Steven Pienaar facts for kids
Pienaar warming-up for Everton in 2015
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 17 March 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Johannesburg, South Africa | ||
| Height | 1.70 m | ||
| Playing position | Winger / Attacking midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Sharjah FC (youth) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| West Ham Westbury | |||
| Westbury Arsenal | |||
| School of Excellence | |||
| Ajax Cape Town | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1999–2001 | Ajax Cape Town | 24 | (6) |
| 2001–2006 | Ajax | 94 | (15) |
| 2006–2008 | Borussia Dortmund | 25 | (0) |
| 2007–2008 | → Everton (loan) | 28 | (2) |
| 2008–2011 | Everton | 76 | (7) |
| 2011–2012 | Tottenham Hotspur | 10 | (0) |
| 2012 | → Everton (loan) | 14 | (4) |
| 2012–2016 | Everton | 71 | (7) |
| 2016–2017 | Sunderland | 15 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | Bidvest Wits | 4 | (0) |
| Total | 361 | (41) | |
| National team | |||
| 1999–2000 | South Africa U17 | 1 | (0) |
| 2002–2012 | South Africa | 61 | (3) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2019–2020 | SV Robinhood (assistant) | ||
| 2020–2024 | Ajax (youth) | ||
| 2024– | Sharjah (youth) | ||
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Steven Jerome Pienaar (born on March 17, 1982) is a former professional footballer from South Africa. He is now a coach for the U14 team of Sharjah FC in the United Arab Emirates.
Steven grew up in Westbury, a part of Johannesburg. He was once the captain of the South African national team. He mostly played as a winger, which is a player who runs down the sides of the field. He could also play as an attacking midfielder, helping to create goals. Pienaar played for many clubs in South Africa, the Netherlands, Germany, and England. These clubs included Ajax Cape Town, Ajax, Borussia Dortmund, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland, and Bidvest Wits. Today, he is a special ambassador for his old club, Everton.
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Steven Pienaar's Club Career
Starting at Ajax Cape Town
Steven Pienaar was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He began his professional football journey at Ajax Cape Town. This club was about 1400 kilometers (870 miles) away from his hometown. He was noticed by Ajax CT while playing for the School of Excellence. This school helps young, talented athletes improve their skills.
Pienaar felt lucky to attend the School of Excellence. He said it helped him improve his natural talent. He also worked with a Dutch coach, Leo van Veen, at Ajax Cape Town. This coach helped him change his mindset about the game. He learned to prepare better for matches and play for the team, not just to impress the fans.
At Ajax Cape Town, Steven won the Rothman's Cup. His team beat Orlando Pirates 4–1 in the final match on December 13, 2000. This was his last game for the club before moving to Europe.
Playing for Ajax in the Netherlands
When he was 18, Steven Pienaar moved to the Netherlands in January 2001. He made his first appearance in the Eredivisie (the top Dutch league) on February 24, 2002. His team won 1–0 against NAC Breda. Steven quickly became a key player for Ajax.
He helped Ajax win the Dutch League in 2002 and 2004. He was one of their best players, playing alongside famous footballers like Zlatan Ibrahimović and Wesley Sneijder. He also played with future Everton teammates John Heitinga and Andy van der Meyde.
Moving to Borussia Dortmund
In January 2006, Steven Pienaar joined the German club Borussia Dortmund. They play in the Bundesliga, Germany's top football league. He signed a three-year contract after leaving Ajax. Dortmund hoped he would replace Tomáš Rosický, who had moved to Arsenal. Pienaar was given the number 10 shirt. However, Steven found it hard to settle in at Dortmund. He felt he was not fully accepted by his teammates.
Joining Everton in England
Steven Pienaar first joined Everton in England on loan for the 2007–08 season. He later signed a permanent three-year contract with Everton in April 2008. His first game for Everton was a 2–1 win against Wigan Athletic on August 11, 2007. He came on as a substitute in the second half. Steven scored his first goal for Everton in a 2–0 win against Middlesbrough on September 30. His strong performances made other clubs interested in him.
Even though he missed 11 games due to injury, Steven was named Everton's Player of the Season for the 2009–10 season. This showed how important he was to the team.
Playing for Tottenham Hotspur
In January 2011, both Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur wanted to buy Pienaar from Everton. Steven decided to join Spurs for about £3 million, signing a four-year contract. He played his first game for Tottenham in a 1–1 draw against Newcastle United. In August 2011, he got a groin injury, which kept him out of action for six weeks. Steven scored his first goal for Spurs in a 4–0 victory over Shamrock Rovers in the Europa League on December 15.
His time at Tottenham was often affected by injuries. He did not play many games and struggled to make a big impact on the team.
Returning to Everton
In January 2012, Steven Pienaar went back to Everton on a six-month loan. He played his second debut for the club in a 1–1 draw against Wigan Athletic. A week later, he scored his first goal of this loan spell in a 2–0 win against Chelsea. Steven finished the season by scoring against Newcastle United. After the game, he said he wanted to rejoin Everton permanently. Even though he only played 14 games, he provided six assists, which was the most for Everton that season. He also scored four goals, matching his best goal tally for Everton in a league season.
Everton signed him permanently in July 2012 for £4.5 million. On August 25, 2012, he scored his first goal since signing permanently. It was the first goal in a 3–1 away win against Aston Villa. On December 9, Pienaar scored a powerful header against his former club Tottenham. This goal was Everton's 1,000th goal in the Premier League. Everton came from behind to win that game 2–1. Steven was sent off twice that season for getting two yellow cards in games against Queens Park Rangers and Manchester City. Everton drew 1–1 with QPR and beat City 2–0. Pienaar ended the season with seven goals, his highest ever for Everton in a single season. In October 2013, Pienaar returned from a hamstring injury. He came on as a substitute against Hull City and scored the winning goal just ten seconds later. Despite Everton finishing fifth in the 2013–14 season with a club record 72 Premier League points, Pienaar struggled with injuries and only scored one goal and made two assists.
He played fewer games over the next two seasons. At the end of the 2015–16 season, he left Everton when his contract ended.
Later Career and Retirement
On August 19, 2016, Pienaar signed a one-year contract with Sunderland. He reunited with his former manager, David Moyes. He played 17 games for Sunderland, but his contract was not renewed. He then returned to South Africa, joining Bidvest Wits in July 2017. However, he was released six months later. Steven Pienaar officially retired from professional football in March 2018.
Steven Pienaar's International Career
Steven Pienaar played for South Africa's under-17 team before joining the senior national team. He made his first international appearance for South Africa in 2002. It was a 2–0 win against Turkey. Throughout his international career, he played 61 games and scored three goals. Pienaar represented South Africa in two World Cups: in 2002 and in 2010. The 2010 World Cup was special because it was held in his home country, South Africa.
On October 2, 2012, Steven Pienaar announced that he was retiring from playing for the national team.
Coaching Career
After he stopped playing football, Steven Pienaar started coaching. He began at a Dutch amateur club called SV Robinhood. He worked as an assistant coach there. In September 2019, he earned his UEFA A Licence, which is a coaching qualification. In December 2019, Pienaar returned to his old club, AFC Ajax, as a Trainee Coach, working with young players.
Steven Pienaar's Personal Life
Steven Pienaar is from the Coloureds community in South Africa, which is a mixed-race group. In South Africa, he is often called "Schillo." This nickname was given to him by his friends when he was a child. It came from the Italian footballer Salvatore Schillaci, who played very well in the 1990 World Cup.
Advertising Work
Before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Steven Pienaar was part of a big advertising campaign for Adidas sportswear.
Honours and Achievements
Steven Pienaar achieved several honours during his football career:
Ajax
- Eredivisie (Dutch League Champion): 2001–02, 2003–04
- KNVB Cup (Dutch Cup Winner): 2001–02
Everton
- FA Cup runner-up: 2008–09 (his team reached the final)
Individual Awards
- Ajax CT Young Player of the Season: 2000
- Ajax Talent of the Year (Marco van Basten Award): 2002–03
- UEFA Champions League top assist provider: 2005–06 (he gave the most passes leading to goals in this competition)
- SAFA Player of the Year: 2009
- Everton Player of the Season: 2009–10
Images for kids
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Pienaar warming-up for Everton in 2015
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Pienaar with Ajax
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Pienaar with Borussia Dortmund
