Edwin van der Sar facts for kids
van der Sar in 2015
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 29 October 1970 | ||
| Place of birth | Voorhout, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 1.98 m | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1980–1985 | Foreholte | ||
| 1985–1990 | VV Noordwijk | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1990–1999 | Ajax | 226 | (1) |
| 1999–2001 | Juventus | 66 | (0) |
| 2001–2005 | Fulham | 127 | (0) |
| 2005–2011 | Manchester United | 186 | (0) |
| 2016 | VV Noordwijk | 1 | (0) |
| Total | 606 | (1) | |
| National team | |||
| 1995–2008 | Netherlands | 130 | (0) |
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Edwin van der Sar (born 29 October 1970) is a famous Dutch football player who used to play as a goalkeeper. He is also a football executive and was the chief executive of Ajax, the club where he started his professional playing career.
Many people think Edwin van der Sar is one of the best goalkeepers of all time. He won 26 major trophies during his career, mostly with Ajax and Manchester United. In the 2008–09 season, he set a world record by not letting in a goal for an amazing 1,311 minutes! He is also the oldest player to win the Premier League, which he did in 2011 when he was 40 years old.
Contents
Club Career
Ajax
Edwin van der Sar started playing football at his local clubs, Foreholte and then VV Noordwijk. He joined Ajax when he was a bit older than most players. He first played for their reserve team before getting his chance in the main team.
He had a very successful time at Ajax. He helped them win the 1991–92 UEFA Cup and the 1994–95 UEFA Champions League. He also won the Best European Goalkeeper award in 1995. He played 226 games for Ajax and even scored a goal from a penalty kick in a huge 8–1 win! He was named the Dutch Football Goalkeeper of the Year four times in a row.
Juventus
In 1999, Edwin van der Sar moved to the Italian club Juventus. He was the first non-Italian goalkeeper to play for this famous team. He played 66 games for Juventus in the Serie A league.
During his time there, Juventus finished second in the league twice. However, in his second season, he made a few mistakes, and Juventus didn't win the league or do well in European competitions. Because of this, Juventus bought another famous goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon, in 2001. Edwin van der Sar decided it was time to move on.
Fulham
On 1 August 2001, Edwin van der Sar joined Fulham, a team that had just been promoted to the Premier League in England. He signed a four-year contract. He played 127 league games for Fulham. In one memorable game, he saved two penalties in a single match! His great performances at Fulham caught the eye of Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager of Manchester United.
Manchester United
Edwin van der Sar joined Manchester United on 10 June 2005. Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager, said he was the best goalkeeper the club had since Peter Schmeichel.
In 2007, he helped Manchester United win their ninth Premier League title. He was also chosen for the 2006–07 PFA Team of the Year. The 2007–08 season was his best at United. He helped them win the Premier League again and also the Champions League. In the Champions League final, he saved the last penalty kick to win the trophy for United!
In 2009, Edwin van der Sar set a new record for not letting in goals. He went 1,311 minutes without conceding in the league, which was a world record at the time! This amazing record helped United win their 11th Premier League title. He also won the Premier League Golden Glove award for having the most clean sheets (games without conceding a goal).
He signed a new contract to stay at Manchester United until the end of the 2010–11 season. On 27 January 2011, he confirmed he would retire from professional football at the end of that season. His last game for United was the 2011 UEFA Champions League Final against Barcelona, which United lost. He was 40 years old, making him the oldest player to play in a Champions League final.
International Career
Edwin van der Sar was part of the Netherlands squad for the 1994 FIFA World Cup, but he didn't play. He made his first international appearance on 7 June 1995.
He played in many big tournaments for the Netherlands, including the 1998 FIFA World Cup and several European Championships. In the 1998 World Cup, he helped the Netherlands reach the semi-finals. In a quarter-final match, he had a moment with an Argentine player who was then sent off!
At UEFA Euro 2004, he saved a penalty in a shootout against Sweden, which helped the Netherlands reach the semi-finals. In 2006, he became the most-capped player for his country, playing more games than anyone else for the Netherlands. He played his last international game at UEFA Euro 2008, where he was the captain. He played 130 times for his country, a record that stood until 2017.
How He Played
Edwin van der Sar is known as one of the best goalkeepers ever. He was tall and athletic, great at catching crosses, and had amazing reflexes. He was also very calm and good at organizing his team's defence. He was excellent at stopping penalties too.
What made him special was his skill with the ball at his feet. He could pass accurately with both feet, starting quick attacks or building up play from the back. Because of this, he sometimes played like a "sweeper-keeper", coming out of his goal area to help his team.
After Football
After retiring from playing, Edwin van der Sar stayed involved in football. In 2011, a special match was played in his honour at the Amsterdam Arena. Many famous players, including his "dream team" and the 1995 Ajax team, played in front of a huge crowd. The money raised from this event went to charities.
He later became the marketing director for Ajax in 2012 and was promoted to CEO (Chief Executive Officer) in 2016. In 2016, he even made a brief return to playing for his old youth club, VV Noordwijk, in an amateur match. He saved a penalty in that game! He resigned as Ajax CEO in May 2023.
Personal Life
Edwin van der Sar is married to Annemarie van Kesteren, and they have two children. In 2009, his wife had a serious health issue, but she made a good recovery. In July 2023, Edwin van der Sar himself had a similar health issue but was also able to recover well.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Ajax | 1990–91 | Eredivisie | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| 1991–92 | Eredivisie | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1992–93 | Eredivisie | 19 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 | ||
| 1993–94 | Eredivisie | 32 | 0 | 4 | 0 | – | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 0 | ||
| 1994–95 | Eredivisie | 33 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 0 | ||
| 1995–96 | Eredivisie | 33 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 11 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 50 | 0 | ||
| 1996–97 | Eredivisie | 33 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 45 | 0 | ||
| 1997–98 | Eredivisie | 33 | 1 | 5 | 0 | – | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 1 | ||
| 1998–99 | Eredivisie | 34 | 0 | 5 | 0 | – | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 0 | ||
| Total | 226 | 1 | 23 | 0 | – | 55 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 312 | 1 | |||
| Juventus | 1999–2000 | Serie A | 32 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 0 | |
| 2000–01 | Serie A | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 0 | ||
| Total | 66 | 0 | 5 | 0 | – | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 88 | 0 | |||
| Fulham | 2001–02 | Premier League | 37 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 0 |
| 2002–03 | Premier League | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | |
| 2003–04 | Premier League | 37 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 0 | |
| 2004–05 | Premier League | 34 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 0 | |
| Total | 127 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 154 | 0 | ||
| Manchester United | 2005–06 | Premier League | 38 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 0 |
| 2006–07 | Premier League | 32 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 0 | |
| 2007–08 | Premier League | 29 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 0 | |
| 2008–09 | Premier League | 33 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 49 | 0 | |
| 2009–10 | Premier League | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 | |
| 2010–11 | Premier League | 33 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 0 | |
| Total | 186 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 56 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 266 | 0 | ||
| VV Noordwijk | 2015–16 | Hoofdklasse Saturday B | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Career total | 606 | 1 | 56 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 139 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 821 | 1 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 1995 | 5 | 0 |
| 1996 | 10 | 0 | |
| 1997 | 6 | 0 | |
| 1998 | 14 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2000 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2001 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 17 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2006 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2007 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 8 | 0 | |
| Total | 130 | 0 | |
Awards and Trophies
Ajax
- Eredivisie: 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1997–98
- KNVB Cup: 1992–93, 1997–98, 1998–99
- Dutch Supercup: 1993, 1994, 1995
- UEFA Champions League: 1994–95; runner-up: 1995–96
- UEFA Cup: 1991–92
- UEFA Super Cup: 1995
- Intercontinental Cup: 1995
Juventus
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1999
Fulham
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2002
Manchester United
- Premier League: 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11
- Football League Cup: 2005–06, 2009–10
- FA Community Shield: 2007, 2008, 2010
- UEFA Champions League: 2007–08; runner-up: 2008–09, 2010–11
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2008
Individual
- Dutch Football Goalkeeper of the Year: 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997
- Best European Goalkeeper: 1995, 2009
- ESM Team of the Year: 1995–96, 2008–09
- Ajax Player of the Year (Rinus Michels Award): 1997–98
- Dutch Golden Shoe: 1998
- Fulham Player of the Year: 2004
- PFA Premier League Team of the Year: 2006–07, 2008–09, 2010–11
- UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 2008
- Premier League Merit Award: 2008–09
- Premier League Golden Glove: 2008–09
- UEFA Club Goalkeeper of the Year: 2009
Orders
- Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau: 2010
- JFK Greatest Man Award: 29 October 2011
See also
In Spanish: Edwin van der Sar para niños
- List of footballers with 100 or more caps
