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Wesley Sneijder

Sneijder with the Netherlands in 2014

Personal information

Full name

Wesley Benjamin Sneijder

Date of birth

9 June 1984 (age 41)

Place of birth

Utrecht, Netherlands

Height

1.70 m

Playing position

Attacking midfielder

Youth career

1990–1991

DOS

1991–2002

Ajax

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps^†

(Gls)^†

2002–2007

Ajax

126

(58)

2007–2009

Real Madrid

(11)

2009–2012

Inter

(22)

2012–2017

Galatasaray

124

(46)

2017

Nice

(0)

2017–2019

Al-Gharafa

(19)

Total

405

(134)

National team

2000–2001

Netherlands U17

(2)

2001–2002

Netherlands U19

(3)

2003

Netherlands U21

(0)

2003–2018

Netherlands

134

(31)

Honours

FIFA World Cup

Men's football
Representing Netherlands
Runner-up	2010 South Africa
Third	2014 Brazil
UEFA European Championship
Bronze	2004 Portugal

Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

† Appearances (Goals).

Wesley Benjamin Sneijder (born 9 June 1984) is a Dutch former professional footballer. He was known as one of the best midfielders in the world because of his amazing ability to create plays for his team.

Sneijder grew up in the famous Ajax Youth Academy. He started his professional career playing for Ajax, where he won four trophies. In 2004, he received the Johan Cruyff Trophy as the best young player. He later moved to Real Madrid in 2007 and won La Liga in his first season.

In 2009, Sneijder joined Inter Milan. There, he had a very successful time, winning Serie A, the UEFA Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup, and two Coppa Italia titles. In 2010, he was named the UEFA midfielder of the season. He was also considered one of the top three midfielders in the world by FIFA.

After Inter, he played for Galatasaray from 2013. He helped them win the 2012–13 Süper Lig in his first year, followed by the Turkish Super Cup. He also played briefly for Nice and Al Gharafa before he retired in 2019.

Sneijder played for the Dutch national team from a young age, making his senior debut at 18 in April 2003. He played in the FIFA World Cup in 2006, 2010 (where the Netherlands reached the final), and 2014. He also played in the UEFA European Football Championship in 2004, 2008, and 2012. He won the 2010 Bronze Boot and 2010 Silver Ball. With 134 games played, he is the player with the most appearances for the Dutch national team. He retired from international football in March 2018.

Early Life and Football Beginnings

Wesley Sneijder was born in Utrecht, Netherlands. He came from a family that loved football. His father and older brother, Jeffrey, were both football players. His younger brother, Rodney, also became a professional footballer.

Club Career Highlights

Ajax: Starting Strong

Sneijder during his time with Ajax

Sneijder joined Ajax's famous youth academy when he was just seven years old. He had started playing with a local club called DOS. He quickly showed his talent and became a permanent player for Ajax.

He made his first team debut for Ajax on 2 February 2003, in a big 6–0 win against Willem II. He soon became a regular player, even starting in a Champions League quarter-final match.

On 5 March 2003, Sneijder scored his first goal for Ajax in a cup game. He scored his first league goal on 13 April. The next season, he scored nine league goals, helping Ajax win the Erediv3isie title. His great performances earned him the Johan Cruijff Prijs for the best young player in the Netherlands.

In 2005, he scored his first Champions League goal. He also helped Ajax win the KNVB Cup in 2006. In the 2006–07 season, Sneijder scored 18 goals in the league. He also helped Ajax win the KNVB Cup again in 2007 after a penalty shootout.

On 12 August 2007, Ajax agreed to sell Sneijder to Real Madrid.

Real Madrid: A Spanish Champion

Sneijder warming up for Real Madrid in 2009

Sneijder was one of several Dutch players to join Real Madrid in the 2007–08 season. He was given the number 23 shirt. In his first La Liga match, he scored the winning goal against Atlético Madrid. He scored two more goals in his second game, including a free-kick. Sneijder finished his first season with nine goals, helping Real Madrid win the league title.

In August 2008, Sneijder suffered an injury during a friendly match. Luckily, it wasn't as serious as first thought, and he was able to return to play. He later took over the number 10 shirt for Real Madrid.

Inter Milan: The Treble Winner

On 27 August 2009, Sneijder moved to Inter Milan. He was given the number 10 shirt and made an immediate impact in his first game, helping Inter win 4–0 against Milan. He scored his first goal for Inter in October 2009. He also scored his first Champions League goal for Inter in a dramatic win against Dynamo Kyiv.

On 9 January 2010, he scored two amazing free kicks in a 4–3 win. He also scored a free kick in the Champions League quarter-final against CSKA Moscow. On 20 April, he scored Inter's equalizing goal in the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona. Inter won that game and went on to reach the final. The media nicknamed him "The Sniper" because of his accurate passes and powerful shots from far away.

On 22 May, Inter won the Champions League Final against Bayern Munich 2–0. Sneijder provided an assist for the first goal. This Champions League win was Inter's third trophy of the 2009–10 season, as they had also won the Coppa Italia and Serie A titles.

Individual Success and Injuries

Sneijder playing for Inter in 2010

Sneijder started the 2010–11 season by winning the 2010 Supercoppa Italiana. A few days later, UEFA named him the best club midfielder of the 2009–10 Champions League. He signed a new five-year contract with Inter, showing how important he was to the team.

He scored goals in the Champions League group stage against Twente and Werder Bremen. He also scored in the Champions League round of 16 against Bayern Munich, helping Inter win and move to the quarter-finals.

The 2011–12 season was difficult for Sneijder due to injuries. He scored with a free kick in the 2011 Supercoppa Italiana but then injured his left thigh. He returned a month later and scored his first league goal of the season. However, he suffered another injury in November 2011, which kept him out for the rest of the year.

Sneijder made his 100th appearance for Inter in February 2012. He scored two goals against Udinese, his first goals since October 2011. Despite his injuries, he played 20 league games that season.

Leaving Inter Milan

Sneijder's 2012–13 season started with a goal against Hajduk Split in the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League qualifying round. He scored again in the first league game of the season. However, he suffered another injury in September. This turned out to be his last game for Inter, as he and the club could not agree on a new contract. Sneijder left Inter on 20 January, having played 116 games and won six trophies.

Galatasaray: New Challenges and Trophies

Sneijder and teammate Didier Drogba playing in 2013 against his former team Real Madrid in Champions League quarter finals game.

On 20 January 2013, Sneijder joined Turkish club Galatasaray. Thousands of fans welcomed him at the airport. He signed a three-and-a-half-year deal. He said he wanted to become a legend at the club, just like Gheorghe Hagi.

On 27 January, Sneijder made his debut as a substitute in a win against Beşiktaş. He scored his first goal on 25 February in a 4–2 home win. On 9 April 2013, Sneijder scored a goal against his former club Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals.

On 5 May 2013, Galatasaray won the 2012–13 Süper Lig title, giving Sneijder a league title in a fourth different country. For the 2013–14 Süper Lig season, he was given the number 10 shirt.

On 11 December 2013, Sneijder scored a late winning goal against Juventus in a UEFA Champions League match, which helped Galatasaray qualify for the knockout stage. On 2 February 2014, Sneijder scored three goals in a 6–0 win against Bursaspor.

Wesley Sneijder during pre-match training at Galatasaray

Sneijder during pre-match training at Galatasaray in 2015

On 6 April 2014, he scored his first goal in the big derby against Fenerbahçe. On 7 May 2014, Sneijder scored the only goal in the Turkish Cup final, earning him the Man of the Match award.

In the 2014–15 Süper Lig season, Sneijder scored ten goals and was key to Galatasaray winning the league title. He was very popular with the fans. He also helped his team win the 2014–15 Turkish Cup.

He became the vice captain of Galatasaray. On 3 October, Sneijder signed a new three-year contract with Galatasaray. On 14 July 2017, Sneijder and Galatasaray ended his contract, and he became a free agent.

Nice and Al-Gharafa: Final Years

On 7 August 2017, Sneijder joined French club Ligue 1 side Nice. He played 8 games and provided one assist during his five months there.

After leaving Nice, Sneijder joined Qatari club Al-Gharafa. He made his debut on 12 January 2018, as captain, and provided an assist in a 2–1 league win.

On 12 August 2019, Sneijder announced that he was retiring from football. He then started working for FC Utrecht.

International Career for the Netherlands

Sneijder first played for the Netherlands under-21 team in March 2003. He made his debut for the senior Dutch side on 30 April 2003, when he was just 18 years old. On 9 June 2017, he became the player with the most appearances for the Netherlands, playing his 131st game.

Euro 2004 and 2006 World Cup

Sneijder reached the semi-finals of UEFA Euro 2004 with the Netherlands. He played in all four games for the Netherlands at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.

Euro 2008: Standout Performances

In the lead-up to Euro 2008, Sneijder scored a free kick in a friendly match. He celebrated his 24th birthday by scoring an amazing goal in the Euro 2008 match against World Cup champions Italy. He volleyed the ball into the net, helping the Netherlands win 3–0. Many people thought this was one of the best goals of the tournament.

On 13 June, he scored another goal against France from outside the box. The Netherlands won 4–1. Even though the Dutch lost in the quarter-finals, Sneijder was named in the Team of the Tournament because of his strong performances.

2010 World Cup: Reaching the Final

Sneijder the day before the Dutch team's departure to South Africa

Sneijder played in all matches for the Netherlands at the FIFA World Cup. He scored the winning goal in a 1–0 victory over Japan. He was named man of the match in the first two group games. In the round of 16, Sneijder scored in a 2–1 win against Slovakia.

In the quarter-finals against Brazil, he scored two goals, including a header from a corner kick, helping the Netherlands win 2–1. He was again named man of the match. In the semi-final against Uruguay, Sneijder scored his fifth goal of the tournament. The Netherlands won 3–2 and reached the final.

In the World Cup Final, the Dutch team lost 1–0 to Spain after extra time.

Euro 2012 and 2014 World Cup

For Euro 2012, the Netherlands were in a tough group with Portugal, Germany, and Denmark. Sneijder played as an attacking midfielder, but the Netherlands had an early exit from the tournament.

In August 2012, Sneijder was named captain of the Netherlands. However, he was replaced by Robin van Persie less than a year later.

Sneijder was part of the Netherlands squad for the 2014 World Cup. He made his 100th international appearance in the team's first match, a 5–1 win over Spain. In the round of 16, Sneijder scored a late goal to help the Netherlands come back from 0–1 down to beat Mexico 2–1.

In the quarter-final, Sneijder scored a penalty kick in a shootout win against Costa Rica. The semi-final against Argentina also went to a shootout, but the Netherlands lost.

Later International Years

Sneijder played in the qualifying campaigns for UEFA Euro 2016 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup, but the Netherlands did not qualify for either tournament. He announced his retirement from international football on 4 March 2018, holding the record for 133 appearances. He played his 134th and final international game in a friendly match against Peru on 6 September 2018.

Playing Style and Skills

Wesley Sneijder was a very creative and flexible midfielder. He was known as a "classic playmaker" because he was excellent at setting up goals for his teammates. He was also a "dead-ball specialist," meaning he was great at scoring from free kicks due to his accurate shots.

Because he was not very tall, he was quick and strong when he had the ball. He could pass the ball well with both feet and was famous for his powerful long-range shots. Besides his vision and ability to create chances, Sneijder was also known for his intelligence and great technical skills.

He usually played as an attacking midfielder behind the forwards, which was his favorite position. However, he could play in many different midfield roles, and sometimes even on the wings or as a second striker. In his later years, he often played deeper in the center of the midfield, controlling the game with his passing.

Personal Life

Sneijder was married to Dutch-Spanish actress and presenter Yolanthe Cabau van Kasbergen. He has two sons. Inspired by his wife and a teammate, Sneijder became a Roman Catholic.

Sneijder has two brothers: Jeffrey, who also played football, and Rodney, who played in the Eredivisie. In 2008, Wesley stopped Rodney from joining Real Madrid, saying his younger brother should first succeed at Ajax. Rodney has confirmed that he and Wesley have some Greek family history, as their grandmother was Greek.

Awards and Recognition

In October 2008, a Dutch magazine asked people who they thought was the best Dutch free-kick taker. Sneijder received a huge 70% of the votes. He was also voted the best player of the 2009–10 season by Goal.com.

Career Statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Ajax	2002–03	Eredivisie	17	4	3	1	3	0	—		23	5
	2003–04	Eredivisie	30	9	1	0	7	1	—		38	10
	2004–05	Eredivisie	30	7	3	1	7	0	1	1	41	9
	2005–06	Eredivisie	19	5	3	2	7	4	2	1	31	12
	2006–07	Eredivisie	30	18	4	1	9	1	4	2	47	22
	Total		126	43	14	5	33	6	7	4	180	58
Real Madrid	2007–08	La Liga	30	9	2	0	5	0	1	0	38	9
	2008–09	La Liga	22	2	2	0	4	0	0	0	28	2
	Total		52	11	4	0	9	0	1	0	66	11
Inter Milan	2009–10	Serie A	26	4	4	1	11	3	—		41	8
	2010–11	Serie A	25	4	2	0	9	3	3	0	39	7
	2011–12	Serie A	20	4	2	0	5	0	1	1	28	5
	2012–13	Serie A	5	1	0	0	3	1	—		8	2
	Total		76	13	8	1	28	7	4	1	116	22
Galatasaray	2012–13	Süper Lig	12	3	—		4	1	—		16	4
	2013–14	Süper Lig	28	12	6	3	7	2	1	0	42	17
	2014–15	Süper Lig	31	10	6	3	6	1	1	0	44	14
	2015–16	Süper Lig	25	5	6	1	8	0	1	0	40	6
	2016–17	Süper Lig	28	5	4	0	—		1	0	31	5
	Total		124	35	22	7	25	4	4	0	175	46
Nice	2017–18	Ligue 1	5	0	0	0	3	0	—		8	0
Al-Gharafa	2017–18	Qatar Stars League	11	9	0	0	6	2	—		17	11
	2018–19	Qatar Stars League	11	6	2	2	—		—		13	8
	Total		22	15	2	2	6	2	—		30	19
Career total			405	117	50	15	104	19	16	5	575	156

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Netherlands	2003	3	2
	2004	14	3
	2005	3	0
	2006	10	0
	2007	11	3
	2008	10	3
	2009	7	1
	2010	15	7
	2011	7	4
	2012	10	1
	2013	6	2
	2014	15	2
	2015	9	1
	2016	6	1
	2017	7	1
	2018	1	0
Total		134	31

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

List of international goals scored by Wesley Sneijder
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	11 October 2003	Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands	Moldova	2–0	5–0	UEFA Euro 2004 qualification
2.	19 November 2003	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Scotland	1–0	6–0	UEFA Euro 2004 qualification
3.	18 August 2004	Råsunda Stadium, Stockholm, Sweden	Sweden	1–1	2–2	Friendly
4.	8 June 2005	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Finland	1–1	3–1	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
5.	17 August 2005	Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona, Spain	Andorra	3–0	3–0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
6.	24 March 2007	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Russia	2–0	4–1	Friendly
7.	8 September 2007	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Bulgaria	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
8.	17 October 2007	Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands	Slovenia	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
9.	1 May 2008	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Wales	2–0	2–0	Friendly
10.	9 June 2008	Stade de Suisse, Bern, Switzerland	Italy	2–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 2008
11.	13 June 2008	Stade de Suisse, Bern, Switzerland	France	4–1	4–1	UEFA Euro 2008
12.	9 May 2009	Grolsch Veste, Enschede, Netherlands	Japan	2–0	3–0	Friendly
13.	1 June 2010	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Ghana	3–1	4–1	Friendly
14.	5 June 2010	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Hungary	2–1	6–1	Friendly
15.	19 June 2010	Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa	Japan	1–0	1–0	2010 FIFA World Cup
16.	28 June 2010	Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa	Slovakia	2–0	2–1	2010 FIFA World Cup
17.	2 July 2010	Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa	Brazil	1–1	2–1	2010 FIFA World Cup
18.	2 July 2010	Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa	Brazil	2–1	2–1	2010 FIFA World Cup
19.	6 July 2010	Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa	Uruguay	2–1	3–2	2010 FIFA World Cup
20.	9 February 2011	Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands	Austria	1–0	3–1	Friendly
21.	29 March 2011	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Hungary	2–2	5–3	UEFA Euro 2012 qualification
22.	3 September 2011	Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands	San Marino	2–0	11–0	UEFA Euro 2012 qualification
23.	3 September 2011	Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands	San Marino	10–0	11–0	UEFA Euro 2012 qualification
24.	2 June 2012	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Northern Ireland	2–0	6–0	Friendly
25.	11 June 2013	Workers Stadium, Beijing, China	China	2–0	2–0	Friendly
26.	15 October 2013	Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey	Turkey	2–0	2–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
27.	29 June 2014	Estádio Castelão, Fortaleza, Brazil	Mexico	1–1	2–1	2014 FIFA World Cup
28.	12 November 2014	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Mexico	1–1	2–3	Friendly
29.	10 October 2015	Astana Arena, Astana, Kazakhstan	Kazakhstan	2–0	2–1	UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
30.	6 September 2016	Friends Arena, Solna, Sweden	Sweden	1–1	1–1	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
31.	9 June 2017	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Luxembourg	2–0	5–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification