Jean-Paul de Jong
Encyclopedia
Jean-Paul de Jong is a Dutch
former football player, who played mostly as a right midfielder
. He is best known for his lengthy spell with FC Utrecht.
, de Jong had several trainee spells, including with country giants Feyenoord Rotterdam and Ajax Amsterdam. He made his professional debuts in Germany
at already 22, with second division
outfit VfL Osnabrück
, appearing rarely in a sole season.
In 1993, de Jong returned to his country and city, going on serve a 14-year spell with FC Utrecht. In total, he played 370 first division
matches, in which he scored a total of 11 times. This achievement gave him the nickname "Mr. FC Utrecht".
On 22 April 2007, de Jong received his 83rd yellow card in the league, surpassing the record number of cards received by a player which had been previously held by Barry van Galen. During his final season as a player, in which he contributed with 21 matches to a comfortable 9th place, he completed his coaching training badges and began to work as a youth trainer with the club.
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...
former football player, who played mostly as a right midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
. He is best known for his lengthy spell with FC Utrecht.
Football career
Born in UtrechtUtrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
, de Jong had several trainee spells, including with country giants Feyenoord Rotterdam and Ajax Amsterdam. He made his professional debuts in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
at already 22, with second division
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
outfit VfL Osnabrück
VfL Osnabrück
VfL Osnabrück is a German multi-sport club in Osnabrück, Lower Saxony. It currently fields teams in basketball, gymnastics, swimming, table tennis, and tennis, but is by far best known for its football section.- Foundation to WW2 :...
, appearing rarely in a sole season.
In 1993, de Jong returned to his country and city, going on serve a 14-year spell with FC Utrecht. In total, he played 370 first division
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
matches, in which he scored a total of 11 times. This achievement gave him the nickname "Mr. FC Utrecht".
On 22 April 2007, de Jong received his 83rd yellow card in the league, surpassing the record number of cards received by a player which had been previously held by Barry van Galen. During his final season as a player, in which he contributed with 21 matches to a comfortable 9th place, he completed his coaching training badges and began to work as a youth trainer with the club.