Marcelencio Esajas

Marcelencio Esajas (born 10 June 2002) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for club TOP Oss.

Almere City
Esajas started playing football for Amsterdam-based club Vlug en Vaardig before he was admitted to the Almere City youth academy in 2014. After impressing with the under-21 team coached by Hedwiges Maduro, he signed his first professional contract in September 2021; a three-year deal.

He made his professional debut on 27 August 2021 in an Eerste Divisie match against Roda JC Kerkrade. He started the away game on the bench, but head coach Gertjan Verbeek gave him his debut in the 69th minute when he came on for Ryan Koolwijk in a 4–3 win. He made 18 appearances for the first team in the 2021–22 season, as Almere finished in a disappointing 14th place.

In the subsequent season, Almere City notably improved, securing third place in the 2022–23 Eerste Divisie. Esajas played a part in their success with 14 appearances, often entering as a substitute. Additionally, he contributed in four playoff matches, aiding the team in their historic promotion by defeating Emmen in the play-off finals.

Esajas made his debut in the Eredivisie for Almere City on 13 August 2023, stepping onto the field in the 57th minute as a substitute for Pascu. Shortly after entering the match, he provided his first assist, setting up Danny Post for Almere City's consolation goal in the 4–1 home defeat against Twente. However, throughout that season, Esajas primarily played for the second team, Jong Almere City, who themselves secured a significant promotion to the third-tier Tweede Divisie in the previous season.

TOP Oss
On 27 June 2024, Esajas signed a two-year contract with an option for an additional year with Eerste Divisie club TOP Oss.

Style of play
Described as a hardworking player, Esajas excels in a box-to-box role. He is adept at engaging in duels and possesses a keen ability to recover possession, making him effective on both ends of the pitch.

Personal life
Esajas was born in the Netherlands and is of Surinamese descent.