Rafael van der Vaart facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Rafael van der Vaart

Van der Vaart at practice with Hamburger SV in 2014
Personal information
Date of birth	(1983-02-11) 11 February 1983 (age 42)
Place of birth	Heemskerk, Netherlands
Height	1.76 m
Playing position	Attacking midfielder
Youth career
1987–1993	De Kennemers
1993–2000	Ajax
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2000–2005	Ajax	117	(52)
2005–2008	Hamburger SV	74	(30)
2008–2010	Real Madrid	58	(11)
2010–2012	Tottenham Hotspur	63	(24)
2012–2015	Hamburger SV	78	(16)
2015–2016	Betis	7	(0)
2016–2018	Midtjylland	17	(2)
2018	Esbjerg	3	(0)
Total		417	(135)
National team
1998–1999	Netherlands U17	13	(5)
1999–2000	Netherlands U19	8	(2)
2000–2001	Netherlands U21	4	(2)
2001–2013	Netherlands	109	(25)
Teams managed
2021–2023	Esbjerg (assistant)
2022	Esbjerg (interim)
Honours Men's football Representing  Netherlands FIFA World Cup Runner-up 2010 South Africa UEFA European Championship Bronze 2004 Portugal UEFA European Under-16 Championship Bronze 2000 Israel U-16 Team
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Rafael Ferdinand van der Vaart (born 11 February 1983) is a Dutch former professional footballer. He played as an attacking midfielder, which means he helped create goals from the middle of the field.

Rafael started his career at Ajax's youth academy when he was just 10 years old. He quickly moved up to the main team, playing his first game at 17. People often compared his playing style to the legendary Johan Cruyff. He was even named the best young football talent in the Netherlands and won the first-ever Golden Boy Award. After Ajax, he played for big clubs like Hamburger SV, Real Madrid, and Tottenham Hotspur. He later returned to Hamburger SV. He also played in Spain and Denmark before retiring in 2018.

Rafael played for the Netherlands 109 times between 2001 and 2013. He played in three UEFA European Championships and two FIFA World Cups. He helped his country reach the World Cup final in 2010. After his football career, Rafael even started playing darts professionally in 2019!

Early Life and Football Beginnings

Rafael van der Vaart was born in Heemskerk, Netherlands. His father was Dutch, and his mother was Spanish. He grew up in a trailer park, which is a community where people live in mobile homes. He often pretended to be the famous Brazilian footballer Romário while playing.

He learned to play football on the streets of the trailer park. Before joining Ajax, he played for a local club called De Kennemers. When he was 10, he joined the famous Ajax Youth Academy. Rafael has said that his upbringing was simple and he always loved playing football outside.

Club Career Highlights

Rafael's journey through professional football took him to many exciting clubs.

Starting Strong at Ajax

Rafael grew up in the Ajax youth system alongside future national teammates like John Heitinga and Wesley Sneijder. He joined Ajax on a trial when he was 10 and quickly impressed the coaches. He made his debut for the senior team on 19 April 2000, at just 17 years old. People were very excited about him, calling him "the new Johan Cruyff" because of his amazing skills.

In the 2000–01 season, his coach gave him more playing time as an attacking midfielder. He was even voted the European Talent of the Year by an Italian football website. The next season, he got a serious knee injury that needed surgery. This meant he missed the end of Ajax's successful season, but he was still named the Netherlands' Talent of the Year for scoring 15 goals in 27 games.

In 2002–03, Ajax won the Amsterdam Tournament. Rafael scored a very important goal in the UEFA Champions League that helped Ajax reach the knockout stages. In 2003–04, he had a tough start and admitted he was a bit out of shape. But he soon became a key player again, helping Ajax win another league title. He was one of the most popular players in the Netherlands.

For the 2004–05 season, Rafael was named team captain. However, he got injured during an international match, which caused some issues with a teammate. He also wasn't happy playing in a different position. Because of his ongoing injury problems, he decided to leave Ajax at the end of the season.

Moving to Hamburger SV

In 2005, Rafael joined Bundesliga club Hamburger SV in Germany. Many people were surprised by this move, as other big clubs were interested in him. But he chose Hamburg and quickly became a star. He scored in his first four away games, helping Hamburg have a great season. He was their top scorer in his first season, and Hamburg finished third in the league. They also won the 2005 UEFA Intertoto Cup.

He became team captain for the 2006–07 season. This was a difficult year for the club, and Rafael struggled with injuries. However, a new coach helped Hamburg improve and they finished seventh, winning the Intertoto Cup again. In the 2007–08 season, Rafael scored 12 league goals. He said he would stay at Hamburg for the season, even though other clubs like Chelsea and Valencia were interested.

Playing for Real Madrid

In August 2008, Rafael joined Spanish giant Real Madrid. This was Real Madrid's only new player that summer. He signed a five-year contract. He quickly scored in his first pre-season game. He changed his jersey number to 23, his favorite number. In September, he scored his first-ever hat-trick (three goals in one game) in a big 7–1 win.

He was nominated for the Ballon d'Or award, which is given to the best player in the world. Later in the 2008–09 season, he was often a substitute, leading to rumors that he might leave. However, he denied these rumors and stayed with the club.

In 2009, many thought Rafael would leave Real Madrid. His jersey number was even given to another player. But he decided to stay, especially because his wife was receiving medical treatment in Madrid. He got his number 23 jersey back and became an important player again, especially when another player was injured. He scored two goals in a 6–0 win in December. He wanted to stay at Real Madrid until his contract ended.

Joining Tottenham Hotspur

On 31 August 2010, Rafael joined Tottenham Hotspur in England. The transfer happened just before the transfer window closed. He signed a four-year contract and wore the number 11 shirt. He said he wanted to show his skills at his new club.

Rafael made his Premier League debut on 11 September 2010. He scored his first Premier League goal from a penalty kick on 18 September. He started his Spurs career very well, scoring three goals in four league matches. He was named Goal.com World Player of the Week and later the Premier League Player of the Month for October.

An injury kept him out for some time in December, but he returned to score two goals in a 2–1 win. He scored twice more in a 3–3 draw against Arsenal. He ended the season as Tottenham's top scorer in the Premier League with 13 goals and also had the most assists.

In the 2011–12 season, he continued his great form, scoring against Wigan and Arsenal. He scored in five consecutive Premier League matches, which was a Tottenham record. He scored a long-range goal in the FA Cup to help Tottenham win. He was on the field when a player from another team had a serious medical emergency, which he called "horrible to witness."

Return to Hamburg

On 31 August 2012, Rafael returned to his former club, Hamburger SV. He wore his favorite number 23 jersey and became the team's vice-captain. He made his second debut for Hamburg in September. He provided two assists in a 3–2 win against Borussia Dortmund. He scored his first goal of the season in a 2–2 draw but then suffered another serious injury.

He returned to play in January 2013. In April, he was named the club's captain. He scored two goals in a 2–1 home win in April. Hamburg later decided not to extend his contract.

Short Stays in Spain and Denmark

In June 2015, Rafael joined newly promoted Spanish club Real Betis for free. He played his first game on 24 September. However, he didn't play much, only 296 minutes in the whole season. He left the club in June 2016.

On 10 August 2016, Rafael joined FC Midtjylland in Denmark on a two-year deal. He made his debut later that month. In his fourth game, he scored his first goal for the club in a 5–2 win. He didn't play much in his second season, which he found difficult.

Final Club: Esbjerg

On 4 August 2018, Rafael signed a one-year contract with Esbjerg fB in Denmark. He had been training with them after leaving Midtjylland. On 4 November, due to ongoing injuries, he announced his retirement from professional football.

In August 2019, Rafael confirmed he would play a game for Esbjerg's reserve team. He was still living in Esbjerg because his partner, handball player Estavana Polman, played for a local team there.

International Career for the Netherlands

Rafael van der Vaart was a key player for the Dutch national team.

He played for the youth teams and then made his senior international debut on 6 October 2001, against Andorra, when he was 18. He played in three UEFA European Championships and two FIFA World Cups. Even though he played well in qualifying games, he sometimes had bad luck in the main tournaments. He was the vice-captain for the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012. On 15 August 2012, he played his 100th game for the Netherlands. He usually wore the number 23 or 10 jersey for his country.

Euro 2004 and 2006 World Cup

During Euro 2004, the Dutch coach changed the team's formation, and Rafael didn't fit into the new plan. So, he played only a small part as the team reached the semi-finals.

For the 2006 World Cup, Rafael was expected to shine. But he had injury problems again. The coach decided not to risk him in the first game, and because the team won, Rafael again played a smaller role in the tournament.

Euro 2008 and 2010 World Cup

Rafael was called up for Euro 2008 even though he had an ankle injury. The coach used a new formation, and Rafael played well in midfield. In the first game, the Dutch team won 3–0 against world champions Italy. They also won 4–1 against France.

For the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, Rafael was a first-choice player. He scored important goals and assists. In August 2009, he captained the Dutch team in a friendly match against England and scored a goal.

Rafael started in all three group matches at the 2010 World Cup. However, he later lost his starting spot to Arjen Robben. He came on as a substitute in the semi-final against Uruguay, helping the Netherlands win 3–2 and reach the final. He also played in the final against Spain, which the Netherlands lost 1–0. He was handed the captain's armband during that match.

Euro 2012 and 2014 World Cup

Rafael made his Euro 2012 debut as a substitute. In the second match against Germany, he came on and took the captain's armband, creating more attacking chances. In the final group match against Portugal, Rafael started as captain and scored a goal. However, the Netherlands lost and were knocked out.

Rafael was chosen for the provisional squad for the 2014 World Cup. But he had to withdraw due to a calf injury he got during training.

Personal Life

On 10 June 2005, Rafael married Sylvie Meis. Their son, Damián Rafael, was born on 28 May 2006. Some media called them the "new Beckhams," but they preferred to live a normal life.

In 2009, Real Madrid wanted to sell Rafael. However, he decided to stay in Madrid because his wife was receiving medical treatment there. A year later, when he moved to England, he explained that he couldn't leave Madrid earlier because of his wife's serious illness. He said she was doing well now, and he wanted to enjoy playing football again.

Rafael and Sylvie separated on New Year's Eve 2012. Their son Damián later joined the youth team of Ajax in September 2023.

Since August 2016, Rafael has been in a relationship with Dutch handball player Estavana Polman. This was a big reason he moved to Denmark to play football. They announced they were expecting a child in December 2016, and their daughter Jesslynn was born in June 2017.

Coaching Career

On 10 August 2021, Rafael van der Vaart started his first coaching job as an assistant coach at his former club Esbjerg. He had been living in Esbjerg for five years because of his partner, Estavana Polman, who played handball there. His contract as assistant coach ended in January 2023.

Darts Career

In April 2019, Rafael van der Vaart began a professional darts career. He joined the British Darts Organisation. On 4 May, he made his debut at the Denmark Open. He won his first match but was knocked out in the second round.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list Netherlands's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each van der Vaart goal.

List of international goals scored by Rafael van der Vaart

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	6 September 2003	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Austria	1–0	3–1	UEFA Euro 2004 qualification
2	10 September 2003	Toyota Arena, Prague, Czech Republic	Czech Republic	1–2	1–3	UEFA Euro 2004 qualification
3	11 October 2003	Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands	Moldova	4–0	5–0	UEFA Euro 2004 qualification
4	1 June 2004	Olympique de la Pontaise, Lausanne, Switzerland	Faroe Islands	1–0	3–0	Friendly
5	7 September 2005	Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands	Andorra	1–0	4–0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
6	8 October 2005	Toyota Arena, Prague, Czech Republic	Czech Republic	1–0	2–0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
7	15 November 2006	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	England	1–1	1–1	Friendly
8	7 February 2007	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Russia	4–1	4–1	Friendly
9	2 June 2007	Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea	South Korea	1–0	2–0	Friendly
10				2–0
11	6 June 2007	Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand	Thailand	1–0	3–1	Friendly
12	21 November 2007	Dinamo Stadium, Minsk, Belarus	Belarus	1–2	1–2	UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
13	10 September 2008	Philip II Arena, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia	Macedonia	2–0	2–1	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
14	1 April 2009	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Macedonia	4–0	4–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
15	12 August 2009	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	England	2–0	2–2	Friendly
16	1 June 2010	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Ghana	2–0	4–1	Friendly
17	25 March 2011	Ferenc Puskás Stadium, Budapest, Hungary	Hungary	1–0	4–0	UEFA Euro 2012 qualification
18	30 May 2012	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Slovakia	1–0	2–0	Friendly
19	17 June 2012	Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv, Ukraine	Portugal	1–0	1–2	UEFA Euro 2012
20	12 October 2012	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Andorra	1–0	3–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
21	16 October 2012	Arena Națională, Bucharest, Romania	Romania	3–1	4–1	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
22	22 March 2013	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Estonia	1–0	3–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
23	26 March 2013	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Romania	1–0	4–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
24	11 October 2013	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Hungary	7–1	8–1	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
25	16 November 2013	Cristal Arena, Genk, Belgium	Japan	1–0	2–2	Friendly

Managerial

Managerial record by team and tenure

Team	Nat	From	To	Record
				G	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
Esbjerg (interim)		9 March 2022	30 June 2022	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	−3	&0&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00.00
Career total				&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	−3	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00.00

Honours

Rafael van der Vaart won many awards and trophies during his career:

Ajax

• Eredivisie (Dutch League): 2001–02, 2003–04
• KNVB Cup (Dutch Cup): 2001–02
• Johan Cruyff Shield (Dutch Super Cup): 2002

Hamburger SV

• UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2005, 2007

Real Madrid

• Supercopa de España (Spanish Super Cup): 2008

FC Midtjylland

• Danish Superliga (Danish League): 2017–18

Netherlands National Team

• FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2010 (meaning they came in second place)

Individual Awards

• Ajax Talent of the Future: 1999–2000
• Ajax Talent of the Year: 2000–01
• Ajax Player of the Year: 2001–02
• Amsterdam Talent of the Year: 2000
• Amsterdam Sportsman of the Year: 2001
• Amsterdam Tournament Most Valuable Player: 2001
• Dutch Football Talent of the Year: 2001
• European Talent of the Year: 2002
• Golden Boy: 2003 (Award for the best young player in Europe)
• Bundesliga Player of the Month: September 2005
• Premier League Player of the Month: October 2010

Images for kids

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  Van der Vaart was with Ajax from 1993 to 2005.

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  Van der Vaart in action for Real Madrid

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  Van der Vaart with Tottenham Hotspur

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  Van der Vaart with Hamburg in 2013

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  Van der Vaart with Oranje.

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  Van der Vaart playing for the Netherlands

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  Van der Vaart (right) with Wesley Sneijder.

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  Van der Vaart won the Spanish Super Cup while at Real Madrid

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  Posters farewell match Rafael van der Vaart at football club Hamburger SV. Hamburg