Most Capped Dutch Player Wesley Sneijder Retires From Football
13th August 2019
The 35-year-old, who played 134 times for his country, made the announcement while speaking to the YouTube channel of his hometown club FC Utrecht
- The Netherlands' most-capped player Wesley Sneijder announced on Monday his retirement from football, bringing down the curtain on a trophy-laden career that spanned 17 years
- His displays earned him the Silver Ball for the tournament's second best player behind Uruguay's Diego Forlan
- He finished his playing career Al Gharafa in Qatar's top-flight
THE HAGUE, Netherlands- The Netherlands' most-capped player Wesley Sneijder announced on Monday
his retirement from football, bringing down the curtain on a trophy-laden
career that spanned 17 years.
The 35-year-old, who
played 134 times for his country, made the announcement while speaking to the
YouTube channel of his hometown club FC Utrecht after having bought a corporate
box at their stadium.
"My connection
to the town is big. Now I've retired from football I want a nice place to share
my memories," he said.
Sneijder, who made
his international debut in 2003 aged 19, picked up a World Cup runners-up medal
in 2010 as the Oranje were beaten by a dominant Spain in the South Africa
final.
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Glory
His displays earned
him the Silver Ball for the tournament's second best player behind Uruguay's
Diego Forlan.
Four years later in
Brazil he took his side to third place after missing a penalty in the
semi-final shoot-out loss to Argentina. He was also named in the Euro 2008 Team
of the Tournament despite his team's quarter-final exit at the hands of Russia.
His run to the 2010
final with the Netherlands came after his finest season in club football, as
the number 10 led Inter Milan's charge to a Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions
League treble under Jose Mourinho.
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An Ajax academy graduate
in 2002, Sneijder won the Eredivisie title and two Dutch Cups in his five years
in the capital club's first team before moving to Real Madrid, where he linked
up with countryman Arjen Robben.
He won the La Liga
title in 2008 before making the move to Inter a year later, winning that famous
treble before a succession of injuries saw him moved on to Gala, where he
picked up two more league titles and three Turkish Cups in four years.
He finished his
playing career Al Gharafa in Qatar's top-flight.