Klaas-Jan Huntelaar

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
Klaas Jan Huntelaar 2.jpg
Personal information
Date of birth August 12, 1983 (1983-08-12) (age 26)
Place of birth    Voor-Drempt, Netherlands
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current club AFC Ajax
Number 9
Youth clubs
1988–1994
1994–2000
2000–2002		 v.v. H. en K.
De Graafschap
PSV Eindhoven
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
2002–2004
2003
2003–2004
2004–2005
2005–2008
2009–		 PSV Eindhoven
→ De Graafschap (loan)
→ AGOVV (loan)
SC Heerenveen
Ajax
Real Madrid		 001 0(0)
009 0(0)
035 (26)
046 (34)
097 (79)
000 0(0)   
National team2
2004–2006
2006–		 Netherlands U21
Netherlands		 022 (18)
018 (10)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of December 2, 2008.
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of October 15, 2008.
* Appearances (Goals)

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (born August 12, 1983) is a Dutch footballer who plays as a striker for AFC Ajax and the Netherlands. He previously played for PSV Eindhoven, De Graafschap, AGOVV Apeldoorn and SC Heerenveen. In January 2009 he will move to Real Madrid C.F.[1]

Various media outlets have noted him as a rising star in Dutch football, being named Dutch Football Talent of the Year and Ajax "Player of the year" in 2006. He was a part of the Dutch side that won the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, where he became the tournament's leading goal-scorer. He was also named in the UEFA Team of the Tournament. He is the all-time highest goal-scorer for the Netherlands U21 squad with 18 goals in 22 matches. In domestic football he was Eredivisie's top scorer in the 2005–06 and 2007–08 seasons.

Contents

Profile

Huntelaar was born in Drempt, a village in the Achterhoek region of Netherlands, but moved to Hummelo when he was six weeks old.[2] He lived with parents Dirk-Jan and Maud Huntelaar, and his two brothers Niek and Jelle.[2] Like his two brothers, at the age of five Huntelaar joined the local football team v.v. H. en K. where he played for the next six years.[2]

Huntelaar (right) with Netherlands coach Marco van Basten during a training prior to Euro 2008.

Huntelaar was scouted as a youth talent by Go Ahead Eagles but the distance required to travel to the team's base in Deventer prohibited him from joining the club.[2] Soon after he was scouted by De Graafschap where on April 6, 1994 he signed his first youth contract, aged eleven.[2] During his first two years with De Graafschap, Huntelaar played as a left back, left winger, attacking midfielder, and even as a goalkeeper; only in his third year was he deployed as a striker.[2] In the 1997–98 season, the 14 year old Huntelaar was the first striker for the C-team at De Graafschap, and scored 33 goals in 20 matches.[2] The following season saw him promoted to the B1 team, and in the 1999–00 season he became top scorer of the B1 league with 31 goals.[2] His goal-scoring abilities drew the attention of PSV Eindhoven, who signed him in June 2000.[2]

Huntelaar is a striker who plays as a centre forward, or an "out-and-out" striker, rather than as a supporting striker. He has a good technical ability and can score goals with his head and with either foot. He has been compared in playing style to Marco van Basten and Fernando Morientes.[3][4]

On July 2, 2007, Huntelaar signed a sponsorship deal with Nike, having previously been under contract with Adidas.[5]

Club career

PSV

In his first season at PSV, Huntelaar quickly established himself as a prolific goalscorer for their A1 youth team under coach Willy van der Kuijlen, scoring 26 goals in 23 games to become top scorer in the youth league.[2] In his second season at PSV, Huntelaar was added to Guus Hiddink's senior team, but failed to secure a place in the starting line-up. He made his first team debut as a substitute for Mateja Kežman on November 23, 2002 in a 0–3 away win over RBC Roosendaal. This turned out to be his only Eredivisie appearance for the club.[6][2]

De Graafschap

Having failed to establish himself in the PSV first team, Huntelaar was sent on loan to his old club De Graafschap, where his uncle was financial director.[7] He made his senior debut for De Graafschap on February 8, 2003, coming on as a substitute for Hans van de Haar against Roosendaal.[8] He made his first appearance in the starting lineup on February 16, 2003 as De Graafschap were beaten 1–5 by his future employer SC Heerenveen.[9] He made his final appearance in the squad on May 29, 2003 as De Graafschap lost 2–1 to FC Zwolle, confirming their demotion from the Eredivisie.[10] In total, Huntelaar made nine Eredivisie appearances for the Super Farmers but failed to score, and De Graafschap decided not to extend his contract.[11]

AGOVV

At the start of the 2003–04 season Huntelaar was again sent on loan, this time to newly-promoted Eerste Divisie side AGOVV Apeldoorn under coach Jurrie Koolhof.[12] Huntelaar scored on his debut, against TOP Oss,[13] and went to to score a hat-trick in his second league game, against Heracles Almelo.[14] Huntelaar scored 26 times in his 35 league appearances and finished the season as the division's top goalscoreras well as being named the Eerste Divisie's Player of the Season.[15] In 2007, AGOVV named one of the stands at Sportpark Berg & Bos the "Klaas-Jan Huntelaar stand".[16]

SC Heerenveen

After Huntelaar turned down the opportunity to sign a new contract with PSV,[17] Frisian club SC Heerenveen moved in to sign him for a transfer fee of €100,000. Huntelaar started the 2004–05 season by scoring on his Eredivisie debut with Heerenveen against AZ[18] and took his scoring tally to 10 goals in 17 games at the winter break. At the end of the season Huntelaar had scored a total of 17 goals in 31 matches, helping Heerenveen qualify for the UEFA Cup. In the 2005–06 season Huntelaar had scored 17 goals in 15 matches, at which point he was signed by AFC Ajax. Heerenveen received €9 million plus future incentives for the player.[19] A substantial sum went to rivals PSV Eindhoven as a result of a training compensation rule imposed by FIFA.

Ajax

Celebrating victory in the Dutch Cup with Ajax

Huntelaar made his Ajax debut after the winter break, and scored his first goal for the club againsthis former team, Heerenveen, in a a KNVB Cup tie.[20] During February Huntelaar scored nine goals in seven matches for Ajax, including against Inter Milan on his Champions League debut.[21] At the end of the season he was the Eredivise's top scorer, with 33 goals.[22] Following Ajax's second place finish in the Eredivisie, Huntelaar featured in the play-offs for Champions League qualification, scoring in consecutive games against Feyenoord[23][24] as well as playing in the defeat of FC Groningen to secure Ajax's place in the following season's Champions League.[25] In the KNVB Cup semi-final Huntelaar scored an injury-time bicycle kick equaliser against Roda JC, taking the game to extra time. Ajax went on to win 4–1, with Huntelaar scoring another goal in the 109th minute.[26] In the final, against PSV, Huntelaar scored twice, including the winning goal.[27] Huntelaar was awarded the 2005–06 Eredivisie Johan Cruijff Award award and was named Ajax player of the year.[28]

Huntelaar was named as Ajax vice-captain for 2006–07[29] and became the first player to score a goal at Arsenal F.C.'s new Emirates Stadium in a testimonial match for Dennis Bergkamp.[30] Ajax were knocked out of the Champions League into the UEFA Cup, where Huntelaar scored eight goals in seven matches. In the Eredivisie Huntelaar finished the season with 21 goals as Ajax again finished second. In the KNVB Cup, Huntelaar scored four goals in six matches, including one in the final victory against AZ.[31] Ajax again had to play in the European play-offs to secure Champions League football for the next season. Huntelaar scored two goals in the second leg of the semi-final against Heerenveen in a 4–1 aggregate win[32] and Ajax went on to beat AZ 4–2 on aggregate to secure a place in the third qualifying round of the Champions League.[33]

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar in training with Ajax

Ajax were again knocked out of the Champions League at the qualifying stage in 2007–08, with Huntelaar missing a penalty against SK Slavia Praha.[34] Ajax were also eliminated from the UEFA Cup by NK Dinamo Zagreb on away goals, with Huntelaar's two goals not enough to secure Ajax's place in the competition.[35] In the first Eredivisie match of the season Huntelaar scored four goals to help them past newly promoted De Graafschap in an 1–8 away victory.[36] With the retirement of Jaap Stam in October 2007, Huntelaar was temporarily made the Ajax captain, pending Edgar Davids' return from injury.[37] By the end of the season, Huntelaar had scored 33 goals in 34 apps, making him the top scorer of the Eredivisie with eleven more than FC Twente's Blaise Kufo.[38]

At the start of the 2008–09 season, new Ajax manager Marco van Basten named Huntelaar as the first team captain, becoming the permanent successor to Jaap Stam.

Real Madrid

Huntelaar will join Real Madrid C.F. in January 2009 for €20m euros (£17m), rising to a potential €27m euros (£23m). [39]

International career

Youth squads

Huntelaar participated in the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship for the Netherlands under coach Louis van Gaal. The striker scored two goals in the tournament before the Dutch were eliminated in the quarter finals by Egypt.[2]

Huntelaar was part of the preliminary Dutch squad prior to the 2006 FIFA World Cup, but was not chosen and instead participated in the UEFA Under 21 football championships in Portugal. Huntelaar was the top-scorer of the tournament with four goals, including two in the final, where the Netherlands beat Ukraine.[40] Huntelaar was named as one of the strikers in the UEFA Team of the Tournament.[41] After the tournament, Huntelaar retired from the under-21 squad, where he remains the all-time highest goal-scorer with 18 goals in 22 matches.

Senior squad

Huntelaar (left) and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink with the Netherlands national football team.

Huntelaar was selected by Marco van Basten for the Dutch National squad's friendly against the Republic of Ireland on August 16, 2006. Huntelaar scored twice on his debut for the senior squad and made two assists in Holland's 4–0 victory,[42] the first player to score on his Netherlands debut since Dick Nanninga in 1978.[2] After being left out of the squad for a number of games, he was recalled to the squad in October 2007 for the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying games against Romania and Slovenia.[43] Due to the suspension of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Huntelaar was in the starting line-up against Slovenia, scoring his first competitive international goal in a 2–0 win.[44] Huntelaar was included in Netherlands' Euro 2008 squad, scoring his only goal in the tournament with the opening goal of their final Group C game against Romania in a 2–0 win.[45]

Career statistics

Club

All-Time Club Performance[46][47]
Club Season Domestic League Domestic Cups[48] European games[49] Total
App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals Goals per match
PSV Eindhoven 2002–03 1 0 - - - - 1 0 0
De Graafschap 2002–03 9 0 - - - - 9 0 0
AGOVV Apeldoorn 2003–04 35 26 - - - - 35 26 0.74
SC Heerenveen 2004–05 31 17 - - 7 3 38 20 0.53
2005–06 15 17 1 1 6 3 22 21 0.95
Total 46 34 1 1 13 6 60 41 0.68
AFC Ajax 2005–06 16 16 7 7 2 1 25 24 0.96
2006–07 32 21 10 6 9 9 51 36 0.71
2007–08 34 33 1 1 4 2 39 36 0.92
2008–09 10 6 1 1 2 2 13 9 0.69
Total 92 76 19 15 17 14 128 105 0.82
Career Totals 183 136 20 16 30 20 233 172 0.74
Updated September 25, 2008

International

All-Time National Team Performance[50]
National Team Year Friendlies International
Competition		 Total Goals per match
App Goals App Goals App  Goals
Netherlands 2006 4 2 0 0 4 2 0.5
2007 3 0 2 1 5 1 0.2
2008 4 5 3 2 7 7 1
Total 11 7 5 3 16 10 0.63
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar: International goals[50]
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 August 16, 2006 Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland Flag of Ireland.svg Republic of Ireland 0–1 0–4 Friendly match
2 August 16, 2006 Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland Flag of Ireland.svg Republic of Ireland 0–3 0–4 Friendly match
3 October 17, 2007 Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands Flag of Slovenia.svg Slovenia 2–0 2–0 Euro 2008 Qualification
4 February 6, 2008 Poljud Stadium, Split, Croatia Flag of Croatia.svg Croatia 0–2 0–3 Friendly match
5 March 26, 2008 Ernst Happel Stadion, Vienna, Austria Flag of Austria.svg Austria 3–1 3–4 Friendly match
6 March 26, 2008 Ernst Happel Stadion, Vienna, Austria Flag of Austria.svg Austria 3–4 3–4 Friendly match
7 May 24, 2008 De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine 2–0 3–0 Friendly match
8 June 17, 2008 Stade de Suisse, Bern, Switzerland Flag of Romania.svg Romania 1–0 2–0 UEFA Euro 2008
9 September 6, 2008 Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands Flag of Australia.svg Australia 1–0 1–2 Friendly match
10 October 11, 2008 De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands Flag of Iceland.svg Iceland 2–0 2–0 FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifying

Honours

Ajax

International

Individual

References

  1. ↑ Real Madrid C.F and AFC Ajax reach agreement for transfer of player realmadrid.com
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 (Dutch) "Biografie van Klaas-Jan Huntelaar". Official Klaas-Jan Huntelaar website. Retrieved on 2007-09-24.
  3. ↑ "Huntelaar class shines through". UEFA.com (2006-01-13). Retrieved on 2007-10-15.
  4. ↑ "Huntelaar follows Van Basten". UEFA.com (2008-04-04). Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
  5. ↑ (Dutch) "Huntelaar verandert van merk". Voetbelkrant (2007-07-02). Retrieved on 2007-07-07.
  6. ↑ (Dutch) "RBC Roosendaal - PSV (23-11-2002)". PSV Eindhoven (2002-11-23). Retrieved on 2007-09-24.
  7. ↑ (Dutch) "De Graafschap herdenkt Cor Huntelaar groots". Soccernews.nl (2008-03-15). Retrieved on 2008-03-16.
  8. ↑ (Dutch) "08-02-2003 - RBC Roosendaal - De Graafschap (1 - 0)". De Graafschap (2003-02-08). Retrieved on 2007-09-24.
  9. ↑ (Dutch) "16-02-2003 - De Graafschap - SC Heerenveen (1 - 5)". De Graafschap (2003-02-16). Retrieved on 2007-09-24.
  10. ↑ (Dutch) "29-05-2003 - FC Zwolle - De Graafschap (2 - 1)". De Graafschap (2003-05-29). Retrieved on 2007-09-24.
  11. ↑ (Dutch) "De Graafschap ziet af van langer huren van Huntelaar". Sport1 (2003-06-21). Retrieved on 2007-09-24.
  12. ↑ (Dutch) "Klaas-Jan Huntelaar profiel". NOS Studio Sport (2007-09-10). Retrieved on 2007-09-24.
  13. ↑ (Dutch) "AGOVV Club historie". AGOVV. Retrieved on 2007-09-16.
  14. ↑ (Dutch) "Eerste overwinning AGOVV". Sport1 (2003-08-23). Retrieved on 2007-10-17.
  15. ↑ (Dutch) "Huntelaar verkozen tot speler van het seizoen". Sport1 (2004-06-02). Retrieved on 2007-10-17.
  16. ↑ (Dutch) "Huntelaar krijgt eigen tribune bij AGOVV". Trouw (2007-09-11). Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
  17. ↑ "Classy Huntelaar thinking big". FIFA.com (2007-10-01). Retrieved on 2007-10-19.
  18. ↑ (Dutch) "Uitstekende start Heerenveen tegen AZ: 1-1". SC Heerenveen (2004-08-14). Retrieved on 2007-09-16.
  19. ↑ "Transfer completed: Huntelaar to join Ajax for 4.5 years". Ajax USA (2005-12-29). Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
  20. ↑ (Dutch) "Ajax naar halve finale Gatorade Cup door zege op Heerenveen". Ajax Online (2006-02-02). Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
  21. ↑ "Inter recovery pegs back Ajax". UEFA.com (2006-02-22). Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
  22. ↑ (Dutch) "Huntelaar evenaart topscorer Cruijff". KNVB (2006-04-17). Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
  23. ↑ (Dutch) "Ajax in Arena ruim langs Feyenoord". Ajax Online (2006-04-20). Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
  24. ↑ (Dutch) "Ajax bezorgt Feyenoord de ultieme vernedering". Ajax Online (2006-04-23). Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
  25. ↑ (Dutch) "Ajax plaatst zich in slotfase voor voorronde Champions League". Ajax Online (2006-05-03). Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
  26. ↑ (Dutch) "Ajax naar bekerfinale na zinderend duel tegen Roda". Ajax Online (2006-03-22). Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
  27. ↑ (Dutch) "Huntelaar bezorgt Ajax met twee doelpunten de beker". Ajax Online (2006-05-07). Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
  28. ↑ (Dutch) "Huntelaar gekozen tot beste talent". Sportweek (2006-05-03). Retrieved on 2007-10-15.
  29. ↑ (Dutch) "Stam nieuwe aanvoerder Ajax, Perez vice-captain". Ajax Online (2006-07-11). Retrieved on 2007-11-01.
  30. ↑ "Bergkamp given rousing farewell". BBC Sport (2006-07-22). Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
  31. ↑ (Dutch)"Ajax wint beker na slijtageslag van 120 minuten". Ajax Online (2007-05-06). Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
  32. ↑ (Dutch) "Ajax boekt ruime overwinning op Heerenveen". Ajax Online (2007-05-13). Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
  33. ↑ (Dutch) "Ajax wint play-offs na goede zege op AZ". Ajax Online (2007-05-27). Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
  34. ↑ "Slavia make Ajax pay the penalty". UEFA.com (2007-08-15). Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
  35. ↑ "Ajax follow French pair out of Europe". UEFA.com (2007-10-04). Retrieved on 2007-10-05.
  36. ↑ "Timely boost for four-goal Huntelaar". UEFA.com (2007-08-20). Retrieved on 2007-08-20.
  37. ↑ (Dutch) "Huntelaar aanvoerder in bekerduel". AT5 (2007-10-31). Retrieved on 2007-11-01.
  38. ↑ (Dutch) "Huntelaar topscorer, Suarez derde". Ajax (2007-04-20). Retrieved on 2008-06-06.
  39. ↑ "Madrid to sign Ajax goal machine Huntelaar". UEFA.com (2008-12-02). Retrieved on 2008-12-02.
  40. ↑ "uefa.com's Team of the Tournament". UEFA.com (2006-06-06). Retrieved on 2007-09-16.
  41. ↑ "Huntelaar thrives in Dutch triumph". UEFA.com (2006-06-01). Retrieved on 2007-11-15.
  42. ↑ "Republic of Ireland 0-4 Holland". BBC Sport (2006-08-16). Retrieved on 2007-09-16.
  43. ↑ "Huntelaar and Robben recalled". Sky Sports (2007-10-05). Retrieved on 2007-10-06.
  44. ↑ "Netherlands near finals goal with win". UEFA.com (2007-10-17). Retrieved on 2007-10-18.
  45. ↑ Chowdhury, Saj (2008-06-17). "France 0-2 Italy & Netherlands 2-0 Romania", BBC Sport. Retrieved on 2008-06-18. 
  46. ↑ "Klaas-Jan Huntelaar". ESPNsoccernet. Retrieved on 2007-03-23.
  47. ↑ (Dutch) "Klaas-Jan Huntelaar". De Wedstrijden. Retrieved on 2007-03-23.
  48. ↑ Counts for appearances and goals during the KNVB Cup and Dutch European play-offs
  49. ↑ Counts for appearances and goals at the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup and UEFA Intertoto Cup.
  50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 (Dutch) "Gespeelde wedstrijden". KNVB. Retrieved on 2007-05-16.
  51. ↑ (Dutch) "Klaas-Jan Huntelaar beste spits in 2006". Sport1 (2006-12-28). Retrieved on 2007-09-24.

External links

Real Madrid C.F. – current squad

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