1. In 2010, Wesley Sneijder was named UEFA midfielder of the season, and one of the three best midfielders in the world by FIFA.
50 Facts About Wesley Sneijder
1. 2.
Wesley Sneijder had brief stints with Nice and Al Gharafa before retiring in 2019.
3.
Wesley Sneijder appeared for the Netherlands in various youth squads and for the Dutch national team, making his debut in the senior squad in April 2003 at the age of 18.
4.
Wesley Sneijder then represented his country at the FIFA World Cup in 2006; in 2010, when they reached the final; and in 2014; and at the UEFA European Football Championship in 2004,2008 and 2012.
5.
Wesley Sneijder was awarded the 2010 Bronze Boot, the 2010 Silver Ball, and was named to the team of the tournament for Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup, and as man of the match in six out of eleven games played by the Oranje at these two tournaments.
6.
Wesley Sneijder was born in Utrecht into a football family: his father and his older brother Jeffrey were both football players.
7.
Wesley Sneijder moved to Ajax's famous youth academy at age seven after beginning as a youth player with local Utrecht club DOS.
8.
Wesley Sneijder scored three further league goals in wins against Roda JC, RKC Waalwijk and De Graafschap.
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Wesley Sneijder's performances saw him awarded the Johan Cruijff Prijs for the season's best young player in the Netherlands.
10.
On 6 May 2007, Wesley Sneijder played for Ajax in the final of the KNVB Cup as the team defeated AZ on a penalty shootout.
11.
Wesley Sneijder was given the number 23, which had been previously worn by David Beckham for four seasons at Real.
12.
Wesley Sneijder capped a fine first season in Spain by hitting a stunning free-kick in the last game of the season against Levante UD at the Santiago Bernabeu, taking his goal tally to nine in the La Liga season, a season which saw Real retain their league title.
13.
On 3 August 2008, Wesley Sneijder was stretchered off in a pre-season friendly at the Emirates Stadium, against Arsenal with a suspected cruciate ligament injury after a collision with Abou Diaby.
14.
Wesley Sneijder had an MRI which confirmed the extent of the injury to be not as bad as first feared.
15.
Wesley Sneijder managed to recover in time and was included in the starting XI for the Champions League clash against Juventus in Turin.
16.
One day later, Real Madrid confirmed on their website that Wesley Sneijder would wear 10.
17.
Wesley Sneijder was given the number 10 shirt and made his debut a day after he signed the contract, making an immediate impact by being on the winning side in the Milan Derby against Milan.
18.
Wesley Sneijder leveled the game by firing in right-footed from a Diego Milito pass.
19.
Wesley Sneijder was given the nickname "The Sniper" by the media for his ability to deliver perfect passes and score from impressive distances.
20.
The day after, at Monaco's Stade Louis II, Inter lost to UEFA Europa League winners Atletico Madrid in the 2010 UEFA Super Cup with Wesley Sneijder playing 79 minutes.
21.
On 26 October, Wesley Sneijder was shortlisted for the 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or award, eventually finishing 4th which Barcelona's Lionel Messi won.
22.
Only two days later, Wesley Sneijder signed a five-year contract extension with Inter, tying him to the club until 2015.
23.
Wesley Sneijder begun his third season in Inter colours in strong fashion, netting the opener with a free kick in the 2011 Supercoppa Italiana match against Milan.
24.
Wesley Sneijder suffered another injury later in November 2011 when he damaged his right knee's rectus femoris muscle during the warm-up before the start of the match against Cagliari.
25.
Wesley Sneijder was replaced by the youngster Philippe Coutinho who scored in the match.
26.
Wesley Sneijder concluded his third season as Inter playing by making only 20 league appearances, with the injuries making a big impact.
27.
Wesley Sneijder was on the score-sheet again twenty-four days later in the season opener against Pescara.
28.
Wesley Sneijder received a warm reception when he replaced Umut Bulut.
29.
On 7 May 2014, Wesley Sneijder played a major part in the Turkish Cup final against Eskisehirspor, scoring the only goal of the game in the 70th minute and receiving the Man of the Match award for his performance.
30.
Wesley Sneijder has scored three goals against Fenerbahce in league matches in a year, which is more than enough for Galatasaray society to name a player a club legend.
31.
On 7 August 2017, Wesley Sneijder joined Ligue 1 side Nice on a free transfer.
32.
On 12 August 2019, Wesley Sneijder announced his decision to retire from football, and begin working for FC Utrecht.
33.
Wesley Sneijder made his debut for the Netherlands under-21 side against the Czech Republic on 28 March 2003.
34.
Wesley Sneijder reached the UEFA Euro 2004 semi-finals with the Netherlands.
35.
Wesley Sneijder began the competition mainly on the bench, and was subbed into two group stage matches: his team's first match against Germany and their third match against Latvia.
36.
Wesley Sneijder had contributed two goals in the qualifying tournament.
37.
Wesley Sneijder started all four games for the Netherlands at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
38.
Wesley Sneijder marked his 24th birthday in style by scoring one of the goals of the tournament; the second goal in the 31st minute of the Euro 2008 match against the World Cup champions, Italy.
39.
Wesley Sneijder's goal contributed to the Netherlands' first victory over Italy in 30 years, which was the biggest defeat Italy had suffered since Sweden beat them by the same margin in 1983.
40.
On 13 June, he scored another goal for the Oranje in the Euro 2008 group stage match against France: in the 92nd minute, from outside the box, Wesley Sneijder struck the ball into the corner of the net, bouncing off the crossbar on its way in.
41.
Wesley Sneijder provided what was at first thought to be an assist for the first goal against Brazil in the quarter-finals, but was later credited with the goal.
42.
Wesley Sneijder was again named man of the match on FIFA's website.
43.
Wesley Sneijder was yet again named on FIFA's website as the Budweiser man of the match according to the public online vote.
44.
Wesley Sneijder was originally part of the Dutch starting line-up in the bronze game against Brazil, but he was replaced by Jonathan de Guzman after an injury during the pre-match warm-up prevented him from playing.
45.
Wesley Sneijder appeared in all of the 10 matches of the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying campaign and in six of the 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign, which both ended in failure for the Netherlands.
46.
Wesley Sneijder announced his retirement from international football on 4 March 2018, holding a record 133 appearances for the national team.
47.
From his impeccable placement and confirmed ability to score from free kicks, Wesley Sneijder earned the reputation as a dead-ball specialist.
48.
Wesley Sneijder has been married to Dutch-Spanish actress and presenter Yolanthe Cabau van Kasbergen since July 2010, although the couple are no longer together; he has two sons, one of them from his first marriage.
49.
Wesley Sneijder has two brothers: Jeffrey, a former footballer, and Rodney, a former Eredivisie player.
50.
In 2008, Wesley Sneijder blocked a summer transfer of Rodney to his own club at the time, Real Madrid.