Nigel de Jong facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Nigel de Jong

De Jong with the Netherlands national team in 2011
Personal information
Full name	Nigel de Jong
Date of birth	(1984-11-30) 30 November 1984 (age 40)
Place of birth	Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height	1.74 m
Playing position	Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1993–2002	Ajax
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2002–2006	Ajax	96	(9)
2006–2009	Hamburger SV	66	(3)
2009–2012	Manchester City	104	(1)
2012–2016	AC Milan	79	(6)
2016	LA Galaxy	18	(0)
2016–2018	Galatasaray	18	(1)
2018	Mainz 05	11	(0)
2018–2019	Al Ahli	21	(4)
2019–2021	Al-Shahania	36	(0)
Total		449	(24)
National team
2002–2005	Netherlands U21	10	(0)
2004–2015	Netherlands	81	(1)
Honours Representing  Netherlands Men's football FIFA World Cup Runner-up 2010 South Africa Third 2014 Brazil
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Nigel de Jong (born 30 November 1984) is a Dutch former professional footballer. He played as a defensive midfielder, a player who helps protect the defense. Today, he is the technical director for the KNVB, which is the main Dutch football organization. He also works as a TV expert, talking about football for channels like beIN Sports and ITV.

De Jong started his football journey at the Ajax youth academy when he was young. He joined the main team at age 17. Later, in 2006, he moved to Hamburg in Germany. In 2009, he joined Manchester City in England. There, he became a key player in the midfield. He was known for his strong and energetic playing style, earning him nicknames like "The Destroyer" and "Lawnmower".

After Manchester City, he played for AC Milan in Italy, then LA Galaxy in the USA. He also played for teams in Turkey (Galatasaray) and Germany (Mainz 05), and finally in Qatar (Al Ahli and Al-Shahania).

Nigel de Jong also played for the Netherlands for many years. He played in 81 international games and scored one goal. He took part in two European Championships and two World Cups. He helped the Netherlands reach the World Cup final in 2010, where they finished second. In 2014, his team won a bronze medal, finishing third.

About Nigel de Jong

Nigel de Jong was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands. His family background is quite diverse. His father, Jerry de Jong, was also a Dutch international footballer and is of Surinamese descent. His mother has Dutch and Indonesian roots.

Nigel is married to Winonah, who is a model and fashion designer. They have two children together. Outside of football, he owns a special car dealership called Continental Cars. This business operates in Europe and the Middle East. Nigel has been a fan of the Italian club AC Milan since he was a child.

Playing for Clubs

Starting at Ajax

Nigel de Jong first played for the senior Ajax team on 19 October 2002. He scored his first goal in a Champions League match against Arsenal in February 2003. The next season, he became a regular player and helped Ajax win the Eredivisie title, which is the top Dutch league. In 2004–05, he was even named Ajax Player of the Season.

De Jong played 126 official games for Ajax.

Moving to Hamburg

In January 2006, De Jong signed with Bundesliga club Hamburg in Germany. He joined other Dutch players like Rafael van der Vaart there. He played his first game for Hamburg just two days later. In March 2006, he scored the winning goal against Bayern Munich, which was a big moment as it was Bayern's first loss at their new stadium, the Allianz Arena. His season ended early due to a knee injury, which also kept him out of the 2006 World Cup.

Playing for Manchester City

De Jong (far right) with Manchester City teammates.

On 21 January 2009, Nigel de Jong joined Manchester City in England. The manager, Mark Hughes, brought him in to strengthen the midfield. He quickly became an important player, known for his strong defensive work. Fans really liked him because of his hard work on the field.

He scored his first goal for Manchester City in May 2011, helping them win against West Ham United. De Jong was a key part of the Manchester City team that won the 2010–11 FA Cup and the 2011–12 Premier League title. He played 137 games for the club before moving to AC Milan in 2012.

Time at AC Milan

On 31 August 2012, De Jong moved to the Italian club AC Milan. He made his debut the very next day. He scored his first goal for Milan in October against Lazio. A memorable moment was in May 2014, when he scored the winning goal against Inter Milan in a big local derby match. In 2015, he signed a new contract to stay with Milan until 2018.

Playing for LA Galaxy

In January 2016, De Jong joined MLS side LA Galaxy in the United States. During his time there, he was known for his very strong tackles. One tackle led to a three-game suspension. In August 2016, he left LA Galaxy to join Galatasaray in Turkey. He played 18 games for the team.

Later Career Teams

After LA Galaxy, Nigel de Jong signed with Galatasaray in Turkey in August 2016. He played there for two years. In January 2018, he moved back to Germany to play for Mainz 05. Later that year, he moved to Qatari club Al Ahli. A year after that, he joined Al-Shahania, also in Qatar, before ending his playing career.

Playing for the Netherlands

De Jong (right) playing for the Netherlands at UEFA Euro 2012.

Nigel de Jong played his first game for the Netherlands on 31 March 2004, in a friendly match against France. He was chosen to play for the Dutch team at UEFA Euro 2008. In this tournament, he played as a "screening midfielder," helping to protect the defense.

He scored his first international goal in June 2009 against Iceland. This goal helped the Netherlands qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

De Jong was a key player for the Netherlands at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He played in the final match, where the Netherlands lost to Spain after extra time. He was known for his very strong and physical style of play during this tournament.

He also played for the Netherlands in UEFA Euro 2012, but the team was eliminated early. In the 2014 FIFA World Cup, he was again a starting player. He got injured during the tournament but managed to recover and play in the semi-final against Argentina. The Netherlands lost that game in a penalty shootout.

New Role: Technical Director

On 4 January 2023, Nigel de Jong was given an important new job. He was appointed as the technical director of the KNVB, which is the Dutch national football association. In this role, he helps oversee all of the country's national teams. He is also in charge of creating and putting into action football strategies for clubs across the Netherlands.

How He Played Football

De Jong playing for the Netherlands.

Nigel de Jong started his career as a more attacking player. At Ajax, he played in different positions, including central midfield and on the right wing. He learned to become a defensive midfielder under his coach Huub Stevens at Hamburg.

He was known as a "tireless grafter" because he worked so hard on the field. His strong and determined style earned him nicknames like "der Rasenmäher" (which means "the Lawnmower"), "The Terrier," and "The Destroyer." De Jong was usually the most defensive midfielder on his team. He would often drop back to help the defenders. He was also a good passer of the ball. In the 2010–11 Premier League season, he had one of the highest passing accuracy rates.

However, De Jong's strong and physical playing style sometimes led to controversy. He was involved in some tough tackles during his career. For example, during a game in 2016 while playing for LA Galaxy, a strong tackle led to an opposing player needing to leave the field. This action resulted in a three-game suspension for De Jong. Despite his reputation for tough tackles, he did not receive many red cards during his time at Manchester City.

Sponsorships

In January 2012, Nigel de Jong signed a four-year deal with the sports brand Puma, which makes football boots and other gear.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances and Goals

International Appearances and Goals

Scores list Netherlands' tally first.

Nigel de Jong: international goals

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	6 June 2009	Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland	Iceland	1–0	2–1	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification

Awards and Achievements

Ajax

• Eredivisie: 2003–04 (Dutch League Champion)
• Johan Cruyff Shield: 2005 (Dutch Super Cup)

Manchester City

• Premier League: 2011–12 (English League Champion)
• FA Cup: 2010–11 (English Cup Winner)
• FA Community Shield: 2012 (English Super Cup)

Netherlands National Team

• FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2010 (Second Place)
• FIFA World Cup third place: 2014 (Bronze Medal)

Individual Awards

• Ajax Player of the Year (Rinus Michels Award): 2004–05

Images for kids

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  De Jong with the Netherlands national team in 2011

See also

In Spanish: Nigel de Jong para niños