Steven Jerome Pienaar is a South African former professional footballer and current assistant coach of the U18 team of the Ajax Youth Academy.
29 Facts About Steven Pienaar
2.
Steven Pienaar was a captain of the South African national team.
3.
Steven Pienaar primarily played as a winger, but played as an attacking midfielder.
4.
Steven Pienaar is currently serving as an international ambassador at former club Everton.
5.
Steven Pienaar started his professional career at Ajax Cape Town, some 1,400 kilometres away from his hometown.
6.
Steven Pienaar was brought to the attention of Ajax CT whilst playing for the School of Excellence and was asked to join their youth academy.
7.
Steven Pienaar appreciated the way I played but at the same time he changed my mentality.
8.
Steven Pienaar taught me how to prepare for games, not just playing to please the crowd but how to play for the team.
9.
Steven Pienaar became a pivotal member of the Ajax team that won the Dutch League in 2002 and 2004, shining as one of Ajax's best players alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Maxwell, Cristian Chivu, Mido, Nigel de Jong, Rafael van der Vaart, and Wesley Sneijder, as well as future Everton teammates John Heitinga and Andy van der Meyde.
10.
Steven Pienaar struggled at Dortmund and never felt truly accepted by the other players at the club.
11.
Steven Pienaar produced some stand out performances and this led to many clubs showing interest in him.
12.
Steven Pienaar's spell at Tottenham was characterised by persistent injuries and not much impact in games, which resulted him rarely featuring in the team.
13.
Late on transfer deadline day in January 2012, Steven Pienaar completed a return to Everton on a six-month loan deal.
14.
Steven Pienaar finished the season by scoring against Newcastle United, stating in a post-match interview his wish to rejoin Everton.
15.
Steven Pienaar scored four goals, which was at the time his joint-best tally in the league for Everton.
16.
Steven Pienaar was sent off for two bookable offences twice during the season, against Queens Park Rangers and Manchester City.
17.
Steven Pienaar finished the season with seven goals, the joint-most he has ever scored in a season with Everton.
18.
In October 2013, Steven Pienaar returned from a hamstring injury suffered two months earlier as he came on as a substitute against Hull City and scored the winning goal just ten seconds later.
19.
On 19 August 2016, Steven Pienaar signed a one-year contract with Sunderland, reuniting with former manager David Moyes.
20.
Steven Pienaar made 17 appearances and his contract was not renewed at the end of the season.
21.
Steven Pienaar returned to South Africa, signing a one-year deal with Bidvest Wits in July 2017, but was released six months later.
22.
Steven Pienaar earned 61 caps and scored three goals over the course of his international career.
23.
Steven Pienaar participated at the 2002 and 2010 World Cups, the latter on home soil.
24.
On 2 October 2012, Steven Pienaar announced his retirement from international duties.
25.
In September 2019, he completed his UEFA A Licence and in December 2019, Steven Pienaar returned to AFC Ajax as a Trainee Coach.
26.
Steven Pienaar is from the mixed-race South African community known as Coloureds.
27.
Steven Pienaar is commonly referred to by his nickname "Schillo" in South Africa, a childhood nickname given to him by friends after the exploits of Toto Schillaci during the 1990 World Cup.
28.
Steven Pienaar was charged with drunk-driving and failure to comply with a traffic sign in central Liverpool in February 2010.
29.
Steven Pienaar was found guilty of driving whilst under the influence of alcohol and was banned from driving for 12 months.