Gregory van der Wiel

Gregory van der Wiel

Van der Wiel playing for the Netherlands national team at Euro 2012
Personal information
Full name Gregory Kurtley van der Wiel
Date of birth (1988-02-03) 3 February 1988
Place of birth Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position Right back
Club information
Current team
 Fenerbahçe
Number 23
Youth career
1996–2002 Ajax
2002–2005 Haarlem
2005–2007 Ajax
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2012 Ajax 130 (12)
2012–2016 Paris Saint-Germain 89 (4)
2016– Fenerbahçe 6 (0)
National team‡
2007 Netherlands U19 1 (0)
2008–2009 Netherlands U21 5 (0)
2009– Netherlands 46 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 9 April 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 6 September 2015

Gregory Kurtley van der Wiel[1] (born 3 February 1988) is a Dutch international footballer who plays for Turkish club Fenerbahçe, as a right back.

Born in Amsterdam, he is a product of the renowned AFC Ajax youth system. He plays an attacking right back and is known for his speedy runs down the flank. In 2010, Van der Wiel was awarded the Johan Cruyff Award for "Young Player of the Year" in the Netherlands.

He made his debut for the Dutch national team in February 2009, and participated in the Netherlands' runners-up performance at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Dutch team-mate John Heitinga has labeled him the spiritual successor of Michael Reiziger for the Netherlands.[2]

Club career

Ajax

Van der Wiel started his playing career at RKSV DCG in Amsterdam.[3] At the age of seven, the young defender was scouted by Ajax and brought to the Ajax Academy at "De Toekomst". In 2002, Ajax sent the player away to HFC Haarlem due to the player having a "mentality problem".[4] Talking about his period at Haarlem, Van der Wiel has said: "When I was there I realized how spoiled I was. At Ajax everything was always well organized. We received a new kit every season and were picked up with minivans and brought to the club. At Haarlem I arrived in a totally different world. The accommodation was much worse, we played in five-year-old outfits, and had to find our own way to the trainings. The atmosphere was better though, much more relaxed than at Ajax. The period at Haarlem was good for my social development. It was a wake-up call for me."[4]

Van der Wiel pictured in 2007.

In 2005 Ajax approached him once again and brought him back to the Academy. His second stint at the club proved to be a much more successful experience. Following the departure of youth captain Donovan Slijngard, Van der Wiel was made the captain of Jong Ajax.[3]

Van der Wiel made his professional debut for Ajax on 11 March 2007 in a 4–1 away win against FC Twente, coming on as a substitute for Jaap Stam.[5] He would play three more matches that season. For the 2007–08 season he participated in the 1–0 victory over PSV Eindhoven in the battle for the Johan Cruijff Shield, resulting in winning his first career trophy.[6]

Van der Wiel started the 2009–10 season well under new Ajax manager Martin Jol, scoring his third league goal for Ajax on 8 August 2009.[7] The goal came in a 4–1 victory over RKC Waalwijk during which Ajax captain Luis Suárez scored a hat-trick and was van der Wiel's first goal at the Amsterdam Arena.[7] Van der Wiel's second league goal of the season came on 25 October 2009, in a 4–2 away victory over defending champions AZ Alkmaar.[8] On 1 November 2009, van der Wiel scored in the klassieker against arch-rivals Feyenoord in a 5–1 thrashing of the Rotterdam side.[9] On 6 May 2010, he played in the final of the 2009–10 Dutch Cup as Ajax again beat Feyenoord, 4–1.[10] At the end of the season, Van der Wiel was awarded the Johan Cruijff Award for "Young Player of the Year."[11]

Playing for Ajax in the Champions League, August 2010.

Following the 2010 World Cup, Van der Wiel was in talks to make a transfer to Louis van Gaal's Bayern Munich.[12] However, Ajax was not able to agree to a deal.[13] The 2010–11 season was another successful season for Van der Wiel, as he maintained his first-team position under new manager Frank de Boer. At the end of the season, Van der Wiel had played 32 league matches (51 matches in all competitions) and won his first Eredivisie title.[14] Ajax and Twente decided the Eredivisie title in the last league match of the season, and Van der Wiel played an instrumental role in the match with his assist on Siem de Jong for Ajax's opening goal in the match.[15]

Paris Saint-Germain

Van der Wiel moved to Paris Saint-Germain on 1 September 2012 for a reported fee of €6 million.[16] He was given shirt number 23 and made his debut for PSG on 22 September 2012 in an away match against Bastia, which was won 0–4 by the visitors, with Van der Wiel played the full 90 minutes as right back.[17] For the most part of his debut season in France, Van der Wiel would come off the bench for PSG's team captain Christophe Jallet, the team's first-choice right back.[18] He made his European debut for Paris in the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League match against Porto, a 1–0 away loss with Van der Wiel being substituted off for Jallet in the 66th minute.[19] Van der Wiel scored his first goal for PSG in the 0–4 away win against Toulouse, scoring the final goal of the match.[20]

In his first season with Paris Saint-Germain, Van der Wiel helped his team reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, where they were eliminated by Barcelona.[21] In the 88th minute of the away leg at Camp Nou, Van der Wiel was substituted on with the match ending in a 1–1 draw. He did not appear in the first leg of the series; he made five appearances for PSG in the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League campaign altogether.[22] On 12 May 2013, PSG became champions of France, winning the Ligue 1 title in a 1–0 victory against Lyon at home, marking the club's third ever national championship. Van der Wiel remained on the bench for the duration of the title-winning fixture.[23] On 15 May 2016, it was officially announced that van der Wiel would be leaving Paris Saint-Germain at the end season after his contract expires.[24] Finally he made a 4 year contract with Fenerbahçe on 4 July 2016.[25]

Fenerbahçe

After leaving PSG he signed for Turkish club Fenerbahçe.[26]

International career

Van der Wiel with Dutch fans.

Van der Wiel has been capped at the under-21 level and participated at the 2007 Toulon Tournament. He made his senior debut for the Netherlands on 11 February 2009, coming on as a substitute for former Ajax teammate John Heitinga in the friendly game against Tunisia.[27] He made his first competitive debut on 28 March 2009, being in the starting lineup for the 3–0 2010 World Cup qualification victory over Scotland.[28] He again played the whole match for the 4–0 World Cup qualification victory over Macedonia on 1 April 2009.[29]

Gregory van der Wiel (second from left) with (FLTR: Mark van Bommel, Demy de Zeeuw, and Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

Twitter incident

In October 2009, Van der Wiel became embroiled in a controversy after he was unable to travel with the Dutch squad to Australia for a friendly game due to a concussion obtained while playing for Ajax. The player went to a Lil Wayne concert while his Dutch teammates were in Australia and posted a picture of himself with the rapper on his Twitter page.[30] Several prominent figures in Dutch football criticised the player for his actions, including Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk, who stated, "It's rather strange that he was able to go to a concert, given that he told me that he was not allowed to fly by the Ajax medical staff."[31] Ajax manager Martin Jol defended the player, stating that the incident was blown out of proportion by the media and that it should not be seen as a lack of respect on the part of the player for the Dutch national team.[31] Van Marwijk has since forgiven Van der Wiel for the incident, stating that, "he should not expect that this incident will have consequences for his place in the team."[32]

2010 World Cup

Van der Wiel and Michael Krohn-Dehli at Euro 2012.

Van der Wiel was actively involved in the 2010 World Cup qualification tournament. Van der Wiel was part of the Dutch team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup managed by Bert van Marwijk.[33] The player was in the starting line-up for their first two matches in the competition, 2–0 victory over Denmark and 1–0 victory over Japan.[34] He was also in the starting lineup for the match against Slovakia, the quarter final against Brazil, and the final against Spain, which the Dutch lost due to a late goal by Andrés Iniesta.[35]

Euro 2012

Van der Wiel has been Van Marwijk's first choice right-back for the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying Group E matches played by the Netherlands so far. Van der Wiel had been widely criticized for his performance; notably for his back pass against Portugal in the first-half which presented Hélder Postiga with a clear sight of goal, which he ultimately missed.[36]

Personal life

Gregory van der Wiel has a Dutch-Antillean father from the island of Curaçao, and a Dutch mother. In 2010, the Johan Cruyff Foundation dedicated a Cruyff Court in Gregory van der Wiel's name. Van der Wiel had the court built in the Sapaté district on Curaçao, where his family are from, which was officially opened on 15 June 2011.[37]

He lives with his girlfriend, the Belgian model, Rose Bertram.[38][39]

Career statistics

As of 9 April 2016.[40][41]
Club Season League Cup Europe Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Ajax 2006–07 40000040
2007–08 602020100
2008–09 3222090432
2009–10 34660100506
2010–11 32150140511
2011–12 1921061263
2012–13 31000031
Total 1301216041118713
Paris Saint-Germain 2012–13 2212050291
2013–14 2504060350
2014–15 25160101412
2015–16 1723050252
Total 8941502611325
Career total 2151531067231417

International performance

As of 6 September 2015[42]
Dutch national team
YearAppsGoals
200980
2010120
201190
201260
201310
201450
201550
Total460

Honours

Van der Wiel (second from top right) with Ajax teammates in 2010.

Club

Ajax
Paris Saint-Germain

International

Netherlands

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010 – List of Players" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  2. ↑ "Heitinga: wat Alves kan, kan Van der Wiel ook" (in Dutch). Nu Sport. 4 June 2010. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
  3. 1 2 "Gregory van der Wiel profile" (in Dutch). Ajaxinside.nl. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
  4. 1 2 "Gregory van der Wiel: 'Bij Haarlem ben ik wakker geschud'" (in Dutch). Spitsnet.nl. 31 May 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
  5. ↑ "Twente Enschede 1 – 4 Ajax Amsterdam". ESPN Soccernet. 11 March 2007. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
  6. 1 2 "Ajax – Gabri bezorgt Ajax Johan Cruijff Schaal" (in Dutch). Ajax.nl. 11 August 2007. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
  7. 1 2 "Suarez hits hat-trick as Ajax cruise past Waalwijk". Reuters. 8 August 2009. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
  8. ↑ "AZ Alkmaar 2 – 4 Ajax Amsterdam". ESPN Soccernet. 25 October 2009. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  9. ↑ "Ajax Amsterdam 5 – 1 Feyenoord Rotterdam". ESPN Soccernet. 1 November 2009. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
  10. 1 2 "Report: Feyenoord Rotterdam vs Ajax Amsterdam – Dutch Cup". ESPN Soccernet. 6 May 2010. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
  11. 1 2 Bart van Dooijeweert (3 May 2010). "Van der Wiel gekozen tot Talent van het Jaar" (in Dutch). Elfvoetbal.nl. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  12. ↑ "Bayern move for Van der Wiel". Sky Sports. 14 July 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  13. ↑ "Van der Wiel's Bayern move breaks down". FourFourTwo. 21 July 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  14. ↑ "Ajax snatch title from champions Twente in decider". BBC News. 15 May 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  15. ↑ "Ajax vs. Twente". Soccerway. 15 May 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
  16. ↑ "PSG sign Van Der Wiel". ESPN. 1 September 2012.
  17. ↑ "Basisplaats Van der Wiel tegen SC Bastia". Voetbal Primeur. 14 October 2012.
  18. ↑ "Blanc plaatst Van der Wiel nog niet boven Jallet". Voetbal Primeur. 26 September 2013.
  19. ↑ "Basisplaats Van der Wiel bij PSG in Porto". De Gelderlander. 3 October 2012.
  20. ↑ "PSG met Van der Wiel tegen Toulouse". Voetbal Primeur. 28 September 2013.
  21. ↑ "Paris Saint-Germain to face Barcelona in quarter-finals". France 24. 10 April 2013.
  22. ↑ "Barcelona win against Paris Saint-Germain in UEFA Champions League quarter-final". France 24. 10 April 2013.
  23. ↑ Bruno Roger-Petit (13 May 2013). "Le PSG Champion : si Ancelotti s'en va, un triomphe sans lendemain?". Sport 24.
  24. ↑ "Van der Wiel to leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer.". goal.com. 15 May 2016.
  25. ↑ Derinev.com. "Gregory van der Wiel İmzayı Attı - Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü Resmi Sitesi".
  26. ↑ Derinev.com. "Gregory van der Wiel: "İlk Önemli Hedefimiz Şampiyonlar Ligi'ne Kalmak" - Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü Resmi Sitesi".
  27. ↑ "Match Facts: Tunisia v Holland". Sky Sports. 11 February 2009. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
  28. ↑ "Netherlands 3–0 Scotland". BBC News. 28 March 2009. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
  29. ↑ "Netherlands – FYR Macedonia". FIFA. 1 April 2009. Retrieved 3 April 2009.
  30. ↑ "'Raar dat Van der Wiel concert bezoekt'" (in Dutch). Algemeen Dagblad. 22 March 2009. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
  31. 1 2 "Jol vindt Twitter-affaire Van der Wiel erg opgeblazen" (in Dutch). Voetbal International. 14 October 2009. Archived from the original on 5 June 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2009. QUOTE: "Het is wel raar dat hij dan wel bij een concert is, terwijl hij zich bij mij had afgemeld omdat hij niet mocht vliegen van de arts van Ajax"
  32. ↑ "Van Marwijk vergeeft Van der Wiel na 'twitter-incident'". Sportweek. 22 October 2009. Retrieved 22 October 2009. QUOTE: "hij hoeft er niet van uit te gaan dat dit gevolgen zal hebben voor zijn plek bij Oranje."
  33. ↑ "Holland coach Bert van Marwijk finalises World Cup squad". The Guardian. Press Association. 27 May 2010. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
  34. ↑ "Netherlands-Denmark". FIFA. 14 June 2010. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  35. ↑ "FIFA Player Statistics: Gregory van der Wiel". FIFA.com. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
  36. ↑ "Van Marwijk defends Dutch choices". FIFA.com.
  37. ↑ "Cruyff Court Van der Wiel op Curaçao". Ajax.nl. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015.
  38. ↑ "Meet the Model: Rose Bertram - HUNGER TV".
  39. ↑ "Gregory van der Wiel et Rose Bertram : power couple".
  40. ↑ "Gregory Van Der Wiel Statistics". ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
  41. ↑ "Gregory Van Der Wiel Statistics". Voetbal International. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
  42. ↑ Gregory van der Wiel at National-Football-Teams.com
  43. 1 2 3 4 5 "van der Wiel Gregory - Player sheet - First Team - PSG.fr".
  44. ↑ http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/01/27/25/92/64_0711_ned-esp_tacticalstartlist.pdf
  45. ↑ "Suarez en van der Wiel gehuldigd met trofeeën" (in Dutch). Ajax1. 10 May 2009. Archived from the original on 15 May 2009. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gregory van der Wiel.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/3/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.