Nigel de Jong
Encyclopedia
Nigel de Jong (ˈnɑjdʒəl də ˈjɔŋ) (born 30 November 1984) is a Dutch footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Manchester City
and the Netherlands national team
.
He joined the Ajax youth academy as a youngster and worked his way through the ranks to make the first team at age seventeen. Two years later, he made his international debut, in an international career that resulted in a 2010 World Cup runner-up medal
. De Jong moved on from Ajax in 2006 to join Hamburg
in search of first team football and then moved to Manchester City in January 2009 for an estimated £18 million and has since become an important part of City's holding midfield.
A tireless grafter, he has garnered a reputation of being a combative and feisty player in his performances, a reputation that has earned him nicknames such as "The Terrier" and "Lawnmower".
club Hamburg
, the transfer fee approximately €1 million. At Hamburg he joined two other Dutchmen: Rafael van der Vaart
and Khalid Boulahrouz
. He made his Hamburg debut two days later in a 2–1 defeat at Nuremberg. In March 2006 de Jong scored the winning goal in Bayern Munich
's first ever defeat at the Allianz Arena
. The following week he received the first red card of his career for a second booking in a UEFA Cup
match against Rapid Bucharest. His season was cut short in April, when he required surgery on a knee problem. The injury also kept him out of the Dutch squad for the 2006 World Cup, though he was later put on standby after regaining fitness.
who deployed him in the role of midfield enforcer in a team whose defence badly needed some reinforcing. He signed a four-and-a-half year contract. and was assigned the number 34 shirt. He made his debut for the club against Newcastle United
on 28 January 2009. He made sixteen appearances in the Premier League over the second half of the season.
De Jong was given a start against Arsenal
on 12 September 2009. He was named Man of the Match by Sky Sports in a 2-1 win over Chelsea
on 5 December 2009. By the end of the season he had become a firm fans' favourite as well as being one of new manager Roberto Mancini's first picks as defensive midfielder as the team narrowly missed out on a Champions League berth. De Jong scored his first goal for Manchester City in a 2-1 victory against West Ham United on 1 May 2011.
in a friendly game against France. He was overlooked for the squad that went to play in Euro 2004, and missed the 2006 World Cup
with a knee injury.
He was selected by Marco van Basten to play for De Oranje at Euro 2008. During the tournament, he was played as a "screening midfielder", partnering with Orlando Engelaar
in central midfield. This resulted in de Jong playing three out of the four games that saw Holland reach the quarter finals stage with the Dutch team finally exiting the competition through an extra-time defeat by Russia.
He scored his first international goal against Iceland
on 6 June 2009 in a World Cup qualifying
match, which sealed the Netherlands' passage to the 2010 World Cup.
De Jong was part of the Dutch team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
managed by Bert van Marwijk
. The player was in the starting line-up for their first match in the competition, a 2-0 victory over Denmark
. He was suspended in the semi final against Uruguay after receiving his second yellow card of the tournament in the Netherlands' quarter-final win over Brazil. He played in the final
of the competition which the Netherlands lost 1-0 to Spain
after extra time.
Scores list Netherlands' tally first.>
Nigel de Jong: international goals
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1.
6 June 2009
Laugardalsvöllur
, Reykjavík
, Iceland
1 – 0
2 – 1
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
, under whom he played at Hamburg. His new approach earned him the nickname "der Rasenmäher" ("the Lawnmower").
During an international friendly on 3 March 2010, de Jong fractured the leg of Bolton Wanderers' American international Stuart Holden
as the result of a late challenge, causing Holden to be sidelined for six weeks. In the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final
he kicked Spanish player Xabi Alonso
in the chest, a challenge for which de Jong admitted he was lucky not to have received a red card. On 3 October 2010, in a Premier League match against Newcastle United, a tackle by de Jong on Hatem Ben Arfa
resulted in the latter being carried off the pitch with a double fracture of his left tibia and fibula. Nigel de Jong was later dropped from the Dutch national team for an unspecified period of time, but has since been reprieved. De Jong however has never received a red card during his time at Manchester City. To date the only red card De Jong has received in his professional career was a sending off for two bookable offences in a match for Hamburg against Rapid Bucharest in the 2005-06 edition of the UEFA Cup
.
De Jong had the highest passing completion percentage in the Premier League in the 2010-11 season out of the top 50 players (90%).
, who abandoned de Jong's mother when de Jong was about to move to the Ajax academy, leaving her with the responsibility to bring de Jong up in council housing.
He owns a specialist car dealership operating in Europe and the Middle East.
De Jong is addicted to the popular game Angry Birds
and plays it in the dressing room before games.
Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
and the Netherlands national team
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
.
He joined the Ajax youth academy as a youngster and worked his way through the ranks to make the first team at age seventeen. Two years later, he made his international debut, in an international career that resulted in a 2010 World Cup runner-up medal
2010 FIFA World Cup Final
The 2010 FIFA World Cup Final was a football match that took place on 11 July 2010 at Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa, to determine the winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Spain defeated the Netherlands 1–0 with a goal from Andrés Iniesta four minutes from the end of extra time...
. De Jong moved on from Ajax in 2006 to join Hamburg
Hamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
in search of first team football and then moved to Manchester City in January 2009 for an estimated £18 million and has since become an important part of City's holding midfield.
A tireless grafter, he has garnered a reputation of being a combative and feisty player in his performances, a reputation that has earned him nicknames such as "The Terrier" and "Lawnmower".
Ajax
On 19 October 2002, de Jong made his debut for the Ajax first team. He scored his first goal of his senior career on 18 February 2003 in a 1-1 draw against Arsenal in the Champions League. He became a first team regular the following season, in which Ajax won the Eredivisie title. In 2004–05, his last full season in Amsterdam, de Jong was named Ajax Player of the Season. After a period when he appeared regularly in midfield and defence, he found himself sitting on the bench more often than being in the starting line-up. On 7 December 2005, it was announced that de Jong had refused to extend his contract with Ajax, which was due to end in July 2006.Hamburg
On 26 January 2006, de Jong signed a four and a half year contract at German BundesligaFußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
club Hamburg
Hamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
, the transfer fee approximately €1 million. At Hamburg he joined two other Dutchmen: Rafael van der Vaart
Rafael van der Vaart
Rafael Ferdinand van der Vaart is a Dutch footballer who plays for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the Dutch national team. His preferred position is as an attacking midfielder; he can, however, also operate in other positions, such as second striker...
and Khalid Boulahrouz
Khalid Boulahrouz
Khalid Boulahrouz is a Dutch footballer of Berber Moroccan Rif descent, who plays for the Netherlands and VfB Stuttgart. His nickname is "Khalid the Cannibal" for his ability to "eat up" his opposition....
. He made his Hamburg debut two days later in a 2–1 defeat at Nuremberg. In March 2006 de Jong scored the winning goal in Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
's first ever defeat at the Allianz Arena
Allianz Arena
The Allianz Arena is a football stadium in the north of Munich, Bavaria, Germany. The two professional Munich football clubs FC Bayern Munich and TSV 1860 München have played their home games at Allianz Arena since the start of the 2005–06 season...
. The following week he received the first red card of his career for a second booking in a UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
match against Rapid Bucharest. His season was cut short in April, when he required surgery on a knee problem. The injury also kept him out of the Dutch squad for the 2006 World Cup, though he was later put on standby after regaining fitness.
Manchester City
On 21 January 2009, de Jong was signed to Manchester City for an estimated fee of £18 million by manager Mark HughesMark Hughes
Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE , is a former Welsh international footballer. As an international footballer, he made 72 appearances and scored 16 goals....
who deployed him in the role of midfield enforcer in a team whose defence badly needed some reinforcing. He signed a four-and-a-half year contract. and was assigned the number 34 shirt. He made his debut for the club against Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
on 28 January 2009. He made sixteen appearances in the Premier League over the second half of the season.
De Jong was given a start against Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
on 12 September 2009. He was named Man of the Match by Sky Sports in a 2-1 win over Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
on 5 December 2009. By the end of the season he had become a firm fans' favourite as well as being one of new manager Roberto Mancini's first picks as defensive midfielder as the team narrowly missed out on a Champions League berth. De Jong scored his first goal for Manchester City in a 2-1 victory against West Ham United on 1 May 2011.
International career
On 31 March 2004, de Jong made his debut with the NetherlandsNetherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
in a friendly game against France. He was overlooked for the squad that went to play in Euro 2004, and missed the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
with a knee injury.
He was selected by Marco van Basten to play for De Oranje at Euro 2008. During the tournament, he was played as a "screening midfielder", partnering with Orlando Engelaar
Orlando Engelaar
Orlando Engelaar is a Dutch footballer who currently plays as a centre midfielder for Dutch Eredivisie club PSV...
in central midfield. This resulted in de Jong playing three out of the four games that saw Holland reach the quarter finals stage with the Dutch team finally exiting the competition through an extra-time defeat by Russia.
He scored his first international goal against Iceland
Iceland national football team
The Iceland national football team is the national football team of Iceland and is controlled by the Football Association of Iceland. It has never advanced to the finals of any major international competition....
on 6 June 2009 in a World Cup qualifying
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - UEFA Group 9
The 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group 9 was a UEFA qualifying group for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The group comprised the Netherlands, Scotland, Norway, Iceland and Macedonia. This group had one team fewer than the other eight....
match, which sealed the Netherlands' passage to the 2010 World Cup.
De Jong was part of the Dutch team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
managed by Bert van Marwijk
Bert van Marwijk
Bert van Marwijk OON is the coach of the Netherlands national football team. He also played for Go Ahead Eagles, AZ, MVV, Fortuna Sittard, and other clubs, as well as for the Dutch national team. In 1982, he began his transition into coaching, retiring as a player in 1988 and becoming a full time...
. The player was in the starting line-up for their first match in the competition, a 2-0 victory over Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
. He was suspended in the semi final against Uruguay after receiving his second yellow card of the tournament in the Netherlands' quarter-final win over Brazil. He played in the final
2010 FIFA World Cup Final
The 2010 FIFA World Cup Final was a football match that took place on 11 July 2010 at Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa, to determine the winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Spain defeated the Netherlands 1–0 with a goal from Andrés Iniesta four minutes from the end of extra time...
of the competition which the Netherlands lost 1-0 to Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
after extra time.
Laugardalsvöllur
Laugardalsvöllur is the national stadium of Iceland. It is located in Reykjavík, and seats 9,800 individuals, another 5,627 people can be seated on concrete benches, but due to FIFA restrictions they are rarely used.-Overview:...
, Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - UEFA Group 9
The 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group 9 was a UEFA qualifying group for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The group comprised the Netherlands, Scotland, Norway, Iceland and Macedonia. This group had one team fewer than the other eight....
Style of play
De Jong began his career as a creative midfielder or forward. At Ajax he played a number of positions, including central midfield and right wing. De Jong credits his conversion to a defensive-minded player to Huub StevensHuub Stevens
Hubertus "Huub" Jozef Margaretha Stevens is a Dutch football manager and former defender.- Playing career :...
, under whom he played at Hamburg. His new approach earned him the nickname "der Rasenmäher" ("the Lawnmower").
During an international friendly on 3 March 2010, de Jong fractured the leg of Bolton Wanderers' American international Stuart Holden
Stuart Holden
Stuart Alistair Holden is an American football player who currently plays as a midfielder for Bolton Wanderers in the English Premier League....
as the result of a late challenge, causing Holden to be sidelined for six weeks. In the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final
2010 FIFA World Cup Final
The 2010 FIFA World Cup Final was a football match that took place on 11 July 2010 at Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa, to determine the winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Spain defeated the Netherlands 1–0 with a goal from Andrés Iniesta four minutes from the end of extra time...
he kicked Spanish player Xabi Alonso
Xabi Alonso
Xabier "Xabi" Alonso Olano is a Spanish World Cup-winning footballer who plays for Real Madrid as a midfielder.Alonso began his career at Real Sociedad, the main team of his home region Gipuzkoa. After a brief loan period at Eibar he returned to Sociedad where then manager John Toshack appointed...
in the chest, a challenge for which de Jong admitted he was lucky not to have received a red card. On 3 October 2010, in a Premier League match against Newcastle United, a tackle by de Jong on Hatem Ben Arfa
Hatem Ben Arfa
Hatem Ben Arfa is a French association football player who plays for English club Newcastle United in the Premier League. He plays as a winger, preferably on the left side, and an attacking midfielder...
resulted in the latter being carried off the pitch with a double fracture of his left tibia and fibula. Nigel de Jong was later dropped from the Dutch national team for an unspecified period of time, but has since been reprieved. De Jong however has never received a red card during his time at Manchester City. To date the only red card De Jong has received in his professional career was a sending off for two bookable offences in a match for Hamburg against Rapid Bucharest in the 2005-06 edition of the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
.
De Jong had the highest passing completion percentage in the Premier League in the 2010-11 season out of the top 50 players (90%).
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Ajax | 2002–03 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 27 | 1 |
| 2003–04 | 32 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 37 | 2 | |
| 2004–05 | 31 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 39 | 6 | |
| 2005–06 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 23 | 5 | |
| Total | 96 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 5 | 126 | 14 | |
| Hamburg Hamburger SV Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department... |
2005–06 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 1 |
| 2006–07 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 23 | 2 | |
| 2007–08 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 35 | 2 | |
| 2008–09 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
| Total | 66 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 84 | 5 | |
| Manchester City Manchester City F.C. Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894... |
2008–09 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| 2009–10 | 34 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 0 | |
| 2010–11 2010–11 Premier League The 2010–11 Premier League was the 19th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2010–11 fixtures were released on 17 June 2010 at 09:00 BST. The season began on 14 August 2010, and ended on 22 May 2011... |
32 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 40 | 1 | |
| 2011–12 2011–12 Premier League The 2011–12 Premier League is the twentieth season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2011–12 fixtures were announced on 17 June 2011 at 9:00 BST. The season began on 13 August 2011 and is due to end on 13 May 2012... |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| Total | 84 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 103 | 1 | |
| Career total | 246 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 53 | 7 | 313 | 20 | |
Personal life
De Jong is married to Winonah, with whom he has two children. His father is former Dutch international Jerry de JongJerry de Jong
Jerry Murrien de Jong is a retired Dutch footballer.He played as a defender or defensive midfielder, and played for seven different clubs during a seventeen-year professional career, including PSV Eindhoven.-Football career:De Jong started off his career in the second division, where he...
, who abandoned de Jong's mother when de Jong was about to move to the Ajax academy, leaving her with the responsibility to bring de Jong up in council housing.
He owns a specialist car dealership operating in Europe and the Middle East.
De Jong is addicted to the popular game Angry Birds
Angry Birds
Angry Birds is a puzzle video game developed by Finnish computer game developer Rovio Mobile. Inspired primarily by a sketch of stylized wingless birds, the game was first released for Apple's iOS in December 2009...
and plays it in the dressing room before games.
Club
Ajax- EredivisieEredivisieThe 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....
: 2003-04Eredivisie 2003-04The 2003-2004 season of the Dutch Eredivisie began in August 2003 and ended in May 2004. The title was won by Ajax.- League standings :- Topscorers :- Relegation playoffs :- Match table :- References :* *... - KNVB CupKNVB CupThe KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...
: 2005-06KNVB Cup 2005-06The KNVB Cup 2005–06 started on August 2, 2005. The tournament was held for the 88th time. The final was held on May 7, 2006: Ajax beat PSV 2–1 and won the trophy for the sixteenth time.-Teams:* All 18 participants of the Eredivisie 2005-06... - Johan Cruijff Shield: 2005Johan Cruijff-schaal XThe match for the Johan Cruijff-schaal X was held on 5 August 2005 between Eredivisie 2004-05 champions and KNVB Cup 2004-05 winners PSV and Eredivisie runners-up Ajax. Ajax won the match 2–1.-Match details:...
Manchester City
- Vodacom ChallengeVodacom ChallengeThe Vodacom Challenge is a association football pre-season tournament that features Vodacom-sponsored South African giants Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs plus from 2006 onwards an invited European club...
Runner-up: 2009 - FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
: 2010-112011 FA Cup FinalThe 2011 FA Cup Final was the 130th final of the FA Cup, the world's oldest domestic football cup competition. The match took place on 14 May 2011 at Wembley Stadium in London. The clubs contesting the 2011 final were Premier League clubs Manchester City and Stoke City, with the victors guaranteed...
International
NetherlandsNetherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
- 2010 FIFA World Cup2010 FIFA World CupThe 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
: Silver Medal2010 FIFA World Cup FinalThe 2010 FIFA World Cup Final was a football match that took place on 11 July 2010 at Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa, to determine the winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Spain defeated the Netherlands 1–0 with a goal from Andrés Iniesta four minutes from the end of extra time...