Gregory van der Wiel

1.1. Childhood and Youth Career

Van der Wiel began his football journey at the amateur club RKSV DCG in Amsterdam. At the age of seven, his talent as a young defender was noticed by scouts from AFC Ajax, leading him to join the prestigious Ajax Academy at "De Toekomst." However, in 2002, Ajax decided to send him to HFC Haarlem, citing a "mentality problem." Reflecting on this period at Haarlem, Van der Wiel acknowledged it as a crucial turning point, stating that he realized how "spoiled" he had been at Ajax, where everything was meticulously organized, from new kits to transportation. At Haarlem, he experienced a "totally different world" with poorer accommodation, older uniforms, and the need to find his own way to training sessions. Despite the challenging conditions, he found the atmosphere more relaxed than at Ajax, and described his time there as beneficial for his "social development" and a "wake-up call."

In 2005, Ajax re-approached him, and he returned to their Academy. This second stint proved far more successful, culminating in him signing his first professional contract with the club, effective from July 2006. Following the departure of youth captain Donovan Slijngard, Van der Wiel was appointed captain of Jong Ajax, the club's reserve team.

1.2. Early Professional Career (Ajax)

Van der Wiel made his professional debut for Ajax on 11 March 2007, in an Eredivisie away match against Twente, coming on as a substitute for veteran defender Jaap Stam. Ajax secured a 4-1 victory in that match. He went on to make three more appearances during the 2006-07 season. Recognizing his potential, Ajax signed a four-year contract extension with him in May 2007, keeping him at the club until 2011.

At the start of the 2007-08 season, Van der Wiel secured his first career trophy when Ajax defeated PSV Eindhoven 1-0 in the 2007 Johan Cruyff Shield. His performance in a UEFA Cup match against Dinamo Zagreb in September 2007 earned praise from manager Henk ten Cate. However, a knee injury unfortunately sidelined him for the majority of the 2007-08 season.

2.1. Ajax

Following his recovery from a knee injury, Van der Wiel entered the 2008-09 season with the aim of succeeding John Heitinga, who had transferred to Atlético Madrid. He successfully reclaimed his starting position at right-back. During a midfield crisis, he even demonstrated his versatility by playing in the midfield. His consistent performances led to a contract extension with Ajax on 28 January 2009, committing him to the club until 2013. On 1 March 2009, he scored his first senior goal for the club in a 2-0 victory over FC Utrecht. For his contributions throughout the 2008-09 season, he was honored with the AFC Ajax's Talent of the Year award.

Ahead of the 2009-10 season, Van der Wiel changed his shirt number from 15 to 2. His impressive play began to attract interest from prominent European clubs, including English Premier League side Manchester City. He scored his fourth goal of the season in a 1-0 win against AZ Alkmaar on 24 January 2010. During this period, he played a crucial role in the team keeping six clean sheets between February and March 2010. Van der Wiel started as right-back in both legs of the 2009-10 KNVB Cup final, where Ajax defeated Feyenoord 4-2 to lift the trophy. His excellent form throughout the season earned him the prestigious Johan Cruijff Award as "Young Player of the Year."

After the 2010 FIFA World Cup, there were discussions about Van der Wiel potentially transferring to Louis van Gaal's Bayern Munich, but Ajax and Bayern were unable to reach an agreement. The 2010-11 season was another successful one for Van der Wiel, as he maintained his first-team status under new manager Frank de Boer. Despite minor injury setbacks, he continued to be a key player at right-back. Although rumors linked him with moves to Manchester City and Barcelona during the January transfer window, he publicly stated his intention to remain with Ajax. He started in the KNVB Cup final against FC Twente, playing 91 minutes in a match Ajax ultimately lost 3-2.

The 2011-12 season saw Van der Wiel suffer from two separate groin injuries, which significantly impacted his playing time. He was sidelined for two months but eventually returned to training.

As the 2012-13 season approached, Van der Wiel continued to be linked with a departure from Ajax, and he made it clear in January 2012 that he was not inclined to sign a new contract. He missed the 2012 Johan Cruyff Shield due to his uncertain future. After a 5-0 victory over NAC Breda on 25 August 2012, which would be his final appearance for Ajax, Van der Wiel hinted at his imminent departure from the club. Ajax subsequently reached an agreement to sell him to French Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain.

2.2. Paris Saint-Germain

Van der Wiel officially joined Paris Saint-Germain on 1 September 2012, with a reported transfer fee of 6.00 M EUR. The move was confirmed two days later, and he signed a four-year contract, receiving the number 23 shirt. He made his debut for PSG on 22 September 2012, playing the full 90 minutes at right-back in a 4-0 away victory against SC Bastia.

In his debut season in France, Van der Wiel often played as a substitute for PSG's first-choice right-back and captain, Christophe Jallet. He made his European debut for Paris in the 2012-13 UEFA Champions League match against Porto, a 1-0 away loss, where he was substituted in the 66th minute. His first goal for PSG came in a 4-0 away win against Toulouse, where he scored the final goal of the match. On 12 May 2013, PSG secured the Ligue 1 title, their third ever national championship, with a 1-0 victory against Lyon at home. Van der Wiel remained on the substitutes' bench for this title-clinching fixture. He contributed to PSG reaching the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, where they were eliminated by Barcelona.

At the beginning of the 2013-14 season, Van der Wiel was linked with a move to Italian Serie A club Internazionale. Although the transfer did not materialize, he remained at the club and continued to compete with Christophe Jallet for the right-back position, often leading to rotation between the two players. Towards the end of the season, he suffered injuries on two occasions. Despite these challenges, he solidified his first-team status at PSG and was included in L'Equipe's Team of the Year for 2013.

In the 2014-15 season, Van der Wiel played the entire match in the 2014 Trophée des Champions, which PSG won 2-0 against Guingamp. Following Christophe Jallet's transfer to Lyon, Van der Wiel continued to feature at right-back, though he faced new competition from recent signings Serge Aurier and Jordan Ikoko, which sometimes relegated him to the bench. By the end of the season, Van der Wiel played a part in PSG winning the domestic treble: Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the Coupe de la Ligue.

During the 2015-16 season, Van der Wiel frequently found himself on the substitutes' bench, behind Serge Aurier and Marquinhos in the right-back pecking order. He also dealt with his own injury concerns in the first half of the season. For the third time in his PSG career, he contributed to the club winning the domestic treble, securing the Ligue 1 title, the Coupe de France, and the Coupe de la Ligue. On 15 May 2016, it was officially announced that Van der Wiel would be leaving PSG at the end of the season upon the expiration of his contract, a decision he had anticipated due to difficulties in securing a new deal.

2.3. Fenerbahçe

After his departure from Paris Saint-Germain, Van der Wiel signed with Turkish club Fenerbahçe, agreeing to a three-year contract with an option to extend for an additional year. Upon joining, he reunited with fellow Dutch international Robin van Persie.

Van der Wiel made his official debut for Fenerbahçe on 27 July 2016, in the third qualifying round of the 2016-17 UEFA Champions League. In a 2-1 home victory over Monaco, he provided an assist for a goal scored by Emmanuel Emenike. However, Fenerbahçe was eliminated from the competition following a 3-1 away defeat in the second leg. He then made his 2016-17 Süper Lig debut on 21 August 2016, starting the opening match of the season, which resulted in a 1-0 loss to İstanbul Başakşehir. Throughout the 2016-17 season, Van der Wiel struggled to secure consistent first-team opportunities, partly due to injuries and a suspension. Manager Dick Advocaat expressed a desire to sell him in January, but a transfer never materialized, and he remained with the club until the end of the season, making 12 league appearances and 17 appearances across all competitions.

2.4. Cagliari

Following a single season with Fenerbahçe, Van der Wiel transferred to Italian club Cagliari on 25 August 2017, becoming the first Dutchman to ever sign for the Sardinian side. He was assigned the number 2 shirt. He made his debut for Cagliari on 15 October 2017, in a 3-2 home loss to Genoa, having missed the first six matches of the season due to injury. Despite his return, he continued to struggle for playing time during the first half of the season, making only six appearances across all competitions.

2.5. Toronto FC

On 1 February 2018, Van der Wiel signed with Major League Soccer (MLS) club Toronto FC. During his introductory press conference, he was issued the number 9 shirt. He made his club debut on 3 March in the opening match of the MLS season, a 2-0 home defeat to Columbus Crew. Despite facing occasional setbacks that kept him on the sidelines, Van der Wiel established himself as a starter for Toronto FC.

He notably played in both legs of the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League Finals against Chivas Guadalajara. Although Toronto FC tied the series 3-3 on aggregate, they ultimately lost the final 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out. During his time with Toronto FC, Van der Wiel demonstrated his versatility by playing in several different positions, including centre-back, left-back, and right-midfield, though he predominantly featured as a right-back. On 23 January 2019, during a preseason training session in Los Angeles, Van der Wiel was dismissed from the team after an altercation with coach Greg Vanney. He was subsequently released by the club by mutual consent on 22 March 2019.

2.6. Later Career and Retirement

After his departure from Toronto FC, Gregory van der Wiel spent a year as a free agent. On 6 August 2020, he began training with Eredivisie club RKC Waalwijk, publicly reiterating his desire to continue playing professional football. He underwent a trial period with the club for several months. In November 2020, Van der Wiel bravely disclosed his personal struggles with mental health, revealing that he had been dealing with panic attacks and feelings of anxiety for over a year. He aimed for a comeback with RKC Waalwijk following his treatment, showcasing a commitment to his well-being and a willingness to address a significant personal challenge.

3.1. Youth National Teams

Van der Wiel previously played for the Netherlands under-19 national team. He was also capped at the under-21 level and participated in the 2007 Toulon Tournament. Although he recovered from a knee injury, Van der Wiel was not included in the final Dutch squad for the Olympic Games in Beijing, a decision he expressed disappointment and criticism towards manager Foppe de Haan. Later in 2008, he made two more appearances for the under-21 side. In November 2008, he was initially called up to the Netherlands B-team squad for a match against the Sweden national under-21 team, but a groin injury sustained during training led to his replacement by Rens van Eijden.

3.2. Senior National Team Debut and Early Career

Van der Wiel received his first call-up to the senior Dutch team on 6 February 2009. He made his senior debut on 11 February, coming on as a substitute for former Ajax teammate John Heitinga in a friendly match against Tunisia. His first competitive debut came on 28 March 2009, when he started in a 3-0 victory over Scotland in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign. He played the entire match again in a 4-0 World Cup qualification win against Macedonia on 1 April 2009. These early performances quickly established him as a key player in the national team's right-back position.

3.3. Major Tournaments

3.3.2. Euro 2012

Van der Wiel served as Bert van Marwijk's first-choice right-back for the Netherlands' UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying matches. He started the Oranje qualifying campaign strongly, assisting a goal for Ruud van Nistelrooy in a 5-0 win over San Marino on matchday 1. He also set up two goals for Robin van Persie and Ibrahim Afellay in the Netherlands' victory over Hungary on 25 March 2011. On 2 September 2011, he made his 25th international appearance in an 11-0 win against San Marino.

In late May 2012, Van der Wiel was named to Van Marwijk's 23-man squad for the final tournament held in Poland and Ukraine. However, his performances at Euro 2012 drew widespread criticism, notably for a misplaced back-pass against Portugal in the first half that presented Hélder Postiga with a clear scoring opportunity.

3.4. Controversies and Later Career

5.1. Family Background and Personal Interests

Gregory Kurtley van der Wiel was born on 3 February 1988, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. His family background reflects diverse roots, with his father being of Dutch-Antillean descent from Curaçao and his mother being Dutch. He has three younger sisters: Layla, Ambar, and Hind. Regarding his personal beliefs, Van der Wiel has stated, "I believe in God, but do not believe in faith. I keep my superstition for myself." He maintains friendships with fellow footballers Hurşut Meriç, with whom he grew up in Amsterdam, and Jan-Arie van der Heijden, whom he knew from their early careers at Ajax.

Van der Wiel is known for his extensive collection of tattoos. He has revealed that his tattoos include two quotes, his mother's name, his father's initials, the first letters of his sisters' names, various decorations, and his own name, which was his very first tattoo. He got his first tattoo at the age of eighteen, believing it to be a suitable age, although his parents would have preferred him not to get any. He has also openly expressed that hip hop music is a significant part of his culture. Van der Wiel lived with his then-girlfriend, Belgian model Rose Bertram, in Los Angeles. Their daughter, Naleya Rose, was born on 24 February 2018, in Toronto.

5.2. Social Initiatives and Challenges

Beyond his football career, Gregory van der Wiel has demonstrated a commitment to social causes and has openly addressed personal challenges. In November 2009, he donated money to assist the Dutch club HFC Haarlem with its financial difficulties, though these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful as the club declared bankruptcy in January 2010. In a more lasting contribution, the Johan Cruyff Foundation dedicated a "Cruyff Court" in Van der Wiel's name in the Sapaté district of Curaçao, his family's place of origin. This court was officially opened on 15 June 2011, serving as a community space for youth.

Van der Wiel has also faced significant personal challenges. In August 2015, he was the victim of a robbery when thieves broke into his apartment and stole his luxury watches. In May 2017, he revealed that he had been defrauded of 4.50 M USD by a businessman named Ümit Akbulut. Reflecting on this incident after joining Toronto FC, Van der Wiel stated, "I met somebody there, influential, and I wanted to invest some money, like I'm still doing to this day. I like to do things on the side of football to be smart about my money, but it was not a smart move. I trusted somebody and in the end, I never saw my money back."

In a notable act of transparency and advocacy for mental health, Van der Wiel publicly disclosed in November 2020 that he had been grappling with panic attacks and feelings of anxiety for over a year. His openness about these struggles brought crucial attention to mental health issues among athletes, contributing to broader discussions on destigmatization and support within the professional sports community.

7.1. Club Statistics

7.2. International Statistics