Ron Vlaar
Encyclopedia
Ron Peter Vlaar (ˈrɔn ˈvlaːr) (born 16 February 1985 in Hensbroek
, North Holland
) is a Dutch
footballer who currently plays as a centre back for Dutch Eredivisie
club Feyenoord.
Vlaar made his professional debut at the age of 20 for the club AZ. After a successful 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship
with Netherlands U20, Vlaar received his first call-up for the Netherlands national team
by the Netherlands coach Marco van Basten. Despite the few but promising matches Vlaar played, the youngster was transferred to Feyenoord. Main reason for his move was his personal relationship with AZ coach Louis van Gaal
. Vlaar was often compared to Jaap Stam
, but due to various injuries the centre back couldn't live up to the expectations as of yet.
Vlaar was an important player in the two Netherlands U21
squads winning the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
in 2006
and 2007
.
, North Holland
, the Netherlands
. His mother, Margaret, was a handball
player, while his father was an amateur football player. Vlaar has two younger sisters, Ellen and Lisan, who are both active in sports as well. Ellen is a fanatic gymnast
and Lisan is playing volleyball
.
When he went to his final year in elementary school, Vlaar left Apollo '68. The youngster wanted to play on a higher level and joined SVW '27 from Heerhugowaard
. At his new club, Vlaar's development went well above expectation. After playing for SVW '27 for one season, Vlaar got invited to join the AZ youth academy, a professional side playing in the Eerste Divisie
. In 2002, Vlaar signed his first youth contract. The contract would keep him in Alkmaar
until summer 2007.
, Vlaar made his unexpected Eredivisie
debut at the age of 20. Due to injuries and suspensions within the first team squad at the end of the season, Vlaar was paired up with the experienced centre back Barry Opdam
on April 23, 2005 in the away match against RKC Waalwijk
(2–1). Five days later, on April 28, 2005, Vlaar made his European debut. The youngster was part of the starting line-up in the UEFA Cup
semi final away match against Sporting Clube de Portugal (2–1). Vlaar played three Eredivisie matches and two UEFA Cup matches in his debut season.
While Vlaar thought the season 2005–06 would be his breakthrough year, AZ coach Louis van Gaal
kept choosing for more experienced players. Vlaar was part of the starting line-up thrice, while he came in as a substitute in four matches, having a total of seven Eredivisie appearances in his first half year. Despite Vlaar's substitute status at AZ, the youngster impressed the Netherlands coach Marco van Basten enough to invite him for his first international matches. As Vlaar was only playing at AZ for a youth contract, various sides were interested to offer Vlaar more playing time. AZ were keen to offer Vlaar a new and improved contract, however Vlaar had no interest in staying at AZ as he felt blackmailed by AZ coach Louis van Gaal: "He told me I would only play at emergencies if I wouldn't sign the new contract". The young centre back was close to a deal with Ajax and was spotted in London
, as he was visiting Martin Jol
's Tottenham Hotspur
with his father and agent. However, on December 28, 2006, Vlaar signed a three-and-a half-year deal with Feyenoord.
Vlaar had a bad start of the season 2006–07, as he got foot injury in the pre-season match against Reading
(2–1) in August. At first it seemed to be a minor injury, but Vlaar had to drop out in the 33rd minute of the season opening away match against FC Groningen (3–0). The doctors found a crack in a bone in his foot, causing Vlaar to be out for almost the entire first half of the league. After his recovery, Vlaar regained his place in the first team and played 20 Eredivisie matches in the remaining season. On December 16, 2006, Vlaar scored his first Feyenoord goal in the away match against FC Utrecht (2–1).
With the arrival of the new Feyenoord coach Bert van Marwijk
and new centre back partner Kevin Hofland
in the season 2007–08
, Vlaar was ready to make the next step in his development. However, on September 16, 2007, Vlaar got injured in the Eredivisie away match against Roda JC (1–3). Vlaar needed a surgery on the cruciate ligament
and was out for the rest of the season. After the surgery, Vlaar was confronted with an additional setback, as he had a bacterial infection. Vlaar was recovered from his injury at the beginning of the 2008–09
season. However, during pre-season, Vlaar got another injury at a medial ligament
of his knee. After being sidelined for over a month, Vlaar returned to the training field. After an innocent duel with Kevin Hofland, Vlaar damaged his cruciate ligament
again. It was the same injury he had in the previous season, causing Vlaar to miss a complete season again.
away match against Harkemase Boys (0–5) on September 24, 2009.
Since his return, he has formed an strong partnership with Brazilian centre back André Bahia. Earning praise with his imposing body and impressive displays.
and with Netherlands U21
on the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
in 2006
and 2007
took place in the Netherlands
between June 10 and July 2, 2005. Vlaar, reserve captain behind Hedwiges Maduro
, was an important player in the Dutch team and was active in every match the team played on the tournament. Netherlands U20 had a smooth run through the group stage, winning their three matches respectively easy against Japan U20
(2–1), Australia U20 (3–0) and Benin U20
(1–0). After beating Chile U20
(3–0) in the next round, the Netherlands U20 reached the quarter finals against later finalist Nigeria U20
(1–1 aet 9–10 pso). Despite Vlaar's equalizing goal and successful penalty kick, the Netherlands U20 didn't advance to the next stage.
on the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
, where the Dutch side claimed the trophy for the first time in history. Besides the group match against Denmark U21
(1–1), Vlaar played in every match on the tournament. Jong Oranje started and finished their campaign against Ukraine U21
, going out on a high with a 3–0 win in the final, after surprisingly losing their opening game to the Ukrainian
team.
Twelve months after winning the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
for the first time, Vlaar was the captain of the team that retained the trophy in style with a 4–1 win against Serbia U21
in the final. Vlaar played in every match in the group stage, but had to leave the pitch injured in the semi final match against England U21
(1–1 aet 13–12 pso). Vlaar had to watch the final from the sideline, but was able to lift the trophy together with reserve captain Hedwiges Maduro
.
played, he made enough of an impression to be noticed by Marco van Basten, the coach of the Dutch national side
. He was selected for the qualifier against Romania
in June 2005, but did not play. The first international match in which he played was the clash against the Czechs
on 8 October 2005.
Since his comeback for Feyenoord, he has grown into a strongholder of the team. Impressing many experts with strong, commanding and tough displays, evolving into a leader of Feyenoord's backline. It seems he's finally delivering on his promise, playing to his full potential. His strong appearances haven't gone unnoticed by national coach Bert van Marwijk, who officially stated to be following him in the run-up to the 2010 World Cup. However, not yet calling Vlaar to the national team, due to the severity of his previous injuries, allowing him to gradually come to full fitness and preventing overuse of muscles since Vlaar only came back to first team football in the summer of 2009. However, V.Marwijk stated he would seriously consider calling Vlaar up in the second half of the season. That has led many fans as well as teammates to believe Vlaar would be getting a place in the Dutch World Cup squad.
in South Africa
. However, on 27 May 2010, Netherlands manager Bert van Marwijk
announced that the player not would be part of the final squad of 23 participating in the competition.
|2004–05
||rowspan="2"|AZ||rowspan="2"|Eredivisie
||3||0||0||0||2||0||5||0
|-
|rowspan="2"|2005–06||7||0||0||0||2||1||9||1
|-
|rowspan="7"|Feyenoord||rowspan="7"|Eredivisie
||16||0||0||0||0||0||16||0
|-
|2006–07||20||1||0||0||1||0||21||1
|-
|2007–08
||4||1||0||0||colspan="2"|-||4||1
|-
|2008–09
||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|2009–10||32||4||1||1||colspan="2"|-||33||5
|-
|2010–11||26||2||0||0||colspan="2"|-||26||2
|-
|2011–12||5||0||0||0||colspan="2"|-||5||0
|-
113||8||1||1||5||1||119||10
113||8||1||1||5||1||119||10
Netherlands U21
Hensbroek
Hensbroek is a village in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Koggenland, and lies about 4 km east of Heerhugowaard.Hensbroek was a separate municipality between 1817 and 1979, when it was merged with Obdam....
, North Holland
North Holland
North Holland |West Frisian]]: Noard-Holland) is a province situated on the North Sea in the northwest part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is Haarlem and its largest city is Amsterdam.-Geography:...
) is a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
footballer who currently plays as a centre back for Dutch Eredivisie
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
club Feyenoord.
Vlaar made his professional debut at the age of 20 for the club AZ. After a successful 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship
2005 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in The Netherlands between 10 June and 2 July 2005. The 2005 championship was the 15th contested.- Venues :- Qualification :The following 24 teams qualified for the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship...
with Netherlands U20, Vlaar received his first call-up for the Netherlands national team
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
by the Netherlands coach Marco van Basten. Despite the few but promising matches Vlaar played, the youngster was transferred to Feyenoord. Main reason for his move was his personal relationship with AZ coach Louis van Gaal
Louis van Gaal
Aloysius Paulus Maria "Louis" van Gaal OON is a Dutch football manager formerly in charge of Ajax, Netherlands, Barcelona, AZ and Bayern Munich...
. Vlaar was often compared to Jaap Stam
Jaap Stam
Jakob "Jaap" Stam is a retired Dutch football player who was twice voted best defender in the 1998–99 and 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League. He played for several European clubs like PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, S.S. Lazio, A.C. Milan and AFC Ajax before retiring in October 2007...
, but due to various injuries the centre back couldn't live up to the expectations as of yet.
Vlaar was an important player in the two Netherlands U21
Netherlands national under-21 football team
The Netherlands national under-21 football team is the national under-21 team of the Netherlands and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association. The team competes in the European Under-21 Championship, held every two years....
squads winning the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The European Under-21 Football Championship is a football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. It is held every two years. The competition has existed in its current form since 1978. It was preceded by the Under 23 Challenge Cup which ran from 1967 to 1970...
in 2006
2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Final:-Goalscorers:4 goals Klaas Jan Huntelaar3 goals Thomas Kahlenberg Nicky Hofs2 goals Bryan Bergougnoux Ruslan Fomin Artem Milevskiy...
and 2007
2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The UEFA U-21 Championship 2007 were held from 10 June 2007 to 23 June 2007. It is the 16th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship....
.
Early life
Vlaar was born in HensbroekHensbroek
Hensbroek is a village in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Koggenland, and lies about 4 km east of Heerhugowaard.Hensbroek was a separate municipality between 1817 and 1979, when it was merged with Obdam....
, North Holland
North Holland
North Holland |West Frisian]]: Noard-Holland) is a province situated on the North Sea in the northwest part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is Haarlem and its largest city is Amsterdam.-Geography:...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. His mother, Margaret, was a handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
player, while his father was an amateur football player. Vlaar has two younger sisters, Ellen and Lisan, who are both active in sports as well. Ellen is a fanatic gymnast
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
and Lisan is playing volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
.
Youth career
In Hensbroek, Vlaar joined local club Apollo '68 at the age of six. Apollo '68 youth coach Kees Wijte was quickly convinced: "But when he was five, he was already allowed to train with us. You could already see how good he was. He had a powerful kick with both his left and right leg, and a very good one as well. Besides, he had a fantastic mentality. Ron always wanted to win and become better."When he went to his final year in elementary school, Vlaar left Apollo '68. The youngster wanted to play on a higher level and joined SVW '27 from Heerhugowaard
Heerhugowaard
Heerhugowaard is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia.-History:...
. At his new club, Vlaar's development went well above expectation. After playing for SVW '27 for one season, Vlaar got invited to join the AZ youth academy, a professional side playing in the Eerste Divisie
Eerste Divisie
The Eerste Divisie is the second-highest division of football in the Netherlands. It is linked with the top-level Eredivisie via a promotion/relegation system. It is also known as the Jupiler League due to sponsorship, which is the same name as the top league in Belgium...
. In 2002, Vlaar signed his first youth contract. The contract would keep him in Alkmaar
Alkmaar
Alkmaar is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of Noord Holland. Alkmaar is well known for its traditional cheese market. For tourists, it is a popular cultural destination.-History:...
until summer 2007.
AZ (2004–2006)
In the season 2004–05Eredivisie 2004-05
The 2004-05 season of the Eredivisie started on August 13, 2004 and ended on May 22, 2005. The title was won by PSV. FC Den Bosch and De Graafschap were relegated to the Eerste Divisie at the end of the season.-Promoted teams:...
, Vlaar made his unexpected Eredivisie
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
debut at the age of 20. Due to injuries and suspensions within the first team squad at the end of the season, Vlaar was paired up with the experienced centre back Barry Opdam
Barry Opdam
Barry Opdam is a Dutch professional footballer who plays for FC Volendam as a central defender.-Club career:...
on April 23, 2005 in the away match against RKC Waalwijk
RKC Waalwijk
RKC Waalwijk is a football club currently playing in the Eredivisie. Its name is derived from 'Rooms Katholieke Combinatie' and was a fusion club of HEC, WVB and Hercules.-History:...
(2–1). Five days later, on April 28, 2005, Vlaar made his European debut. The youngster was part of the starting line-up in the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
semi final away match against Sporting Clube de Portugal (2–1). Vlaar played three Eredivisie matches and two UEFA Cup matches in his debut season.
While Vlaar thought the season 2005–06 would be his breakthrough year, AZ coach Louis van Gaal
Louis van Gaal
Aloysius Paulus Maria "Louis" van Gaal OON is a Dutch football manager formerly in charge of Ajax, Netherlands, Barcelona, AZ and Bayern Munich...
kept choosing for more experienced players. Vlaar was part of the starting line-up thrice, while he came in as a substitute in four matches, having a total of seven Eredivisie appearances in his first half year. Despite Vlaar's substitute status at AZ, the youngster impressed the Netherlands coach Marco van Basten enough to invite him for his first international matches. As Vlaar was only playing at AZ for a youth contract, various sides were interested to offer Vlaar more playing time. AZ were keen to offer Vlaar a new and improved contract, however Vlaar had no interest in staying at AZ as he felt blackmailed by AZ coach Louis van Gaal: "He told me I would only play at emergencies if I wouldn't sign the new contract". The young centre back was close to a deal with Ajax and was spotted in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, as he was visiting Martin Jol
Martin Jol
Maarten Cornelis "Martin" Jol is a Dutch football manager and former midfielder who currently manages Fulham in the Premier League. Jol played over 400 games during his career which included spells in the Netherlands, Germany, and England, as well as earning three caps with the Dutch national team...
's Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
with his father and agent. However, on December 28, 2006, Vlaar signed a three-and-a half-year deal with Feyenoord.
Injury setbacks (2006–2009)
At Feyenoord, Vlaar quickly became a first team starter. Vlaar made his official Feyenoord debut on January 15, 2006, in the away match against Vitesse (0–1). Vlaar played 16 Eredivisie matches after his winter break transfer, without scoring any goals.Vlaar had a bad start of the season 2006–07, as he got foot injury in the pre-season match against Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
(2–1) in August. At first it seemed to be a minor injury, but Vlaar had to drop out in the 33rd minute of the season opening away match against FC Groningen (3–0). The doctors found a crack in a bone in his foot, causing Vlaar to be out for almost the entire first half of the league. After his recovery, Vlaar regained his place in the first team and played 20 Eredivisie matches in the remaining season. On December 16, 2006, Vlaar scored his first Feyenoord goal in the away match against FC Utrecht (2–1).
With the arrival of the new Feyenoord coach Bert van Marwijk
Bert van Marwijk
Bert van Marwijk OON is the coach of the Netherlands national football team. He also played for Go Ahead Eagles, AZ, MVV, Fortuna Sittard, and other clubs, as well as for the Dutch national team. In 1982, he began his transition into coaching, retiring as a player in 1988 and becoming a full time...
and new centre back partner Kevin Hofland
Kevin Hofland
Kevin Hofland is a Dutch footballer who has played as a centre back in Cyprus for AEK Larnaca.-Early life:Hofland is born in Heerlen, but grew up in Brunssum, Limburg, Netherlands.-Fortuna Sittard:...
in the season 2007–08
Eredivisie 2007-08
The 2007–08 Eredivisie was the 52nd season of the Eredivisie, the top division of association football in the Netherlands. The season began in August 2007 and ended on 18 May 2008, with defending champions PSV retaining their title with 72 points....
, Vlaar was ready to make the next step in his development. However, on September 16, 2007, Vlaar got injured in the Eredivisie away match against Roda JC (1–3). Vlaar needed a surgery on the cruciate ligament
Cruciate ligament
Cruciate ligaments are pairs of ligaments arranged like a letter X. They occur in several joints of the body, such as the knee...
and was out for the rest of the season. After the surgery, Vlaar was confronted with an additional setback, as he had a bacterial infection. Vlaar was recovered from his injury at the beginning of the 2008–09
Eredivisie 2008-09
The Eredivisie 2008–09 is the fifty-third season of Eredivisie since its establishment in 1955. PSV were the reigning champions. The season began on 29 August 2008 with a game between Vitesse and FC Groningen and ended on 10 May 2009. A total of 18 teams take part in the league, consisting of 16...
season. However, during pre-season, Vlaar got another injury at a medial ligament
Medial ligament
Medial ligament might refer to:* Medial arcuate ligament* Medial collateral ligament* Medial palpebral ligament* Medial pubovesical ligament* Medial talocalcaneal ligament* Medial umbilical ligament...
of his knee. After being sidelined for over a month, Vlaar returned to the training field. After an innocent duel with Kevin Hofland, Vlaar damaged his cruciate ligament
Cruciate ligament
Cruciate ligaments are pairs of ligaments arranged like a letter X. They occur in several joints of the body, such as the knee...
again. It was the same injury he had in the previous season, causing Vlaar to miss a complete season again.
Comeback (2009–2010)
After being sidelined for two seasons, Vlaar made a strong comeback in the 2009–10 season. Absolute highlight was the 60 meter distance goal in the KNVB CupKNVB Cup
The KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...
away match against Harkemase Boys (0–5) on September 24, 2009.
Since his return, he has formed an strong partnership with Brazilian centre back André Bahia. Earning praise with his imposing body and impressive displays.
International career
Youth teams (2005–2007)
Vlaar represented the Netherlands at various youth levels. However, he had most success with the Netherlands U20 on the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship2005 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in The Netherlands between 10 June and 2 July 2005. The 2005 championship was the 15th contested.- Venues :- Qualification :The following 24 teams qualified for the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship...
and with Netherlands U21
Netherlands national under-21 football team
The Netherlands national under-21 football team is the national under-21 team of the Netherlands and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association. The team competes in the European Under-21 Championship, held every two years....
on the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The European Under-21 Football Championship is a football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. It is held every two years. The competition has existed in its current form since 1978. It was preceded by the Under 23 Challenge Cup which ran from 1967 to 1970...
in 2006
2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Final:-Goalscorers:4 goals Klaas Jan Huntelaar3 goals Thomas Kahlenberg Nicky Hofs2 goals Bryan Bergougnoux Ruslan Fomin Artem Milevskiy...
and 2007
2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The UEFA U-21 Championship 2007 were held from 10 June 2007 to 23 June 2007. It is the 16th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship....
Netherlands U20 (2005)
The 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship2005 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in The Netherlands between 10 June and 2 July 2005. The 2005 championship was the 15th contested.- Venues :- Qualification :The following 24 teams qualified for the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship...
took place in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
between June 10 and July 2, 2005. Vlaar, reserve captain behind Hedwiges Maduro
Hedwiges Maduro
Hedwiges Martinez-Maduro is a Dutch footballer who plays for Valencia CF in Spain.Mainly a central defender, he can also operate as a defensive midfielder, where he started his career at Ajax Amsterdam.-Ajax:...
, was an important player in the Dutch team and was active in every match the team played on the tournament. Netherlands U20 had a smooth run through the group stage, winning their three matches respectively easy against Japan U20
Japan national football team
The Japan national football team represents Japan in association football and is operated by the Japan Football Association, the governing body for association football in Japan...
(2–1), Australia U20 (3–0) and Benin U20
Benin national football team
The Benin national football team, nicknamed Les Écureuils , is the national football team of Benin and is controlled by the Fédération Béninoise de Football. They were known as the Dahomey national football team until 1975, when Dahomey became Benin. They have never made the World Cup but have...
(1–0). After beating Chile U20
Chile national football team
The Chilean national football team represents Chile in all major international football competitions. The team is controlled by the Federación de Fútbol de Chile which was established in 1895. They have appeared in eight World Cup tournaments and were hosts of the 1962 FIFA World Cup finishing in...
(3–0) in the next round, the Netherlands U20 reached the quarter finals against later finalist Nigeria U20
Nigeria national football team
The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles or Green Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation . The team has ranked as high as 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, in April 1994...
(1–1 aet 9–10 pso). Despite Vlaar's equalizing goal and successful penalty kick, the Netherlands U20 didn't advance to the next stage.
Netherlands U21 (2006–2007)
Vlaar was part of the Netherlands U21Netherlands national under-21 football team
The Netherlands national under-21 football team is the national under-21 team of the Netherlands and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association. The team competes in the European Under-21 Championship, held every two years....
on the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Final:-Goalscorers:4 goals Klaas Jan Huntelaar3 goals Thomas Kahlenberg Nicky Hofs2 goals Bryan Bergougnoux Ruslan Fomin Artem Milevskiy...
, where the Dutch side claimed the trophy for the first time in history. Besides the group match against Denmark U21
Denmark national under-21 football team
The Denmark national under-21 football team has played since 1976 and is controlled by the Danish Football Association. Before 1976, the age limit was 23 years.-U-21 European Championship:*1978 – Quarterfinals*1980 to 1984 – Did not qualify...
(1–1), Vlaar played in every match on the tournament. Jong Oranje started and finished their campaign against Ukraine U21
Ukraine national under-21 football team
The Ukraine national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Ukraine and is controlled by the Football Federation of Ukraine.After Ukrainian Independence in 1991, the Ukraine senior team played their first match in April 1992...
, going out on a high with a 3–0 win in the final, after surprisingly losing their opening game to the Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
team.
Twelve months after winning the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The European Under-21 Football Championship is a football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. It is held every two years. The competition has existed in its current form since 1978. It was preceded by the Under 23 Challenge Cup which ran from 1967 to 1970...
for the first time, Vlaar was the captain of the team that retained the trophy in style with a 4–1 win against Serbia U21
Serbia national under-21 football team
The Serbia national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Serbia and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia....
in the final. Vlaar played in every match in the group stage, but had to leave the pitch injured in the semi final match against England U21
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
(1–1 aet 13–12 pso). Vlaar had to watch the final from the sideline, but was able to lift the trophy together with reserve captain Hedwiges Maduro
Hedwiges Maduro
Hedwiges Martinez-Maduro is a Dutch footballer who plays for Valencia CF in Spain.Mainly a central defender, he can also operate as a defensive midfielder, where he started his career at Ajax Amsterdam.-Ajax:...
.
Netherlands (2005)
In the few matches the promising defenderDefender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
played, he made enough of an impression to be noticed by Marco van Basten, the coach of the Dutch national side
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
. He was selected for the qualifier against Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
in June 2005, but did not play. The first international match in which he played was the clash against the Czechs
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
on 8 October 2005.
Since his comeback for Feyenoord, he has grown into a strongholder of the team. Impressing many experts with strong, commanding and tough displays, evolving into a leader of Feyenoord's backline. It seems he's finally delivering on his promise, playing to his full potential. His strong appearances haven't gone unnoticed by national coach Bert van Marwijk, who officially stated to be following him in the run-up to the 2010 World Cup. However, not yet calling Vlaar to the national team, due to the severity of his previous injuries, allowing him to gradually come to full fitness and preventing overuse of muscles since Vlaar only came back to first team football in the summer of 2009. However, V.Marwijk stated he would seriously consider calling Vlaar up in the second half of the season. That has led many fans as well as teammates to believe Vlaar would be getting a place in the Dutch World Cup squad.
2010 World Cup
Vlaar was included in the preliminary squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. However, on 27 May 2010, Netherlands manager Bert van Marwijk
Bert van Marwijk
Bert van Marwijk OON is the coach of the Netherlands national football team. He also played for Go Ahead Eagles, AZ, MVV, Fortuna Sittard, and other clubs, as well as for the Dutch national team. In 1982, he began his transition into coaching, retiring as a player in 1988 and becoming a full time...
announced that the player not would be part of the final squad of 23 participating in the competition.
Club statistics
|-|2004–05
Eredivisie 2004-05
The 2004-05 season of the Eredivisie started on August 13, 2004 and ended on May 22, 2005. The title was won by PSV. FC Den Bosch and De Graafschap were relegated to the Eerste Divisie at the end of the season.-Promoted teams:...
||rowspan="2"|AZ||rowspan="2"|Eredivisie
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
||3||0||0||0||2||0||5||0
|-
|rowspan="2"|2005–06||7||0||0||0||2||1||9||1
|-
|rowspan="7"|Feyenoord||rowspan="7"|Eredivisie
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
||16||0||0||0||0||0||16||0
|-
|2006–07||20||1||0||0||1||0||21||1
|-
|2007–08
Eredivisie 2007-08
The 2007–08 Eredivisie was the 52nd season of the Eredivisie, the top division of association football in the Netherlands. The season began in August 2007 and ended on 18 May 2008, with defending champions PSV retaining their title with 72 points....
||4||1||0||0||colspan="2"|-||4||1
|-
|2008–09
Eredivisie 2008-09
The Eredivisie 2008–09 is the fifty-third season of Eredivisie since its establishment in 1955. PSV were the reigning champions. The season began on 29 August 2008 with a game between Vitesse and FC Groningen and ended on 10 May 2009. A total of 18 teams take part in the league, consisting of 16...
||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|2009–10||32||4||1||1||colspan="2"|-||33||5
|-
|2010–11||26||2||0||0||colspan="2"|-||26||2
|-
|2011–12||5||0||0||0||colspan="2"|-||5||0
|-
113||8||1||1||5||1||119||10
113||8||1||1||5||1||119||10
- Statistics accurate as of last match played on September 11, 2011.
International statistics
| National team | Club | Season | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands Netherlands national football team The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands... |
AZ | 2005–06 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 2 | 0 | ||
| International appearances and goals | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Goals | Competition |
| 2005–06 | ||||||
| 1. | 8 October 2005 | Toyota Arena, Prague Prague Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million... |
0–2 | 0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA) Listed below are the dates and results for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for UEFA teams. A total of 51 teams took part, divided in 8 Groups - five groups of 6 teams each and three groups of 7 teams each - competing for 13 places in the World Cup... |
|
| 2. | 12 November 2005 | Amsterdam Arena Amsterdam ArenA Amsterdam Arena is a stadium in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is the largest stadium in the nation and it was built from 1993 to 1996 at a cost of €140 million, and was officially opened on 14 August 1996. It has been used for association football, American football, concerts, and other events... , Amsterdam Amsterdam Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population... |
1–3 | 0 | Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
|
- Statistics accurate as of last match played on November 12, 2005.
Honours
Feyenoord- KNVB CupKNVB CupThe KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...
: 2007–08KNVB Cup 2007-08The KNVB Cup 2007–08 started on 25 August 2007. It was the 90th edition of the tournament. The final was held on 27 April 2008 at the Feijenoord Stadion in Rotterdam, with Feyenoord beating Roda JC 2–0 and taking home the cup for the eleventh time.-Teams:...
Netherlands U21
- UEFA European Under-21 Football ChampionshipUEFA European Under-21 Football ChampionshipThe European Under-21 Football Championship is a football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. It is held every two years. The competition has existed in its current form since 1978. It was preceded by the Under 23 Challenge Cup which ran from 1967 to 1970...
: 20062006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Final:-Goalscorers:4 goals Klaas Jan Huntelaar3 goals Thomas Kahlenberg Nicky Hofs2 goals Bryan Bergougnoux Ruslan Fomin Artem Milevskiy...
, 20072007 UEFA European Under-21 Football ChampionshipThe UEFA U-21 Championship 2007 were held from 10 June 2007 to 23 June 2007. It is the 16th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship....