Klaas-Jan Huntelaar facts for kids

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Klaas-Jan Huntelaar

Huntelaar in 2015
Personal information
Date of birth	(1983-08-12) 12 August 1983 (age 41)
Place of birth	Drempt, Netherlands
Height	1.86 m
Playing position	Striker
Youth career
1988–1994	VV H. en K.
1994–2000	De Graafschap
2000–2002	PSV Eindhoven
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2002–2004	PSV Eindhoven	1	(0)
2003	→ De Graafschap (loan)	9	(0)
2003–2004	→ AGOVV (loan)	35	(26)
2004–2006	Heerenveen	46	(33)
2006–2009	Ajax	92	(76)
2009	Real Madrid	20	(8)
2009–2010	Milan	25	(7)
2010–2017	Schalke 04	175	(82)
2017–2021	Ajax	85	(45)
2021	Schalke 04	9	(2)
Total		497	(279)
National team
2002–2006	Netherlands U21	23	(18)
2006–2015	Netherlands	76	(42)
Honours Men's football Representing  Netherlands FIFA World Cup Runner-up 2010 South Africa Third 2014 Brazil UEFA European Under-21 Championship Winner 2006 Portugal UEFA European Under-17 Championship Bronze 2000 Israel
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Dirk Jan Klaas Huntelaar (born August 12, 1983), known as Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, is a famous Dutch former professional footballer. He played as a striker, which means his main job was to score goals.

Huntelaar played for many well-known clubs like PSV, Ajax, Real Madrid, and AC Milan. He also played for Schalke 04 for many years. In the 2011–12 season, he was the top goalscorer in the German league, the Bundesliga, with 29 goals. He is also Schalke's second highest goalscorer of all time.

In 2006, Huntelaar was named the "Dutch Football Talent of the Year" and Ajax "Player of the Year." He was also a key player for the Dutch team that won the 2006 UEFA U-21 Championship. In that tournament, he scored the most goals and was named the best player. He is the all-time top scorer for the Netherlands U-21 national team, with 18 goals in 23 games.

Early Life and Youth Football

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar was born in a small village called Voor-Drempt in the Netherlands. When he was six weeks old, his family moved to Hummelo. At five years old, Huntelaar and his two brothers joined their local football team, VV H. en K. He played there for six years.

During this time, a scout from Go Ahead Eagles noticed his talent. However, the distance to travel to the club was too far. Soon after, De Graafschap scouted him. On April 6, 1994, at age 10, he signed his first youth contract with them.

In his first two years at De Graafschap, Huntelaar played in different positions, including left wing, attacking midfield, and even goalkeeper. It was only in his third year that he started playing as a striker. In the 1997–98 season, when he was 14, Huntelaar was the main striker for De Graafschap's C-team. He scored an amazing 33 goals in 20 matches. The next season, he scored 31 goals for the B1 team. His incredible goal-scoring skills caught the eye of PSV Eindhoven, who signed him in June 2000.

Club Career Highlights

Starting at PSV and De Graafschap

In his first season at PSV, Huntelaar quickly showed he was a great goalscorer for their youth teams. He scored 26 goals in 23 games. In his second season, he joined the senior team. He made his first team debut on November 23, 2002, but it was his only game for PSV.

At the start of 2003, Huntelaar was loaned to his old club, De Graafschap. He played nine games for them but did not score any goals. De Graafschap was then moved down to a lower league.

Success at AGOVV and Heerenveen

For the 2003–04 season, Huntelaar was loaned to AGOVV Apeldoorn, a team that had just been promoted. He started very well, scoring in his first game and then a hat-trick in his second game. Huntelaar scored 26 goals in 35 league games, becoming the top goalscorer in the league. He was also named the "Player of the Season." AGOVV even named one of their stadium stands after him to honor his impact.

After his loan, Huntelaar decided not to sign a new contract with PSV. Instead, he joined Heerenveen. He continued his goal-scoring form, scoring in his first game for Heerenveen. By the end of the 2004–05 season, he had scored 17 goals in 31 matches. This helped Heerenveen qualify for a European competition. In the next season, he scored 17 goals in just 15 matches, which made many top Dutch clubs want to sign him.

Joining Ajax: A Dream Come True

Huntelaar with Heerenveen

In January 2006, Huntelaar joined Ajax, the club he had supported since he was a child. Heerenveen received €9 million for him. Huntelaar made his Ajax debut and scored his first goal on February 5, 2006, against his former club Heerenveen. He scored nine goals in seven matches in February, including one in his UEFA Champions League debut against Inter Milan.

Huntelaar finished the season as Ajax's top scorer with 16 league goals in 16 games, even though he only joined in January. He was also the top scorer in the entire Eredivisie (Dutch league) with 33 goals. In total, he scored 44 goals in 47 games across all competitions. Ajax won the KNVB Cup that season, with Huntelaar scoring two goals in the final. He was named "Dutch Football Talent of the Year" and "Ajax Player of the Year" for 2005–06.

Continued Success at Ajax

Huntelaar celebrating Ajax's victory in the KNVB Cup

In July 2006, Huntelaar scored the first goal ever at Arsenal's new stadium, the Emirates Stadium. He became the vice-captain of Ajax for the 2006–07 season. He continued to score many goals, helping Ajax win the KNVB Cup again. He scored 36 goals in 51 games that season.

In the 2007–08 season, Huntelaar became the first Ajax player in 21 years to score 30 league goals in a season, finishing with 33 goals in 34 games. He was the top scorer in the Eredivisie again. After Jaap Stam retired, Huntelaar became the temporary captain of Ajax. On April 6, 2008, he scored his 100th goal in the Eredivisie. At the start of the 2008–09 season, he was named the permanent captain. He scored nine goals in 15 games before getting an ankle injury in November 2008. This turned out to be his last game for Ajax in his first period there.

Moving to Real Madrid

Huntelaar playing for Real Madrid

In December 2008, Real Madrid agreed to sign Huntelaar in January 2009. He joined Real Madrid for about €20 million. He made his debut on January 4, 2009. He scored his first goal for the team on February 15. Real Madrid wanted him to play in the Champions League, but he had already played in the UEFA Cup for Ajax that season. Because of UEFA rules, only one new player could be registered, so he couldn't play in the Champions League that season. Huntelaar scored eight goals in 20 games in his half-season at Real Madrid.

Time at A.C. Milan

On August 6, 2009, Huntelaar moved to the Italian club A.C. Milan for €17.75 million. He signed a four-year contract. He made his league debut on August 29. After a slow start, he scored his first two goals for Milan on November 29. He ended up scoring seven goals in 25 league games for Milan.

Seven Years at Schalke 04

Huntelaar with Schalke

On August 31, 2010, Huntelaar joined the German club Schalke 04 for €12 million. He scored his first goal for Schalke on September 19. On May 21, 2011, Huntelaar scored two goals in the 2011 DFB-Pokal Final, helping Schalke win the German Cup 5–0. This was the club's first major trophy in nine years. He scored 13 goals in 35 matches in his first season.

In the 2011–12 season, Huntelaar had an amazing year. He scored four goals in a cup game and a hat-trick in a league game against 1. FC Köln. He also scored four goals in a UEFA Europa League qualifying match. He finished the season with 38 goals in 37 games. He scored 29 goals in 34 league games, making him the first Dutch player to be the top scorer in the Bundesliga.

On December 23, 2012, Huntelaar signed a new contract with Schalke until 2015. He continued to be a key player, scoring 16 goals in 35 matches in the 2012–13 season and 14 goals in 21 matches the next season. On March 10, 2015, he scored twice against his former club Real Madrid in a Champions League game. He finished the 2014–15 season with 14 goals in 37 matches. He scored 16 goals in 40 matches in the 2015–16 season. Due to injuries and a dip in form, he only scored five goals in 24 games in his last season at Schalke before leaving in 2017.

Return to Ajax and Retirement

Huntelaar with Ajax in 2017

On June 1, 2017, Ajax announced that Huntelaar had returned to the club. In 2019, he helped Ajax win the Eredivisie, the KNVB Cup, and the Johan Cruyff Shield. He also played in the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League, where his team reached the semi-finals.

On December 12, 2020, Huntelaar announced that he would retire at the end of the 2020–21 season. On January 14, 2021, he scored two goals within three minutes of coming on as a substitute, helping Ajax win 3–1 against FC Twente.

Second Stint at Schalke 04

On January 19, 2021, Schalke 04 confirmed that they had signed Huntelaar until the end of the season. On April 3, 2021, he scored a goal against Bayer Leverkusen. At 37 years and 234 days old, he became Schalke's oldest goalscorer in the Bundesliga.

International Career

Youth Team Success

Huntelaar played for the Netherlands in the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship. He scored two goals before his team was knocked out. After scoring many goals for Heerenveen and Ajax, Huntelaar was chosen for the preliminary Netherlands squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. However, he was not selected for the final team. Instead, he played in the UEFA Under-21 Championship in Portugal.

Huntelaar became the top scorer in that tournament with four goals. He scored two goals in the final on June 4, 2006, helping the Netherlands beat Ukraine 3–0. This was their first-ever title at the under-21 level. Huntelaar was named one of the best strikers in the "UEFA Team of the Tournament." He is still the Netherlands U-21 national team's all-time top goalscorer with 18 goals in 22 matches.

Playing for the Senior National Team

Under manager Bert van Marwijk, Huntelaar played as a striker for the Netherlands in Euro 2012.

After his success with the under-21 team, Huntelaar was called up to the senior Netherlands national team. He made his debut on August 16, 2006, against the Republic of Ireland. He scored two goals and helped with two assists in the Netherlands' 4–0 win. He was the first Dutch player in 28 years to score on his full international debut.

Huntelaar was part of the Netherlands squad for UEFA Euro 2008. He scored in his only game in the tournament, helping his team win 2–0 against Romania.

Huntelaar (left) and Robin van Persie (right) were key strikers for the Netherlands.

He was also included in the squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. On June 24, he came on as a substitute and scored the winning goal in a 2–1 victory against Cameroon. He also came on as a substitute in the knockout rounds. The Netherlands reached the final but lost 1–0 to Spain.

On September 3, 2010, Huntelaar scored three goals against San Marino in a Euro 2012 qualifying match. He was the top goalscorer in the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying competition with 12 goals.

At the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Huntelaar came off the bench in the round of 16 match against Mexico. The Netherlands were losing 0–1. He provided an assist for Wesley Sneijder and then scored the winning goal with a penalty in injury time. This sent the team to the quarter-finals.

Playing Style

Huntelaar was known as a "prolific striker" because he scored so many goals. He had a "brilliant first touch" when controlling the ball. His playing style was often compared to famous Dutch strikers like Marco van Basten and Ruud van Nistelrooy. In 2009, former Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal said that "in the penalty area, he is the best player in the world, bar none." This means he was incredibly good at scoring goals from inside the opponent's penalty box.

Life After Playing Football

After he stopped playing, Huntelaar joined the technical staff at his former club, Ajax. He helps with the club's football operations, especially focusing on how young players from Ajax's youth teams move up to the main senior team. He also helps with player contracts for the youth and reserve teams. In June 2023, he extended his contract with Ajax until June 2027.

Personal Life

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has been in a relationship with his girlfriend, Maddy Schoolderman, since 2000. They have four children together.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Huntelaar (left) as the Netherlands' #9 with Dirk Kuyt.

Source:

Scores and results list the Netherlands' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Huntelaar goal.

List of international goals scored by Klaas-Jan Huntelaar

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	16 August 2006	Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Republic of Ireland	Republic of Ireland	1–0	4–0	Friendly
2				3–0
3	17 October 2007	Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands	Slovenia	2–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying
4	6 February 2008	Poljud Stadium, Split, Croatia	Croatia	2–0	3–0	Friendly
5	26 March 2008	Ernst Happel Stadion, Vienna, Austria	Austria	1–3	4–3	Friendly
6				4–3
7	24 May 2008	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Ukraine	2–0	3–0	Friendly
8	17 June 2008	Stade de Suisse, Bern, Switzerland	Romania	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 2008
9	6 September 2008	Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands	Australia	1–0	1–2	Friendly
10	11 October 2008	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Iceland	2–0	2–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
11	11 February 2009	Stade Olympique de Radès, Radès, Tunisia	Tunisia	1–0	1–1	Friendly
12	28 March 2009	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Scotland	1–0	3–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
13	1 April 2009	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Macedonia	2–0	4–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
14	5 September 2009	De Grolsch Veste, Enschede, Netherlands	Japan	3–0	3–0	Friendly
15	3 March 2010	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	United States	2–0	2–1	Friendly
16	24 June 2010	Cape Town Stadium, South Africa	Cameroon	2–1	2–1	2010 FIFA World Cup
17	3 September 2010	Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle, San Marino	San Marino	2–0	5–0	UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
18				3–0
19				4–0
20	7 September 2010	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Finland	1–0	2–1	UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
21				2–0
22	8 October 2010	Zimbru Stadium, Chişinău, Moldova	Moldova	1–0	1–0	UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
23	12 October 2010	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Sweden	1–0	4–1	UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
24				3–0
25	17 November 2010	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Turkey	1–0	1–0	Friendly
26	9 February 2011	Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands	Austria	2–0	3–1	Friendly
27	2 September 2011	Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands	San Marino	5–0	11–0	UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
28				8–0
29	7 October 2011	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Moldova	1–0	1–0	UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
30	11 October 2011	Råsunda Stadium, Solna, Sweden	Sweden	1–1	2–3	UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
31	29 February 2012	Wembley Stadium, London, England	England	2–0	3–2	Friendly
32	15 August 2012	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	Belgium	2–1	2–4	Friendly
33	12 September 2012	Ferenc Puskás Stadium, Budapest, Hungary	Hungary	4–1	4–1	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
34	12 October 2012	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Andorra	2–0	3–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
35	29 June 2014	Estádio Castelão, Fortaleza, Brazil	Mexico	2–1	2–1	2014 FIFA World Cup
36	10 October 2014	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Kazakhstan	1–1	3–1	UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
37	16 November 2014	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Latvia	3–0	6–0	UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
38				6–0
39	28 March 2015	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Turkey	1–1	1–1	UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
40	5 June 2015	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	United States	1–0	3–4	Friendly
41				2–1
42	13 October 2015	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Czech Republic	1–3	2–3	UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying

Honours and Awards

Ajax

• Eredivisie: 2018–19, 2020–21
• KNVB Cup: 2005–06, 2006–07, 2018–19
• Johan Cruyff Shield: 2006, 2007, 2019

Schalke 04

• DFB-Pokal: 2010–11
• DFL-Supercup: 2011

Netherlands Youth Team

Huntelaar was the Golden Player and Golden Boot at the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 2006

Netherlands National Team

• FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2010; third place: 2014

Individual Awards

• Eerste Divisie top scorer: 2003–04
• Eerste Divisie Player of the Year: 2003–04
• Eredivisie top scorer: 2005–06, 2007–08
• Johan Cruyff Trophy: 2005–06
• Ajax Player of the Year (Rinus Michels Award): 2005–06
• UEFA European Under-21 Championship Golden Boot: 2006
• UEFA European Under-21 Championship Golden Player: 2006
• Bundesliga top goalscorer: 2011–12
• kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2011–12
• UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying top goalscorer

See also

In Spanish: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar para niños