season and also made his first-team debut.

Alexander was born in Kyiv on 5 June 2008 to a Belgian father and a Ukrainian mother. At the age of nine, he joined the RSCA youth academy. He immediately impressed with his technical ability, work ethic and explosiveness. Off the pitch, he is best known for his calmness and his tremendous desire to keep learning.

In the 2024-25 season, the midfielder was rewarded with his professional debut for the RSCA Futures. He came on as a substitute on the final matchday against SK Beveren. Last season, he established himself as a regular starter in Jelle Coen’s team, making appearances in 29 league matches. His strong performances in the Challenger Pro League did not go unnoticed. On the final matchday of the Champions’ Play-offs, Alexander came on at Union Saint-Gilloise, making his official first-team debut for Sporting.

This season, Alexander has started the campaign as one of the key players for the RSCA Futures. He has not missed a minute of league action so far and has also worn the captain’s armband once. With this renewed contract until 2029, Alexander is firmly committing his future to the Mauves.

"This third contract extension means a lot to me, especially after all the great steps I took last season. My goal for the future is to continue on this path, gradually get more playing time and become an important player within the first team."

Onwards to the future, Alexander.