Gregory van der Wiel facts for kids

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Gregory van der Wiel

Van der Wiel playing for the Netherlands at UEFA Euro 2012
Personal information
Full name	Gregory Kurtley van der Wiel
Date of birth	(1988-02-03) 3 February 1988 (age 37)
Place of birth	Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Right-back
Youth career
	DCG
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)
2016–2017	Fenerbahçe	11	(0)
2017–2018	Cagliari	5	(0)
2018–2019	Toronto FC	27	(0)
Total		262	(16)
International career
2007	Netherlands U19	1	(0)
2008–2009	Netherlands U21	5	(0)
2009–2015	Netherlands	46	(0)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Netherlands FIFA World Cup Runner-up 2010 South Africa
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Gregory Kurtley van der Wiel (born 3 February 1988) is a Dutch former professional footballer. He played as a right-back, which is a defensive position on the right side of the field.

Gregory was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He grew up playing football in the famous AFC Ajax youth system. In 2010, he won the "Young Player of the Year" award in the Netherlands. He also played for big clubs like Paris Saint-Germain in France, Fenerbahçe in Turkey, Cagliari in Italy, and Toronto FC in Canada.

He first played for the Dutch national team in 2009. He was part of the team that finished second at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Playing for Clubs: Gregory's Journey

Starting at Ajax: Early Years

Gregory van der Wiel in 2007

Gregory van der Wiel began his football journey at a small club in Amsterdam called RKSV DCG. When he was seven, the famous AFC Ajax team noticed his talent. They invited him to join their special youth academy.

In 2002, Ajax sent him to another club, HFC Haarlem. This happened because they felt he had some "mentality problems." Gregory later said this time at Haarlem helped him grow. He realized how well organized things were at Ajax compared to Haarlem. He learned to be more independent.

Ajax invited him back in 2005, and this time, things went much better. He signed his first professional contract in 2006. He even became the captain of the Jong Ajax team, which is Ajax's youth squad.

Making His Mark at Ajax

Gregory played his first professional game for Ajax on 11 March 2007. It was an away game against Twente, and Ajax won 4–1. He came on as a substitute. After this, he signed a four-year contract with Ajax.

In the 2007–08 season, he won his first trophy, the Johan Cruyff Shield, with Ajax. They beat PSV 1–0. A knee injury kept him out for much of that season.

Gregory van der Wiel playing for Ajax in 2010

By the 2008–09 season, Gregory was back and playing as the main right-back. He even played in midfield sometimes when the team needed him. His good performances led to a contract extension until 2013. He scored his first goal for Ajax on 1 March 2009 against Utrecht. He was named Ajax's Talent of the Year for that season.

For the 2009–10 season, he changed his shirt number to 2. He helped Ajax keep many clean sheets (games without letting opponents score). He also played a key role when Ajax won the KNVB Cup by beating Feyenoord 4–2. Because of his great season, he won the Johan Cruijff Award for Young Player of the Year.

Gregory van der Wiel (second from top right) with Ajax teammates in 2010

After the 2010 FIFA World Cup, there were talks about him moving to Bayern Munich, but Ajax didn't agree to a deal. He continued to play well for Ajax under new manager Frank de Boer. He helped the team win the Eredivisie (the top Dutch league) in both the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons.

In 2012, Gregory made it clear he wanted to try playing for a new club. His last game for Ajax was a 5–0 win against NAC Breda in August 2012. Soon after, he moved to a French club.

Moving to Paris Saint-Germain

Gregory van der Wiel during a match against Chelsea in 2015

On 1 September 2012, Gregory van der Wiel joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in France. He signed a four-year contract. He made his debut for PSG on 22 September 2012 in a 4–0 win against Bastia.

In his first season, he often came on as a substitute for the team's captain, Christophe Jallet. He scored his first goal for PSG in a 4–0 win against Toulouse. On 12 May 2013, PSG won the Ligue 1 title, becoming champions of France.

For the 2013–14 season, Gregory competed with Christophe Jallet for the right-back spot. He played well and was even included in L'Equipe magazine's Team of the Year for 2013.

In the 2014–15 season, Gregory helped PSG win the domestic treble. This means they won three major trophies in France: Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the Coupe de la Ligue.

He continued to help PSG win the domestic treble again in the 2015–16 season. However, he often found himself on the substitutes' bench. On 15 May 2016, it was announced that he would leave PSG when his contract ended.

Time in Turkey and Italy

After leaving PSG, Gregory signed a three-year contract with the Turkish team Fenerbahçe in 2016. He made his debut for Fenerbahçe in a UEFA Champions League qualifying match. He played 12 league games for Fenerbahçe before leaving.

In August 2017, Gregory joined the Italian club Cagliari. He was the first Dutch player to ever sign for the club. He made his debut on 15 October but struggled to get much playing time. He made only six appearances for Cagliari.

Playing in North America: Toronto FC

On 1 February 2018, Gregory signed with Major League Soccer (MLS) club Toronto FC in Canada. He made his debut on 3 March in a 2–0 loss to Columbus Crew.

He became a regular starter for Toronto FC. He played in the CONCACAF Champions League Final against Chivas Guadalajara. Toronto lost the final in a penalty shootout. During his time at Toronto FC, he played in several different positions, including centre-back and left-back, but mostly as a right-back. He left the club in March 2019.

In August 2020, Gregory began training with Eredivisie club RKC Waalwijk, hoping to continue his football career.

International Career: Playing for the Netherlands

Youth Teams

Gregory van der Wiel with Dutch fans

Gregory played for the Netherlands under-19 and under-21 teams. He even played in the 2007 Toulon Tournament.

Senior Team Debut

Gregory van der Wiel (second from left) with (from left to right) Mark van Bommel, Demy de Zeeuw and Giovanni van Bronckhorst

On 6 February 2009, Gregory was called up to the senior Dutch team for the first time. He made his debut on 11 February in a friendly match against Tunisia. He played his first competitive game on 28 March 2009 in a 3–0 win against Scotland during the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

A Small Incident

In October 2009, Gregory was supposed to travel with the Dutch team for a friendly match. However, he couldn't go because he had a concussion from playing for Ajax. Later, he attended a concert and posted a picture on social media. Some people in Dutch football were surprised, as he was supposed to be resting. His club manager defended him, saying it was a misunderstanding. The national team coach later said the incident would not affect his place in the team.

2010 FIFA World Cup

Gregory van der Wiel and Michael Krohn-Dehli at Euro 2012

Gregory played an important part in the Netherlands' journey to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He was chosen for the 23-man squad for the tournament in South Africa.

He started in the first two matches, helping the Netherlands win against Denmark and Japan. He also started in the quarter-final match against Brazil, which the Dutch won 2–1. This sent them to the semi-finals.

Gregory played in the final against Spain. He played the entire 120 minutes of the match. The Netherlands lost 1–0 after a late goal in extra time. Gregory later said he felt honored to have played in such a big final.

Euro 2012 and Beyond

Gregory van der Wiel signing autographs with Luuk de Jong in 2011

Gregory was the first-choice right-back for the Netherlands during their Euro 2012 qualifying matches. He helped set up goals and played his 25th international game in an 11–0 win over San Marino.

He was part of the squad for the Euro 2012 tournament. However, his performances were sometimes criticized during this competition.

After Euro 2012, Gregory played less often for the national team. He was not included in the squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup due to injuries he had at the time. He played his last international match in 2015.

Playing Style: What Made Him Special

Gregory van der Wiel was known as a versatile defender. He usually played as an attacking right-back. This means he was good at running down the side of the field to help with attacks, but also strong in defense. He was known for his speed, good control of the ball, and how he passed it. He could also play as a wide midfielder or even a centre-back.

Personal Life

Gregory van der Wiel and his tattoos while playing for Paris Saint-Germain

Gregory was born in Amsterdam. His father is from Curaçao, and his mother is Dutch. He has three younger sisters. He has many tattoos, including quotes, his mother's name, and his sisters' initials. He has said that hip hop music is important to his culture.

In 2009, Gregory donated money to help a Dutch club, HFC Haarlem, which was having financial problems. Sadly, the club still went bankrupt. In 2010, a special football court called a "Cruyff Court" was built in his name in Curaçao, where his family is from.

In 2015, Gregory was a victim of a robbery at his apartment. In 2017, he also shared that he had lost money in an unwise investment. He said he trusted someone and never got his money back.

Gregory lived with his girlfriend, Belgian model Rose Bertram, in Los Angeles. Their daughter, Naleya Rose, was born in Toronto in 2018.

In November 2020, Gregory spoke openly about mental health. He shared that he had been dealing with panic attacks and feelings of anxiety for over a year.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Honours: Trophies and Awards

Ajax

• Eredivisie (Dutch League): 2010–11, 2011–12
• KNVB Cup (Dutch Cup): 2006–07, 2009–10
• Johan Cruyff Shield (Dutch Super Cup): 2007

Paris Saint-Germain

• Ligue 1 (French League): 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16
• Coupe de France (French Cup): 2014–15, 2015–16
• Coupe de la Ligue (French League Cup): 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16
• Trophée des Champions (French Super Cup): 2013, 2014, 2015

Toronto FC

• Canadian Championship: 2018
• CONCACAF Champions League runner-up: 2018

Netherlands

• FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2010

Individual Awards

• Johan Cruyff Trophy: 2009–10 (Young Player of the Year)
• Ajax Talent of the Year (Marco van Basten Award): 2008–09

See also

In Spanish: Gregory van der Wiel para niños