Daley Blind facts for kids
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Blind playing for Manchester United in 2016
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Daley Blind | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 9 March 1990 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Amsterdam, Netherlands | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Centre-back, left-back, defensive midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Girona | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 17 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1998 | Amsterdamsche FC | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2008 | Ajax | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2014 | Ajax | 102 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | → Groningen (loan) | 17 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2018 | Manchester United | 90 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2023 | Ajax | 124 | (7) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | Bayern Munich | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2023– | Girona | 68 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Netherlands U15 | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2006 | Netherlands U16 | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Netherlands U17 | 13 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2009 | Netherlands U19 | 16 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2013 | Netherlands U21 | 23 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2024 | Netherlands | 108 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 27 May 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Daley Blind (born March 9, 1990) is a Dutch professional footballer. He plays for the La Liga club Girona. Daley is a versatile player who can play in different defensive roles. He has played as a left-back, a centre-back, and a defensive midfielder. His father, Danny Blind, was also a famous defender for Ajax and managed the Netherlands national team.
Daley Blind grew up playing football in the youth teams of Ajax. He became a key player after a loan spell at Groningen. With Ajax, he won the Eredivisie title four times in a row. In September 2014, he moved to Manchester United. There, he helped the team win four trophies, including the FA Cup and the UEFA Europa League.
In 2018, Blind returned to Ajax. He won his fifth Eredivisie title and the KNVB Cup in his first season back. He won two more Eredivisie titles before joining Bayern Munich. With Bayern, he won the Bundesliga during a short six-month period. In 2023, Blind signed with the Spanish club Girona.
Daley Blind also played for the Netherlands from 2013 to 2024. He played over 100 games for his country. He was part of the Dutch team that finished third at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He also played in UEFA Euro 2020, the 2022 World Cup, and Euro 2024. He retired from international football in August 2024.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting at Ajax
Daley Blind began his football journey at the Ajax youth academy. This is the same club where his father, Danny Blind, became a famous player. Daley was a promising young player and became captain of the Jong Ajax team in 2007. He signed his first professional contract at age 17.
He made his first team debut for Ajax on December 7, 2008. In that game, he helped create a goal that led to Ajax winning the match. A few weeks later, he signed a contract extension to stay with Ajax until 2013.
Loan to Groningen
In January 2010, Daley Blind joined Groningen on loan. He played as a right back for the rest of the season. Ajax almost sold him permanently to Groningen, but the deal did not happen.
Becoming a Key Player at Ajax
After his loan, Blind helped Ajax win two Eredivisie titles in a row. These were in the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons. At first, some fans were not convinced by his performances. However, under the new coach Frank de Boer, Blind started to get more playing time. He became the main left back for the 2012–13 season.
In April 2013, Ajax extended his contract until 2016. On May 5, Blind helped Ajax win their third Eredivisie title in a row. He was also named the AFC Ajax Player of the Year for the 2012–13 season. For the 2013–14 season, his coach moved him to his natural position as a defensive midfielder. That year, he was named Dutch Footballer of the Year as Ajax won their fourth straight league title.
Time at Manchester United
On August 30, 2014, Manchester United agreed to sign Daley Blind. The transfer was completed on September 1, 2014, for about £13.8 million.
Blind made his debut for Manchester United on September 13, 2014. He played the whole game as United won 4–0 against Queens Park Rangers. He scored his first goal for the club on October 20, a long-range shot that helped United draw 2–2 with West Bromwich Albion.
In November 2014, Blind got a knee injury while playing for the Netherlands. This kept him out of action for the rest of that year. He returned to the team in January 2015. On February 8, he scored a goal in injury time to help United draw 1–1 with West Ham.
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Even though he often played as a defensive midfielder or left back before, Blind started the 2015–16 season as a centre-back. He played most of the season in this position. On September 12, 2015, he scored his first goal of the season in a 3–1 win against Liverpool. He was also named the best player of that match.
In the 2016–17 Premier League season, he started as a centre-back. Later, he mostly played as a left back. He scored his first goal of the season on Boxing Day against Sunderland. He also started in the Europa League final against his old team, Ajax. Manchester United won that match 2–0.
Coming Back to Ajax
On July 17, 2018, Daley Blind returned to Ajax. Both Manchester United and Ajax announced the transfer. He signed a four-year deal for €16 million. On December 16, 2018, Blind scored his first ever hat-trick (three goals in one game). This happened in an 8–0 league win against De Graafschap, where he played as a centre-back.
In August 2020, Blind had a health scare when he collapsed during a practice game. He had medical tests before returning to training. On December 27, 2022, Blind and Ajax agreed to end his contract early, and he left the club as a free agent.
Short Time at Bayern Munich
On January 5, 2023, Blind joined the German club Bayern Munich. He signed a contract until the end of that season. With Bayern, he won the Bundesliga title.
Playing for Girona
On July 7, 2023, Blind joined the Spanish club Girona on a two-year contract. He made his debut for Girona on August 12, 2023, in a 1–1 draw against Real Sociedad. On January 3, 2024, Blind scored his first goal for Girona in a 4–3 win against Atlético Madrid. This was Girona's first league victory ever against Atlético. This win also meant Girona was tied on points with Real Madrid at the top of the La Liga table halfway through the season.
International Career
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Youth Teams
Daley Blind played for the Netherlands' youth teams. He was part of the Under-17 squad for the 2007 European Championships. He scored two goals against Iceland but got an ankle injury that ended his tournament early. He also played for the Under-21 team.
Senior National Team
Blind made his debut for the Netherlands senior team on February 6, 2013. He played as a starting left-back against Italy in a friendly match. The game ended in a 1–1 draw.
In June 2014, he was chosen for the Netherlands squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He started as a left wing-back in the team's first match against Spain. He helped set up goals for Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben, and the Netherlands won 5–1. He scored his first goal for the Netherlands in a 3–0 win against Brazil in the third-place play-off.
Blind continued to play for the national team. He was part of the squad for the 2019 UEFA Nations League Finals. He also played in UEFA Euro 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He scored his third international goal in the 2022 World Cup, in a 3–1 win against the United States. On March 24, 2023, Blind played his 100th match for the Netherlands.
He was named in the Netherlands' squad for UEFA Euro 2024. On August 14, 2024, it was announced that Daley Blind retired from international football, having played 108 games for his country.
Personal Life
Daley Blind is the son of Danny Blind, a famous former Ajax defender and Netherlands national team manager. Daley and his wife welcomed their son in October 2019.
In December 2019, it was announced that Blind had been diagnosed with myocarditis. This is a condition where the heart muscle becomes inflamed. He had a special device called an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator fitted to help his heart. Despite this, he has continued his successful football career.
Honours and Awards
Daley Blind has won many trophies and awards throughout his career:
Ajax
- Eredivisie (Dutch League): 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22
- KNVB Cup (Dutch Cup): 2018–19, 2020–21
- Johan Cruyff Shield (Dutch Super Cup): 2013, 2019
Manchester United
- FA Cup: 2015–16
- EFL Cup (League Cup): 2016–17
- FA Community Shield: 2016
- UEFA Europa League: 2016–17
Bayern Munich
- Bundesliga (German League): 2022–23
Netherlands National Team
- FIFA World Cup third place: 2014
- UEFA Nations League runner-up: 2018–19
Individual Awards
- Ajax Talent of the Future: 2007–08
- Ajax Player of the Year: 2012–13
- Dutch Footballer of the Year: 2014
- Eredivisie Team of the Year: 2012–13, 2013–14, 2018–19
- UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season: 2016–17
- UEFA Nations League Finals Team of the Tournament: 2019
See also
In Spanish: Daley Blind para niños
