Sylvie Meis
Encyclopedia
Sylvie Françoise van der Vaart (née Meis; born 13 April 1978), of Indo (Eurasian) descent from her fathers side , is a Dutch
television personality and model, and wife of footballer Rafael van der Vaart
.
and Kylie Minogue
. In addition, she features in video clips and the Dutch TV-series Costa. She also introduced the Pure by Sylvie jewellery line to the Dutch market. Thereafter, she hosted the 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year
award ceremony.
After being elected the Netherlands' Sexiest Female in 2003, she started a relationship with then-AFC Ajax footballer Rafael van der Vaart. Due in part to the fame from their individual careers, they soon become the Netherlands' most famous "football couple". Their fame grew after their marriage on 10 June 2005 and live coverage of the wedding on SBS6, a Dutch television channel, with the broadcast gaining high ratings in the Netherlands; Sylvie took Rafael's last name, van der Vaart.
football club Hamburger SV
. After her husband's 2008 transfer to Real Madrid
, the van der Vaarts moved to Spain. Since 2008, she has been a judge on Das Supertalent
, the German version of Simon Cowell's Got Talent series. She is currently taking part in the third season of the German equivalent of Strictly Come Dancing
, called Let's Dance. On 17 April 2010, van der Vaart replaced the usual Deutschland sucht den Superstar
judge Nina Eichinger
for the final of the 7th season
, after the latter was stuck in Los Angeles
following flight restrictions as a result of the 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull
. In March 2011 van der Vaart is going to host the show Let's Dance together with Daniel Hartwich.
Along with famous entertainers such as Johannes Heesters
and Rudi Carell, van der Vaart is one of the most successful Dutch personalities active in Germany.
since 2003. On 10 June 2005, Sylvie married Rafael and on 28 May 2006, their son Damián Rafael was born. Some of the media have described the couple as the "new Beckhams" but both of them denied the claims saying that they prefer to just live a normal life.
On 16 June 2009, she announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer
, and had undergone surgery in May 2009. She has finished post-op chemotherapy
and is cancer free. In the summer of 2009, Real Madrid
wanted to sell Rafael van der Vaart, but the player decided to stay in Madrid because Sylvie was undergoing cancer treatments there. A year later, upon his move to England, Rafael stated "She had a very serious illness and it is true that she had to be treated at the Clinica Quiron. Last season, they wanted me to leave but I couldn't leave for that reason. Now she is well and the only thing that happened was that Madrid wanted to sell and I wanted to get back to enjoying playing football, and Tottenham are a great team that are going to give me the football opportunities that I need."
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...
television personality and model, and wife of footballer Rafael van der Vaart
Rafael van der Vaart
Rafael Ferdinand van der Vaart is a Dutch footballer who plays for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the Dutch national team. His preferred position is as an attacking midfielder; he can, however, also operate in other positions, such as second striker...
.
Netherlands
Aged 18, Meis decided that she wanted to be a model and was cast for various shoots by casting agencies. After becoming interested in television, she gained popularity through assignments at FoxKids and music station TMF. She hosts several events at TMF, such as presenting the annual TMF-awards, and conducting interviews with international artists such as Britney SpearsBritney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
and Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
. In addition, she features in video clips and the Dutch TV-series Costa. She also introduced the Pure by Sylvie jewellery line to the Dutch market. Thereafter, she hosted the 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year
FIFA World Player of the Year
The FIFA World Player of the Year was an association football award given annually to the male and female player who were thought to be the best in the world, based on votes by coaches and captains of international teams...
award ceremony.
After being elected the Netherlands' Sexiest Female in 2003, she started a relationship with then-AFC Ajax footballer Rafael van der Vaart. Due in part to the fame from their individual careers, they soon become the Netherlands' most famous "football couple". Their fame grew after their marriage on 10 June 2005 and live coverage of the wedding on SBS6, a Dutch television channel, with the broadcast gaining high ratings in the Netherlands; Sylvie took Rafael's last name, van der Vaart.
Germany
Meis and her husband moved to Germany when he left Ajax to play for BundesligaFußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
football club Hamburger SV
Hamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
. After her husband's 2008 transfer to Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
, the van der Vaarts moved to Spain. Since 2008, she has been a judge on Das Supertalent
Das Supertalent
Das Supertalent is the German talent show and part of the internationally successful Got Talent franchise, presented by Marco Schreyl, who was joined by Daniel Hartwich from the second season onwards...
, the German version of Simon Cowell's Got Talent series. She is currently taking part in the third season of the German equivalent of Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
, called Let's Dance. On 17 April 2010, van der Vaart replaced the usual Deutschland sucht den Superstar
Deutschland sucht den Superstar
Deutschland sucht den Superstar is a German reality talent show, also commonly known by its initials DSDS. Part of the Idol franchise, it was created by English media mogul Simon Fuller as a spin-off from the British show Pop Idol, of which two series were broadcast between the years of 2001 and...
judge Nina Eichinger
Nina Eichinger
Nina Eichinger is a German TV presenter and actress.Eichinger was born in Munich, the daughter of the late Bernd Eichinger. She is an MTV VJ and has been a jury member for Deutschland sucht den Superstar seasons 6 and 7...
for the final of the 7th season
Deutschland sucht den Superstar (Season 7)
Deutschland sucht den Superstar Season 7 is the seventh season of the Idol series which aired on RTL Television and started on 6 January 2010. The season marked a new national record with more than 35,000 participants...
, after the latter was stuck in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
following flight restrictions as a result of the 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull
2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull
The 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull were volcanic events at Eyjafjöll in Iceland which, although relatively small for volcanic eruptions, caused enormous disruption to air travel across western and northern Europe over an initial period of six days in April 2010. Additional localised disruption...
. In March 2011 van der Vaart is going to host the show Let's Dance together with Daniel Hartwich.
Along with famous entertainers such as Johannes Heesters
Johannes Heesters
Johan Marius Nicolaas "Johannes" Heesters is a Dutch actor, singer and entertainer with a -year career, almost exclusively in the German-speaking world. In Germany and Austria, Heesters is mainly known for his acting career...
and Rudi Carell, van der Vaart is one of the most successful Dutch personalities active in Germany.
Personal life
Sylvie has been in a relationship with footballer Rafael van der VaartRafael van der Vaart
Rafael Ferdinand van der Vaart is a Dutch footballer who plays for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the Dutch national team. His preferred position is as an attacking midfielder; he can, however, also operate in other positions, such as second striker...
since 2003. On 10 June 2005, Sylvie married Rafael and on 28 May 2006, their son Damián Rafael was born. Some of the media have described the couple as the "new Beckhams" but both of them denied the claims saying that they prefer to just live a normal life.
On 16 June 2009, she announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
, and had undergone surgery in May 2009. She has finished post-op chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
and is cancer free. In the summer of 2009, Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
wanted to sell Rafael van der Vaart, but the player decided to stay in Madrid because Sylvie was undergoing cancer treatments there. A year later, upon his move to England, Rafael stated "She had a very serious illness and it is true that she had to be treated at the Clinica Quiron. Last season, they wanted me to leave but I couldn't leave for that reason. Now she is well and the only thing that happened was that Madrid wanted to sell and I wanted to get back to enjoying playing football, and Tottenham are a great team that are going to give me the football opportunities that I need."