Wesley Sneijder
Encyclopedia
Wesley Sneijder (ˈʋɛsli ˈsnɛidər; born 9 June 1984) is a Dutch
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 playing as an attacking midfielder for Internazionale
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...

. He was named UEFA midfielder of the season
UEFA Club Football Awards
The UEFA Club Football Awards are awards given by UEFA to the most outstanding performers of the European club football season. The awards were presented in August each year at a special gala in Monaco ahead of the UEFA Super Cup. Since 2005, the awards are presented at the UEFA Champions League draw...

 as well as one of the three best midfielders in the world for 2010 by FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...

.

Due to his impeccable placement and confirmed ability to score from free kicks, Sneijder earned the reputation as a dead-ball specialist. With short stature, he is quick, strong on the ball, and his passing range is enhanced by his ambidexterity
Ambidexterity
Ambidexterity is the state of being equally adept in the use of both left and right appendages . It is one of the most famous varieties of cross-dominance. People that are naturally ambidextrous are rare, with only one out of one hundred people being naturally ambidextrous...

.

A product of the Ajax Academy, he previously played for AFC Ajax with whom he won six trophies and during which time he was awarded the Johan Cruijff Award (for best young player in Holland) in 2004. He was later sold to Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...

 for €27 million in 2007, winning La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...

 in his first season with the club and later being sold to Internazionale for €15 million.

Sneijder previously represented various Youth squads for the Netherlands. He is now a regular player for the Dutch 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...

, having made his debut in April 2003 at the age of 18, and having represented his country at the World Cup in 2006
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...

 and 2010
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...

 as well as UEFA Euro
UEFA European Football Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...

 2004 and 2008. Individually he was awarded the 2010 Bronze Boot
FIFA World Cup awards
At the end of each FIFA World Cup final tournament, several awards are attributed to the players and teams which have distinguished from the rest, in different aspects of the game.These are awards granted during the men's senior tournament...

, the 2010 Silver Ball
FIFA World Cup awards
At the end of each FIFA World Cup final tournament, several awards are attributed to the players and teams which have distinguished from the rest, in different aspects of the game.These are awards granted during the men's senior tournament...

 and included in the team of the tournament for UEFA Euro 2008 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup as well as named man of the match for six out of eleven games played by "Oranje" at these two tournaments.

Early life

Wesley Sneijder was born on 9 June 1984 in Utrecht
Utrecht (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...

 into a football family: his father was a player, his older brother Jeffrey
Jeffrey Sneijder
Jeffrey Sneijder is a former Dutch footballer.-Career:He started his career at Jong Ajax in a team with Maarten Stekelenburg and Rafael van der Vaart, before he was transferred to Stormvogels Telstar in July 2001. In February 2004 he injured his meniscus...

 played for Stormvogels Telstar
Stormvogels Telstar
Telstar is a Dutch football club based in Velsen. The club was established after the merger of two football clubs in the town of Velsen.- History :...

, and his younger brother Rodney plays for the youth academy of Ajax.

Club career

Ajax

Sneijder started his career in AFC Ajax's famous youth academy. Following his older brother's footsteps, he signed for Ajax as a 17-year-old, initially on trial but impressed enough to be signed on a permanent basis. He first made the bench as an unused substitute for Ajax in a 2–0 win at SBV Excelsior on 22 December 2002 when manager Ronald Koeman
Ronald Koeman
Ronald Koeman is a former Dutch footballer, and the current manager of Feyenoord. He is the younger brother of former Feyenoord coach Erwin Koeman and the son of former Dutch international Martin Koeman...

, troubled by an injury-filled squad, called him up, advised by Danny Blind
Danny Blind
Dirk Franciscus "Danny" Blind is a football coach and former Dutch international player. He played as a defender for Sparta Rotterdam, AFC Ajax and the Dutch national team.Blind was born in Oost-Souburg, Netherlands...

, the then-coach of the Ajax youth squad. He then made his official Ajax debut against Willem II after the winter break on 2 February 2003 in a 6–0 win. He rapidly established himself in the role of midfield general and occasional left winger.

On 12 August 2007, Ajax agreed to sell Sneijder to Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...

 for
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...

27 million, according to the club's website, making him the second most expensive
Dutch football transfer record
This is a list of the most expensive transfer fees paid in football in The Netherlands.- Outgoing transfers:- Incoming transfers :-World Football Transfer Records:This is a list of the most expensive transfer fees paid in football in The Netherlands....

 Dutch football player.

Real Madrid

Sneijder was the second of three Dutchmen to sign for Real Madrid 2007–08 season, joining Royston Drenthe
Royston Drenthe
Royston Rickie Drenthe is a Dutch footballer who plays for Everton on loan from Real Madrid.Mainly a midfielder, and regarded as one of football's fastest players, he can also operate as a defender or forward, but always on the left side of the pitch.-Youth:Born in Rotterdam, Drenthe joined local...

 and Arjen Robben
Arjen Robben
Arjen Robben is a Dutch footballer who plays for the German Bundesliga club Bayern Munich. Though often classified as a forward, he usually plays behind the forwards as a winger, and he is also known for his dribbling skills...

. He also was given the number 23, which had been previously worn by David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...

 for four seasons at Real. In his first La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...

 match for Real, he scored the winner in the Madrid derby against Atlético Madrid. On the second matchday, he scored two goals against Villarreal CF
Villarreal CF
Villarreal Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. , usually abbreviated to Villarreal CF or just Villarreal, is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Vila-real, a city in the province of Castellón within the Valencian Community...

, one of them on a direct free-kick. Sneijder capped a fine first season in Spain by hitting a stunning free kick in the last game of the season against Levante UD
Levante UD
Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:...

 at the Bernabéu
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
The Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is an all-seater football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and is owned by Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. It has a current capacity of 85,454 spectators....

, taking his goal tally to nine in the La Liga season, a season which also saw Real retain their title.

On 3 August 2008, Sneijder was stretchered off in the pre-season friendly at 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...

 with a suspected cruciate ligament
Cruciate ligament
Cruciate ligaments are pairs of ligaments arranged like a letter X. They occur in several joints of the body, such as the knee...

 injury after a collision with Abou Diaby
Abou Diaby
Vassiriki Abou Diaby , commonly known as Abou Diaby, is a French footballer who plays for English club Arsenal in the Premier League and the France national team...

. Sneijder had an MRI which confirmed the extent of the injury to be not as bad as first feared. It was expected that he would be out for at least three months. However, he managed to recover in time and was included in the starting eleven for the Champions League clash against Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...

 in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...

.
On 2 September 2008, AS reported that after Robinho
Robinho
Robson de Souza , more commonly known as Robinho, is a Brazilian professional footballer who currently plays as second striker and winger for Serie A club AC Milan...

's departure to 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...

 for €42 million, Sneijder would now be Real Madrid's new number 10. One day later, Real Madrid confirmed on their web site Sneijder's new number, 10. His previous number, 23, was taken over by his fellow Dutchman 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...

, whose preferred number is 23.

Internazionale

On 27 August 2009, Sneijder was bought by Internazionale
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...

 from Real Madrid for a reported fee of
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...

15 million. He was given the number 10 shirt and made his debut a day after he signed the contract. He made an immediate impact by being on the winning side in the Milan derby (4–0) against AC Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...

. On 3 October 2009 he scored his first, decisive goal, in the 92nd minute against Udinese in a 2–1 win, after a brilliant match.
His second goal was scored on 24 October 2009 against Catania
Calcio Catania
Calcio Catania is an Italian football club founded in 1908 and based in Catania, Sicily. The club has spent much of its history in Serie B, gaining promotion to Italy's top league Serie A five times...

, directly from free kick, and he scored his first UEFA Champions League goal for Inter in a dramatic 2–1 win against Dynamo Kiev in the 89th minute. His next goal was also scored off a hard-swerving free kick in a Coppa Italia game against Livorno.
On 9 January 2010 he scored two stunning free kicks against Siena
A.C. Siena
Associazione Calcio Siena is an Italian football club based in Siena.The club currently plays in Serie A, having gained promotion from Serie B at the end of the 2010-2011 season....

 in the game which Inter won 4–3, however on 24 January he received a straight red card in the Milan derby. On April 6 Sneijder scored a free kick against CSKA Moscow in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League 2009–10
The 2009–10 UEFA Champions League was the 55th season of Europe's premier club football tournament and the 18th under the current UEFA Champions League format. The final was played on 22 May 2010, at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home ground of Real Madrid, in Madrid, Spain. The final was won by...

 quarter-final in the sixth minute, making it 2–0 on aggregate to Inter. On 20 April 2010 he scored Inter's equalising goal during their UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....

. He leveled the game by firing in right-footed from a Diego Milito pass. Inter went on to win the game 3–1. Sneijder was given the nickname 'The Sniper' by the Media for his ability to deliver perfect passes and score from amazing distances.

On 22 May 2010, Inter won the Champions League Final
2010 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2010 UEFA Champions League Final was a football match played at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home of Real Madrid, on Saturday, 22 May 2010, to determine the winners of the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League. It was the first Champions League final to be played on a Saturday, rather than the...

 against 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....

 by 2–0. Both goals were scored by Diego Milito
Diego Milito
Diego Alberto Milito is an Argentine footballer who plays as a striker for the Italian Serie A team Internazionale. He also plays for the Argentine national team. A prolific and consistent center-forward, Milito has statistically averaged just over a goal every two appearances, over the course of...

, with Sneijder supplying the assist for the first goal.

On 21 August 2010, Inter started the 2010–11 season
2010–11 F.C. Internazionale Milano season
Football Club Internazionale Milano will take part in the 2010–11 season in the Italian Serie A. They also will take part in the UEFA Champions League and the Coppa Italia, as titles holders of all these competitions...

 by winning the 2010 Italian Super Cup
2010 Supercoppa Italiana
- References :...

 with a 3–1 win against Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...

. On 26 August 2010, Sneijder was named by UEFA as the best club midfielder
UEFA Club Football Awards
The UEFA Club Football Awards are awards given by UEFA to the most outstanding performers of the European club football season. The awards were presented in August each year at a special gala in Monaco ahead of the UEFA Super Cup. Since 2005, the awards are presented at the UEFA Champions League draw...

 of the Champions League 2009–10 season. The day after in Monaco
Stade Louis II
The Stade Louis II is a stadium located in the Fontvieille district of Monaco. It serves primarily as a venue for football, being the home of AS Monaco and the Monaco national football team, as well as the location of the annual UEFA Super Cup match...

, Inter lost to Atlético Madrid in the 2010 UEFA Super Cup
2010 UEFA Super Cup
The 2010 UEFA Super Cup was the 35th UEFA Super Cup organised by the European football governing body UEFA. It took place at the Stade Louis II in Monaco on 27 August 2010. It was contested by Internazionale, who won the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League, and Atlético Madrid, who won the 2009–10 UEFA...

. He scored his first goal of the season in a 2–2 draw against FC Twente
FC Twente
FC Twente is a Dutch professional football club from the city of Enschede, playing in the Eredivisie. The club was formed in 1965 by the merger of 1926 Eredivisie Champions, Sportclub Enschede and Enschedese Boys...

 in the Champions League on 14 September 2010, and followed that up with another goal in Inter's second game against Werder Bremen in a 4–0 win at the San Siro on 29 September 2010. On 26 October 2010, Sneijder was shortlisted for the 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or
2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or
The 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or was the inaugural year for FIFA's awards for the top football players and coaches of the year. The award merged FIFA's former World Player of the Year awards with the Ballon d'Or, previously presented by the French media to the top men's player in Europe. The awards...


award, which Lionel Messi won.

On 28 October 2010, Sneijder signed a five year contract extension with Inter, tying him to the club until 2015. Inter finished second in Group A of the Champions League and were drawn against FC 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....

 (whom they had beaten in the previous year's Final
2010 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2010 UEFA Champions League Final was a football match played at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home of Real Madrid, on Saturday, 22 May 2010, to determine the winners of the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League. It was the first Champions League final to be played on a Saturday, rather than the...

), in the Round of 16. In the first leg, Sneijder and Inter were uninspired and lost 1–0 to a late Mario Gomez
Mario Gómez
Mario Gómez García is a German footballer who plays as a striker for FC Bayern Munich in the German Bundesliga. Gómez joined Bayern after six years in Stuttgart. The fee was a record for a player transferred in the Bundesliga, estimated to be 30–35 million euro...

 goal at the San Siro. On 15 March 2011, Sneijder helped Inter turn it around scoring in the 63rd minute leading to a 3–2 win (3–3 on aggregate, Inter were through on away goals) 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...

, booking a place in the quarter-final against FC Schalke 04
FC Schalke 04
Fußball-Club Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04, commonly known as simply FC Schalke 04 or Schalke , is a German, association-football club originally from the Schalke district of Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. Schalke has long been one of the most popular football teams in Germany, even though major...

. The first leg of that quarter-final ended 5–2 to Schalke. Sneijder also played in the second leg of the tie but could not prevent his team from losing 2–1 and 7–3 on aggregate.

International career

Sneijder made his debut for the Netherlands under-21
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....

 side against the Czech Republic
Czech Republic national under-21 football team
The Czech Republic national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of the Czech Republic and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic...

 on 28 March 2003. His first game with the senior Dutch side
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...

 was against Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...

 on 30 April that same year, when he became the eighth youngest player to play for the Netherlands in the first team's history.

Euro 2004

Sneijder reached the UEFA Euro 2004 semi-finals with the Netherlands. He began the competition mainly on the bench, and was subbed into two group stage matches. He had also contributed two goals in the qualifying tournament.

2006 World Cup

Sneijder started all four games for the Netherlands at the 2006 FIFA 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...

 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...

. He received one of the record 16 yellow cards doled out during the infamous Round of 16 clash with Portugal (titled the "Battle of Nuremberg
Battle of Nuremberg
The Battle of Nuremberg is the nickname of a football match played in Round 2 of the 2006 FIFA World Cup between Portugal and the Netherlands at the Frankenstadion in Nuremberg on 25 June 2006...

"); Portugal went on to win 1–0.

Euro 2008

In the build-up to UEFA Euro 2008, Sneijder scored a free kick in a friendly against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...

 on 31 May, making it his second strike from a direct free kick in a row. The game ended 2–0 with a goal from fellow Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...

 teammate Arjen Robben
Arjen Robben
Arjen Robben is a Dutch footballer who plays for the German Bundesliga club Bayern Munich. Though often classified as a forward, he usually plays behind the forwards as a winger, and he is also known for his dribbling skills...

.

Sneijder marked his 24th birthday in style by scoring one of the goals of the tournament; the second goal in the 31st minute of the Euro 2008 match against the World Cup champions, Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...

. Following Giovanni van Bronckhorst
Giovanni van Bronckhorst
Giovanni Christiaan van Bronckhorst OON , known as Gio in Spain, is a retired Dutch footballer of Moluccan descent who served as the captain of the Dutch national team from August 2008 until his retirement....

's goal-line clearance and subsequent run into the Italian half, Sneijder received a headed ball from Dirk Kuyt
Dirk Kuyt
Dirk Kuyt is a Dutch footballer who plays for English club Liverpool. He started his career as a striker, but he has been converted into a winger and plays the position for both Liverpool and the Netherlands national team....

 and volleyed it with an acrobatic strike past Gianluigi Buffon
Gianluigi Buffon
Gianluigi "Gigi" Buffon, Ufficiale OMRI , is an Italian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Serie A club Juventus and the Italian national team. He has won the FIFA World Cup and is widely considered by fans and experts to be one of most dominant and successful goalkeepers in history...

. This brought the score to 2–0 after Ruud van Nistelrooy
Ruud van Nistelrooy
Rutgerus Johannes Martinus "Ruud" van Nistelrooy, , is a Dutch footballer who plays as a striker for Málaga CF in Spain's La Liga. He is the second-highest goalscorer in Champions League history with 60 goals...

's opener five minutes prior. The match finished with a 3–0 victory to the Dutch after a third goal was scored by van Bronkhorst after another run by him, following a crucial save from Edwin van der Sar
Edwin van der Sar
Edwin van der Sar OON is a former footballer who played as a goalkeeper for AFC Ajax, Juventus, Fulham and Manchester United. He is the most capped player in the Netherlands national football team's history...

. Sneijder's goal contributed to the Netherlands' first victory over Italy in 30 years, which was the biggest defeat Italy had suffered since Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...

 beat them by the same margin in 1983. Many fans and pundits agreed that this goal was one of the best of the tournament. On 13 June, he scored another goal for the Oranje in the Euro 2008 group stage match against France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...

: in the 92nd minute, from outside the box, Sneijder struck the ball into the corner of the net, bouncing off the crossbar on its way in. The match finished 4–1 for the Netherlands. Although the Dutch lost to the Russians
Russia national football team
The Russia national football team represents Russia in association football and is controlled by the Russian Football Union , the governing body for football in Russia. Russia's home grounds are Luzhniki Stadium, Lokomotiv Stadium , and Petrovsky Stadium in St.Petersburg and their head coach is...

 in the quarter-final, Sneijder was named in the Team of the Tournament for his strong performances.

2010 World Cup

Sneijder 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...

. Sneijder scored the winning goal in a 1–0 victory over Japan
Japan national football team
The Japan national football team represents Japan in association football and is operated by the Japan Football Association, the governing body for association football in Japan...

. In the first two matches of the group stage at the 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...

 he was selected as the man of the match in both of them. In the Netherlands' round of 16 match against Slovakia
Slovakia national football team
The Slovakia national football team represents Slovakia in association football and is controlled by the Slovak Football Association , the governing body for football in Slovakia. Slovakia's home stadium is Štadión Pasienky and their head coach is Vladimír Weiss...

, Sneijder scored in a 2–1 victory. He also provided what was at first thought to be an assist
Assist (football)
In association football, an assist is a contribution by a player which helps to score a goal. Statistics for assists made by players may be kept officially by the organisers of a competition, or unofficially by, for example, journalists or organisers of fantasy football competitions...

 for the first goal against Brazil in the quarter finals, but was later credited with the goal. He then scored the first header of his career direct from a corner and consigned Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...

 to a 2–1 defeat, bringing his goal total in the tournament to four. Sneijder was again named man of the match
Man of the match
In sport, a Man of the Match or Player of the Game or Man of the Series award is given to the outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact, in a particular match or series. The term was originally used more often in cricket before being adopted by other sports. This can be a...

 on FIFA's
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...

 website.

In the semi final against Uruguay
Uruguay national football team
The Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...

, Sneijder scored in the 70th minute, taking his total in the competition to five, raising him at the time to first place in terms of goals scored, along with David Villa
David Villa
David Villa Sánchez , nicknamed , is a Spanish footballer who currently plays as a striker for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national football team. He can also operate as a winger....

. The Netherlands won the match 3–2 and progressed to the final. Sneijder was yet again named on FIFA's website as the Budweiser
Budweiser
Budweiser is a German adjective describing something or someone from the city of České Budějovice in Southern Bohemia, Czech Republic.Beer brewing in České Budějovice dates back to the 13th century...

 man of the match according to the public online vote. In the 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...

, the Dutch lost 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...

 1–0 after extra time, conceding the only goal of the match after 116 minutes.

International goals



Club

Club Season League Cup Continental OtherIncludes other competitive competitions, including the Johan Cruijff-schaal
Johan Cruijff-schaal
The Johan Cruijff Schaal is a football trophy in the Netherlands named after legendary Dutch football player Johan Cruyff, also often referred to as the Dutch Super Cup. The winner is decided in one match only, played by the winner of the national football league and the winner of the national...

, Eredivisie playoffs, Supercopa de España
Supercopa de España
The Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey...

, Supercoppa Italiana
Supercoppa Italiana
The Supercoppa Italiana is a pre-season football competition held the week before the season begins in Italy every year. It is contested by the winners of the Serie A and the Coppa Italia in the previous season, as a curtain raiser to the new season. It is usually played at the home of the Serie A...

, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup
FIFA Club World Cup
The FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000...

Total
AppsGoalsAssistsAppsGoalsAssistsAppsGoalsAssistsAppsGoalsAssistsAppsGoalsAssists
Ajax 2002–03 17 4 2 3 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 23 5 2
2003–04 30 9 11 |1 0 0 7 1 0 0 0 0 38 10 11
2004–05 30 7 8 3 1 0 7 0 3 1 1 0 41 9 11
2005–06 19 5 5 3 2 1 7 4 2 2 1 0 31 12 8
2006–07 30 18 9 4 1 1 9 1 1 4 2 0 47 22 11
Total 1264335155233667401815843
Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...

2007–08 30 9 7 3 0 1 5 0 1 0 0 0 38 9 9
2008–09 22 2 2 1 0 0 4 0 0 1 0 0 28 2 2
Total 52119401901100661111
Internazionale
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...

2009–10
2009–10 Serie A
The 2009–10 Serie A was the seventy-eighth season since its establishment. There were three promoted teams from the Serie B, replacing the three teams that were relegated following the 2008–09 season. Nike provided a new match ball - the T90 Ascente - for this season...

26 4 8 4 1 1 11 3 6 0 0 0 41 8 15
2010–11
2010–11 Serie A
The 2010–11 Serie A was the 79th season since its establishment, the first under a league committee separate from Serie B. It began on 28 August 2010 and ended on 22 May 2011...

25 4 6 1 0 1 9 3 2 3 0 2 38 7 11
2011–12
2011–12 Serie A
The 2011–12 Serie A is the eightieth season since its establishment, and the second under a league committee separate from Serie B. It began on 9 September 2011 and will end on 13 May 2012. The league was originally scheduled to start on 27 August, but this was delayed due to a strike by the players...

6 1 3 0 0 0 3 0 1 1 1 0 10 2 4
Total 579175122369412891730
Career total 2356261246565121612523368584

Statistics accurate as of match played 2 November 2011

International

|-
|2003||3||2
|-
|2004||14||3
|-
|2005||3||0
|-
|2006||10||0
|-
|2007||11||3
|-
|2008||10||3
|-
|2009||7||1
|-
|2010||15||7
|-
|2011||4||4
|-
!Total||77||23
|}
Statistics accurate as of match played 2 September 2011

Personal life

He began dating Dutch - Spanish actress and presenter Yolanthe Cabau van Kasbergen
Yolanthe Cabau van Kasbergen
-Early life:Sneijder-Cabau was born on the Spanish island of Ibiza. Her father, Xavier Cabau , was Spanish, while her mother, Richarda "Rici" van Kasbergen, is Dutch. Xavier Cabau was a wealthy entrepreneur known as the "King of Ibiza", who owned several discothèques, restaurants, and bars...

. They became engaged in December 2009 and married on 17 July 2010. By her inspiration and team-mate Javier Zanetti, Sneijder became Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

 and was baptized in Milan.

Sneijder has two brothers, Jeffrey a former footballer and Rodney
Rodney Sneijder
Rodney Sneijder is a Dutch association football midfielder who currently plays for Utrecht in the Eredivisie, on loan from Ajax. He is the brother of Internazionale midfielder Wesley Sneijder and Jeffrey Sneijder. He made his league debut on 27 August 2011, scoring in a 3-1 victory over Roda JC...

 who plays for Jong Ajax. In May 2008, it was reported that Sneijder had prevented his younger brother Rodney from a summer transfer to his club at the time, Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...

. Sneijder said, "Real Madrid wanted him and Rodney was very happy about that. But when I heard, I stopped the discussions. I am not in favour of juniors increasingly going to top clubs. I've told him that he first must make a break through at Ajax."

Awards

In October 2008, Dutch magazine Voetbal International conducted a poll to decide who was the best Dutch free kick taker. Sneijder received an overwhelming 70% of the votes while Robin van Persie
Robin van Persie
Robin van Persie is a Dutch footballer who plays as a striker for Arsenal and the Dutch national team. He is a youth product of Feyenoord. Having joined Arsenal in 2004, Van Persie became the club captain on 16 August 2011...

 came second with 21% and striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar was third with 3% of the vote. He was voted as the best player of the year 2009–10 by Goal.com
Goal.com
Goal.com, founded in 2004 by Chicco Merighi and former Ferrari Maserati and Ralph Lauren President and CEO Gian Luigi Longinotti-Buitoni, is a website for international football news. Goal.com represents the largest football community in the world, with 22 language versions, covering over 200...

.

Club

Ajax
  • Eredivisie
    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....

     (1): 2003–04
  • KNVB Cup
    KNVB Cup
    The 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...

     (2): 2005–06, 2006–07
  • Johan Cruijff-schaal
    Johan Cruijff-schaal
    The Johan Cruijff Schaal is a football trophy in the Netherlands named after legendary Dutch football player Johan Cruyff, also often referred to as the Dutch Super Cup. The winner is decided in one match only, played by the winner of the national football league and the winner of the national...

     (3): 2002
    Johan Cruijff-schaal VII
    The match for the Johan Cruijff-schaal VII was held on 11 August 2002 between Eredivisie 2001-02 champions and KNVB Cup 2001-02 winners Ajax and Eredivisie runners-up PSV. Ajax won the match 3–1.-Match details:...

    , 2005
    Johan Cruijff-schaal X
    The 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:...

    , 2006
    Johan Cruijff-schaal XI
    The match for the Johan Cruijff-schaal XI was held on 13 August 2006 between Eredivisie 2005-06 champions PSV and KNVB Cup 2005-06 winners AFC Ajax. Ajax won the match 3–1.-Match details:...



Real Madrid
  • La Liga
    La Liga
    The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...

     (1): 2007–08
  • Supercopa de España
    Supercopa de España
    The Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey...

     (1): 2008
    2008 Supercopa de España
    The 2008 Supercopa de España was two-leg Spanish football matches played on 17 August and 24 August 2008. It was contested by Valencia CF, who were Spanish Cup winners in 2007–08, and Real Madrid, who won the 2007–08 Spanish League. Real Madrid won 6–5 on aggregate for their eighth Supercopa...



Internazionale
  • Serie A
    Serie A
    Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...

     (1): 2009–10
    2009–10 Serie A
    The 2009–10 Serie A was the seventy-eighth season since its establishment. There were three promoted teams from the Serie B, replacing the three teams that were relegated following the 2008–09 season. Nike provided a new match ball - the T90 Ascente - for this season...

  • Coppa Italia
    Coppa Italia
    The Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...

     (2): 2009–10, 2010–11
    2011 Coppa Italia Final
    The 2011 Coppa Italia Final was the final match of the 2010–11 Coppa Italia, the 63rd season of the top cup competition in Italian football. The match was played at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on 29 May 2011 between Internazionale and Palermo. Internazionale won by 3–1 to retain the trophy.-Road to...

  • Supercoppa Italiana
    Supercoppa Italiana
    The Supercoppa Italiana is a pre-season football competition held the week before the season begins in Italy every year. It is contested by the winners of the Serie A and the Coppa Italia in the previous season, as a curtain raiser to the new season. It is usually played at the home of the Serie A...

     (1): 2010
    2010 Supercoppa Italiana
    - References :...

  • UEFA Champions League
    UEFA Champions League
    The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...

     (1): 2009–10
    2010 UEFA Champions League Final
    The 2010 UEFA Champions League Final was a football match played at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home of Real Madrid, on Saturday, 22 May 2010, to determine the winners of the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League. It was the first Champions League final to be played on a Saturday, rather than the...

  • FIFA Club World Cup
    FIFA Club World Cup
    The FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000...

     (1): 2010
    2010 FIFA Club World Cup Final
    The 2010 FIFA Club World Cup Final was the final match of the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup, a football tournament for the champion clubs from each of FIFA's six continental confederations. The match took place at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, on 18 December 2010, and pitted African champions TP...



Individual

  • Johan Cruijff Prijs (1): 2004
  • Ajax Talent of the Year (1): 2004
  • Ajax Player of the Year (1): 2007
  • UEFA Euro 2008:
    • Man of the Match
      Man of the match
      In sport, a Man of the Match or Player of the Game or Man of the Series award is given to the outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact, in a particular match or series. The term was originally used more often in cricket before being adopted by other sports. This can be a...

       (2): vs. Italy, vs. France,
    • Team of the Tournament
    • Best Goal of the Tournament: vs France
  • Best Dutch Free kick
    Direct free kick
    A direct free kick is a method of restarting play in a game of association football following a foul. Unlike an indirect free kick, a goal may be scored directly against the opposing side without the ball having first touched another player.-Award:...

     Taker (1): 2008
  • 2010 UEFA Champions League Final
    2010 UEFA Champions League Final
    The 2010 UEFA Champions League Final was a football match played at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home of Real Madrid, on Saturday, 22 May 2010, to determine the winners of the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League. It was the first Champions League final to be played on a Saturday, rather than the...

    : Fans' Man of the Match
  • 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...

    :
    • Man of the Match (4): vs Denmark (GM), vs Japan (GM), vs Brazil (QF), vs Uruguay (SF)
    • FIFA World Cup All-Star Team
    • FIFA World Cup Silver Ball
    • FIFA World Cup Bronze Shoe
  • Goal.com No. 1
    Goal.com
    Goal.com, founded in 2004 by Chicco Merighi and former Ferrari Maserati and Ralph Lauren President and CEO Gian Luigi Longinotti-Buitoni, is a website for international football news. Goal.com represents the largest football community in the world, with 22 language versions, covering over 200...

     (1): 2010
  • UEFA Club Midfielder of the Year (1): 2010
  • FIFA FIFPro World XI (1): 2010
  • UEFA Team of the Year
    UEFA Team of the Year
    The UEFA Team of the Year is a football award given by UEFA through a poll on its . This award started in 2001 to allow users and visitors of the organization's website to choose their own eleven players and a coach based on their overall performances in European club football and international...

     (1): 2010

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK