Gregory van der Wiel
Van der Wiel playing for the Netherlands national team at Euro 2012
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gregory Kurtley van der Wiel | ||
| Date of birth | 3 February 1988 | ||
| Place of birth | Amsterdam, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Playing position | Right back | ||
| Club information | |||
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Current team
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Fenerbahçe | ||
| Number | 23 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996–2002 | Ajax | ||
| 2002–2005 | Haarlem | ||
| 2005–2007 | Ajax | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007–2012 | Ajax | 130 | (12) |
| 2012–2016 | Paris Saint-Germain | 89 | (4) |
| 2016– | Fenerbahçe | 6 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2007 | Netherlands U19 | 1 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | Netherlands U21 | 5 | (0) |
| 2009– | Netherlands | 46 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 9 April 2016. ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 6 September 2015 |
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Gregory Kurtley van der Wiel (born 3 February 1988) is a Dutch international footballer who plays for Turkish club Fenerbahçe, as a right back.
Born in Amsterdam, he is a product of the renowned AFC Ajax youth system. He plays an attacking right back and is known for his speedy runs down the flank. In 2010, Van der Wiel was awarded the Johan Cruyff Award for "Young Player of the Year" in the Netherlands.
He made his debut for the Dutch national team in February 2009, and participated in the Netherlands' runners-up performance at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Dutch team-mate John Heitinga has labeled him the spiritual successor of Michael Reiziger for the Netherlands.
Van der Wiel started his playing career at RKSV DCG in Amsterdam. At the age of seven, the young defender was scouted by Ajax and brought to the Ajax Academy at "De Toekomst". In 2002, Ajax sent the player away to HFC Haarlem due to the player having a "mentality problem". Talking about his period at Haarlem, Van der Wiel has said: "When I was there I realized how spoiled I was. At Ajax everything was always well organized. We received a new kit every season and were picked up with minivans and brought to the club. At Haarlem I arrived in a totally different world. The accommodation was much worse, we played in five-year-old outfits, and had to find our own way to the trainings. The atmosphere was better though, much more relaxed than at Ajax. The period at Haarlem was good for my social development. It was a wake-up call for me."
In 2005 Ajax approached him once again and brought him back to the Academy. His second stint at the club proved to be a much more successful experience. Following the departure of youth captain Donovan Slijngard, Van der Wiel was made the captain of Jong Ajax.
Van der Wiel made his professional debut for Ajax on 11 March 2007 in a 4–1 away win against FC Twente, coming on as a substitute for Jaap Stam. He would play three more matches that season. For the 2007–08 season he participated in the 1–0 victory over PSV Eindhoven in the battle for the Johan Cruijff Shield, resulting in winning his first career trophy.
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