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Klaas-Jan Huntelaar

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Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
Personal information
Full name Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Real Madrid
Number -
Youth career
1988–1994 v.v. H. en K.
1994–2000 De Graafschap
2000–2002 PSV
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2004 PSV 1 (0)
2003 → De Graafschap (loan) 9 (0)
2003–2004 → AGOVV (loan) 35 (26)
2004–2005 Heerenveen 46 (33)
2005–2008 Ajax 92 (76)
2009 Real Madrid 20 (8)
International career‡
2004–2006 Netherlands the U-21 22 (18)
2006– Netherlands 23 (13)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 June 2009
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 June 2009

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (born 12 August 1983) is a Dutch footballer who plays as a striker for Real Madrid F.C. and the Dutch national team. Huntelaar is a classic "number 9" striker[1] with good technique and athleticism,[2] who can score all types of goals with either feet and with his head. He has been compared in playing style to Marco van Basten[3] and Fernando Morientes.[4]

Former Dutch national team coach Louis van Gaal has been quoted saying about the player "in the penalty box, he is the best player in the world, bar none."[5] Nicknamed 'The Hunter',[5] Huntelaar played previously for PSV, De Graafschap, AGOVV Apeldoorn, SC Heerenveen, AFC Ajax, before joining Real Madrid in January 2009.[6]

Named Dutch Football Talent of the Year and Ajax "Player of the Year" in 2006, Huntelaar was a part of the Dutch side that won the 2006 UEFA U-21 Championship where he became the tournament's leading goalscorer. He was also named as one of two strikers in the UEFA Team of the Tournament. He is the all-time top scorer of the Netherlands U-21 national team with 18 goals in 22 appearances.[5] In domestic competition he finished top scorer in the Eredivisie 2005–06 and 2007–08 seasons.

Early career

Huntelaar was born in Drempt, a village in the Achterhoek region of Netherlands, but moved to Hummelo when he was six weeks old.[7] He lived with parents Dirk-Jan and Maud Huntelaar, and his two brothers Niek and Jelle.[7]

At the age of five, Huntelaar, along with his two brothers, joined the local football team v.v. H. en K. where he played for the next six years.[7] He was scouted as a youth talent during this period by Go Ahead Eagles but the distance required to travel to the team's base in Deventer prevented him from joining the club.[7]

Soon after, he was scouted by De Graafschap and on 6 April 1994 he signed his first youth contract, aged 11.[7] During his first two years with De Graafschap, Huntelaar played in various positions including left wing, attacking midfield, left back, and even goalkeeper; only in his third year was he deployed as a striker.[7]

In the 1997–98 season, the 14-year-old Huntelaar was the main striker for the C-team at De Graafschap and scored 33 goals in 20 matches.[7] The following season saw him promoted to the B1 team, and in the 1999–2000 season he became top scorer of the B1 league with 31 goals.[7] His goalscoring abilities drew the attention of PSV, who subsequently signed him in June 2000.[7]

Club career

PSV

In his first season at PSV, Huntelaar quickly established himself as a prolific goalscorer for their Al youth teams under coach Willy van der Kuijlen, scoring 26 goals in 23 games to become top scorer in the youth league.[7] In his second season at PSV, Huntelaar was added to the senior squad under coach Guus Hiddink. He made his first team debut on 23 November 2002 in a 0-3 away win over RBC Roosendaal, coming on as a second half substitute for Mateja Kežman in the 76th minute.[8] However, this turned out to be his only appearance for PSV.

De Graafschap

By the start of 2003, it was clear that Huntelaar’s path into the first team was blocked,[9][10] therefore he was sent out on loan to his previous club De Graafschap where his uncle was financial director.[11] He made his senior debut for De Graafschap on 8 February 2003, coming on as a substitute for Hans van de Haar against Roosendaal.[12] He made his only appearance in the starting lineup on 16 February 2003 as De Graafschap were beaten 1–5 by his future employers SC Heerenveen.[13] He then made his final appearance in the team on 29 May 2003 as De Graafschap lost 2–1 to FC Zwolle, confirming their demotion from the Eredivisie.[14] In total, Huntelaar made nine Eredivisie appearances for the Super Farmers, one as a starter and eight as a substitute, but was unable to score and De Graafschap decided not to extend his loan.[15]

AGOVV

At the start of the 2003–04 season, Huntelaar was again sent out on loan, this time to newly-promoted Eerste Divisie side AGOVV Apeldoorn under coach Jurrie Koolhof.[16] He made a good start, scoring on his debut for AGOVV against TOP Oss,[17] and then scoring a hat-trick in his second league game against Heracles Almelo.[18] Huntelaar scored 26 goals in 35 league appearances and finished the season as the division's top goalscorer as well as being named the Eerste Divisie's Player of the Season.[19] AGOVV would later go on to name one of the stands at their Sportpark Berg & Bos stadium the "Klaas-Jan Huntelaar stand" in tribute to his impact at the club.[20][21]

Heerenveen

At the end of his loan at AGOVV, Huntelaar turned down the opportunity to sign a new contract with PSV,[22] and 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[23] 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 continued where he had left off in his first season at Heerenveen, and, by the winter, he had scored 17 goals in 15 matches at which point top clubs from the Netherlands and abroad began vying for his signature. Huntelaar signed for AFC Ajax, the club he had supported as a child. Heerenveen received €9 million plus future incentives for the player with 15% (€1.35 million) of the fee going to PSV,[24] as a result of a training compensation rule imposed by FIFA.[25]

Ajax

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar with Ajax.

Huntelaar made his AFC Ajax debut after the winter break and scored his first goal for the club against his former team, SC Heerenveen, in a KNVB Cup tie.[26] During February, Huntelaar scored nine goals in seven matches for Ajax, including a match against Internazionale on his UEFA Champions League debut.[27] Huntelaar ended the season as top scorer for Ajax with 16 league goals in 16 appearances despite only joining in January, and also finished up as the Eredivise's top scorer with 33 league goals.[28] He scored a total of 44 goals in 47 appearances in all club competitions. Ajax finished second in the Eredivisie and Huntelaar featured in the Eredivisie Playoffs for Champions League qualification, scoring in consecutive matches against Feyenoord[29][30] as well as playing in the victory over FC Groningen to secure Ajax's place in the following season's Champions League.[31]

In the KNVB Cup semi-final, Huntelaar scored a bicycle kick equalizer in injury-time 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.[32] In the final, against his former club PSV, Huntelaar scored twice to help Ajax win the KNVB Cup 2–1.[33] Huntelaar was named Dutch Football Talent of the Year and Ajax player of the year for 2005–06.[34]

Huntelaar celebrating Ajax's victory in the Dutch Cup.

Huntelaar was named as Ajax vice-captain for 2006–07[35] and became the first player to score a goal at Arsenal's new Emirates Stadium in a testimonial match for Dennis Bergkamp.[36] Huntelaar scored two goals in the Champions League qualifying match against FC Copenhagen, helping Ajax to a 1–2 away victory in the first leg, but a 0–2 home defeat in the second leg saw Ajax knocked out of the Champions League on aggregate. Ajax went on to play in the UEFA Cup, with Huntelaar scoring seven goals in seven matches, including against Werder Bremen who would knock them out in the third round. In the Eredivisie, Huntelaar ended the season with 21 goals as Ajax again finished second, and once more had to play in the Eredivisie Playoffs in order to secure Champions League football for the following season. Huntelaar scored two goals in the second leg of the semi-final against Heerenveen in a 4–1 aggregate victory,[37] and Ajax went on to beat AZ 4–2 on aggregate to secure a place in the third qualifying round of the Champions League.[38] In the KNVB Cup, Huntelaar scored four goals in six matches, including the equalizer in the final against AZ which ended in a 1-1 draw after extra-time. Huntelaar then scored a penalty in the ensuing penalty shoot-out decider to help Ajax retain the KNVB Cup with a 7–8 victory on penalties.[39]

In 2007–08 Ajax were again knocked out of the Champions League at the qualifying stage, with Huntelaar missing a penalty in the first leg against Slavia Prague.[40] Ajax were also eliminated from the UEFA Cup by Dinamo Zagreb on away goals, with Huntelaar's two goals not enough to secure Ajax's place in the competition.[41] In the first Eredivisie match of the season, Huntelaar scored four goals to help them past newly promoted De Graafschap in an 8-1 away victory.[42] Following the retirement of Jaap Stam in October 2007, Huntelaar was made temporary captain, pending the return of experienced midfielder Edgar Davids from injury.[43] On 6 April 2008, Huntelaar scored his 100th goal in the Eredivise with a hat-trick in Ajax's 4–1 win against De Graafschap. In the previous 25 years, only Dennis Bergkamp and Dirk Kuyt had managed that feat before their 25th birthday.[44] Huntelaar finished the season with 33 goals in 34 appearances, making him the top scorer in the Eredivisie,[45] and the first Ajax player to score 30 league goals in one season since Marco van Basten in 1986–87.[46][47]

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (left) with Robin van Persie.

At the start of the 2008–09 season, Marco van Basten was appointed as Ajax coach and named Huntelaar as the permanent first team captain of Ajax.[48] Huntelaar scored nine goals in 15 appearances in all competitions before suffering torn ankle ligaments on 9 November 2008 in a league match against Sparta Rotterdam.[49] He would not play again for fully eight weeks later and it turned out to be his last game for Ajax.[50]

Real Madrid

At the start of December 2008, Real Madrid reached an agreement with Ajax to sign Huntelaar in the new year. Huntelaar joined Real Madrid in January 2009 for €20 million, rising to a potential €27 million. He made his debut on 4 January 2009 on his return from injury in a La Liga home match against Villarreal CF. He played for 56 minutes and made four further appearances as a substitute,[51] before scoring his first goal for the team on 15 February 2009 in a 0–4 away win at Sporting Gijón.[52] Real Madrid had planned to add both Huntelaar and fellow new signing Lassana Diarra to their 2008-09 Champions League squad, but both players had already featured in the same season's UEFA Cup for previous clubs Ajax and Portsmouth respectively. UEFA rules would allow only one of the pair to be registered[53][54] by 1 February 2009 and defensive midfielder Diarra was selected to play in the competition.[55] Huntelaar has since scored eight goals in 20 appearances for his new club.[56][57]

International career

Youth squads

Dirk Kuyt with Huntelaar in a training prior to Euro 2008.

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.[7]

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,[58] including two in the final on 4 June 2006 as the Netherlands beat Ukraine 3–0.[59] Huntelaar was named in the UEFA Team of the Tournament.[60] In the aftermath, Huntelaar retired from the under-21 squad where he remains the all-time top goalscorer with 18 goals in 22 matches.[5]

Senior squad

Following his achievements with the under-21 squad, Huntelaar was selected by senior team coach Marco van Basten for the Dutch national squad's next friendly match, away against the Republic of Ireland on 16 August 2006. Huntelaar on his senior debut, scored two goals and provided two assists in the Netherlands 4–0 victory,[61] thus becoming the first Dutch player to score on his full international debut since Dick Nanninga in 1978.[62]

Huntelaar (right) and coach Marco van Basten in training with the Netherlands prior to Euro 2008.

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.[63] Due to the suspension of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Huntelaar was in the starting line-up against Slovenia and scored his first competitive international goal in a 2–0 win.[64] Huntelaar was included in the Netherlands Euro 2008 squad, and scored in his only appearance in the tournament with the opening goal of their final Group C match against Romania in a 2–0 victory.[65]

With the retirement of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Huntelaar became new Dutch national team coach Bert van Marwijk's first choice striker for the FIFA World Cup 2010 qualification match against Iceland in October 2008, and scored in a 2–0 victory.[66] Huntelaar has since taken his tally to 13 goals in 21 appearances for the Dutch senior team.

Career statistics

Club

As of 22 April 2009

Club performance League Cup Playoffs Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
2002–03 PSV Eredivisie 1 0 – – – 1 0
De Graafschap 9 0 – – – 9 0
2003–04 AGOVV Eerste Divisie 35 26 3 1 – – 38 27
2004–05 Heerenveen Eredivisie 31 16 1 0 – 7 3 39 19
2005–06 15 17 1 1 – 6 2 22 20
Ajax 16 16 3 5 4 2 2 1 25 24
2006–07 32 21 6 4 4 2 9 9 51 36
2007–08 34 33 3 1 4 0 4 2 45 36
2008–09 10 6 1 1 – 4 2 15 9
Real Madrid La Liga 20 8 – – – 20 8
Career Total 203 143 18 13 12 4 32 19 265 179

International

As of 1 April 2009

National team Year Friendly Competitive Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Netherlands 2006 2 2 2 0 4 2
2007 3 0 2 1 5 1
2008 5 5 4 2 9 7
2009 1 1 2 2 3 3
Career Total 11 8 10 5 21 13

International Goals

Honours

Club

Ajax

International

Netherlands U-21

Individual

References

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