Gianni Zuiverloon
Encyclopedia
Gianni Michel Eugene Zuiverloon (ˈdʒiˌjɑnɪ ˈzœy̯vərˌloːn) (born 30 December 1986) is a Dutch
footballer currently playing for Spanish La Liga outfit Mallorca
as a right back.
, Netherlands
. He started playing football at the age of 6 in 1993, when he got tired of other sports such as karate
and swimming
. His mother, who did not know much about football, called the first team she found in the yellow pages, which was Feyenoord. Feyenoord allowed Zuiverloon to join a youth training session, and after having proven himself at this session he was allowed to join the club, where he spent 11 years in various youth teams.
Due to the injury of a fellow team mate (Dustley Mulder
) at Feyenoord, coach Ruud Gullit
selected Zuiverloon for the first team, where he made his debut in professional football in the season of 2004–05. His first game was against Willem II Tilburg
, on 22 August 2004. He played a total of ten games that season, scoring no goals. In order to get more first team experience he was loaned out to RKC Waalwijk
in the 2005–06 season, where he played a total of 28 games.
In June 2006 he signed a three-year deal with his new club SC Heerenveen. The year before he was loaned to RKC
, scoring his only goal that season against SC Heerenveen.
of the Premier League for £3.2million. His first Albion goal came in the FA Cup, in the 3–1 defeat to Burnley on 3 February 2009. He scored his first league goal for West Brom in a 5–0 win over Watford on 31 October 2009. He was loaned out to Championship side Ipswich Town but returned to his parent club, after four appearances for Ipswich, in December 2010. He was released by the club on 25 May 2011.
on a free transfer after being released from West Bromwich Albion.
regular. He joined the Netherlands U21 squad for the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
in France in the summer of 2006 and was capped three times.
In 2007 Zuiverloon was called up by Jong Oranje
coach Foppe de Haan
to be part of his squad for the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
held in the Netherlands. Zuiverloon participated in both of their first round group matches against Israel
(1–0 win) and Portugal
(2–1 win) to secure a semi final spot and to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics
. In the semi finals against England
Zuiverloon had a great effort, playing a quality match which ended in 1–1 after extra time. In the following penalty shoot-out, with 32 kicks taken, Zuiverloon forced the decision with his strike past Scott Carson
and brought the Dutch into their second straight final. The Dutch went on to retain their 2006 title by beating Serbia
4–1 in the final. After the tournament he was named in the 'UEFA Team of the tournament'. At the 2008 Olympics he helped the Netherlands to reach the quarter-finals, where they were defeated 2–1 by Argentina.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
footballer currently playing for Spanish La Liga outfit Mallorca
RCD Mallorca
Real Club Deportivo Mallorca is a Spanish football team based on Palma, Majorca, in the Balearic Islands. Founded on 5 March 1916, the team currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at Son Moix....
as a right back.
Club career
Zuiverloon was born in RotterdamRotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. He started playing football at the age of 6 in 1993, when he got tired of other sports such as karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
and swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
. His mother, who did not know much about football, called the first team she found in the yellow pages, which was Feyenoord. Feyenoord allowed Zuiverloon to join a youth training session, and after having proven himself at this session he was allowed to join the club, where he spent 11 years in various youth teams.
Due to the injury of a fellow team mate (Dustley Mulder
Dustley Mulder
Dustley Mulder is a Dutch footballer who currently plays for PFC Levski Sofia. Mulder is a right defender who was born in Baarn.-Youth years:Mulder is a product of Feyenoord's youth academy...
) at Feyenoord, coach Ruud Gullit
Ruud Gullit
OON is a Dutch football manager and former football player, who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s. He was the captain of the Netherlands national team that was victorious at Euro 88 and was also a member of the squad for the 1990 World Cup. He was named the European Footballer of the...
selected Zuiverloon for the first team, where he made his debut in professional football in the season of 2004–05. His first game was against Willem II Tilburg
Willem II Tilburg
Willem II , also known as Willem II Tilburg, is a football club based in Tilburg, North Brabant, Netherlands. The team was founded on 12 August 1896 as Tilburgia...
, on 22 August 2004. He played a total of ten games that season, scoring no goals. In order to get more first team experience he was loaned out to RKC Waalwijk
RKC Waalwijk
RKC Waalwijk is a football club currently playing in the Eredivisie. Its name is derived from 'Rooms Katholieke Combinatie' and was a fusion club of HEC, WVB and Hercules.-History:...
in the 2005–06 season, where he played a total of 28 games.
In June 2006 he signed a three-year deal with his new club SC Heerenveen. The year before he was loaned to RKC
RKC Waalwijk
RKC Waalwijk is a football club currently playing in the Eredivisie. Its name is derived from 'Rooms Katholieke Combinatie' and was a fusion club of HEC, WVB and Hercules.-History:...
, scoring his only goal that season against SC Heerenveen.
West Bromwich Albion
On 2 July 2008 it was confirmed by Heerenveen that he had signed a three-year deal, with an extra year in the club's favour, for West Bromwich AlbionWest Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
of the Premier League for £3.2million. His first Albion goal came in the FA Cup, in the 3–1 defeat to Burnley on 3 February 2009. He scored his first league goal for West Brom in a 5–0 win over Watford on 31 October 2009. He was loaned out to Championship side Ipswich Town but returned to his parent club, after four appearances for Ipswich, in December 2010. He was released by the club on 25 May 2011.
Mallorca
On 10 July 2011, Zuiverloon signed a 3 year deal for Spanish side MallorcaRCD Mallorca
Real Club Deportivo Mallorca is a Spanish football team based on Palma, Majorca, in the Balearic Islands. Founded on 5 March 1916, the team currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at Son Moix....
on a free transfer after being released from West Bromwich Albion.
International career
Zuiverloon was a Netherlands Under 21Netherlands national under-21 football team
The Netherlands national under-21 football team is the national under-21 team of the Netherlands and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association. The team competes in the European Under-21 Championship, held every two years....
regular. He joined the Netherlands U21 squad for the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The European Under-21 Football Championship is a football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. It is held every two years. The competition has existed in its current form since 1978. It was preceded by the Under 23 Challenge Cup which ran from 1967 to 1970...
in France in the summer of 2006 and was capped three times.
In 2007 Zuiverloon was called up by Jong Oranje
Netherlands national under-21 football team
The Netherlands national under-21 football team is the national under-21 team of the Netherlands and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association. The team competes in the European Under-21 Championship, held every two years....
coach Foppe de Haan
Foppe de Haan
Foppe de Haan OON is a Dutch football coach. He is known for his long association with Frisian club SC Heerenveen. De Haan is currently manager of the Tuvalu national football team.-Career:...
to be part of his squad for the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The UEFA U-21 Championship 2007 were held from 10 June 2007 to 23 June 2007. It is the 16th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship....
held in the Netherlands. Zuiverloon participated in both of their first round group matches against Israel
Israel national under-21 football team
Israel's national Under-21 team , also known as Israel Under-21s or Israel U-21s, is considered to be the feeder team for the Israel national football team...
(1–0 win) and Portugal
Portugal national under-21 football team
The Portugal national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Portugal and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation . They are nicknamed "Esperanças." Esperança means hope, thus they are Portugal's hopes for the future...
(2–1 win) to secure a semi final spot and to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
. In the semi finals against England
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
Zuiverloon had a great effort, playing a quality match which ended in 1–1 after extra time. In the following penalty shoot-out, with 32 kicks taken, Zuiverloon forced the decision with his strike past Scott Carson
Scott Carson
Scott Paul Carson is an English footballer who plays for Bursaspor as a goalkeeper.He joined the Leeds United football academy in 2002, making his full first team debut for Leeds against Manchester United in February 2004...
and brought the Dutch into their second straight final. The Dutch went on to retain their 2006 title by beating Serbia
Serbia national under-21 football team
The Serbia national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Serbia and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia....
4–1 in the final. After the tournament he was named in the 'UEFA Team of the tournament'. At the 2008 Olympics he helped the Netherlands to reach the quarter-finals, where they were defeated 2–1 by Argentina.
External links
- Mallorca official profile
- Real Mallorca player profile (English)
- Gianni Zuiverloon player profile at wba.co.uk
- Gianni Zuiverloon player profile at Premier League
- Gianni Zuiverloon player profile at BBC Sport
- Transfermarkt profile