1. Overview
Kevin Johannes Willem Strootman, born on February 13, 1990, in Ridderkerk, Netherlands, is a Dutch former professional footballer. Throughout his career, he primarily played as a defensive midfielder, known for his dynamic, tough-tackling, and versatile style of play. Strootman's career trajectory saw him play for several prominent clubs across the Netherlands, Italy, and France, including Sparta Rotterdam, FC Utrecht, PSV Eindhoven, AS Roma, Olympique de Marseille, Genoa CFC, and Cagliari Calcio. He also represented the Netherlands national team at various levels, including the senior squad.
2. Early life and background
Kevin Strootman's journey into professional football began in his hometown, where he developed his foundational skills before joining a renowned youth academy.
2.1. Birth and childhood
Kevin Strootman was born on February 13, 1990, in Ridderkerk, a municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. His early life in Ridderkerk laid the groundwork for his future career in football.
2.2. Youth career
Strootman started his footballing journey within the youth system of Sparta Rotterdam. His time in the club's academy was crucial for his early development, preparing him for his eventual transition to professional football.
3. Club career
Strootman's professional club career spanned over a decade, with significant stints in the Dutch Eredivisie, Italian Serie A, and French Ligue 1.
3.1. Sparta Rotterdam
Strootman began his professional career with Sparta Rotterdam, making his debut during the 2007-08 Eredivisie season. He signed a contract extension with the club in November 2008. Following Sparta Rotterdam's relegation at the end of the 2009-10 Eredivisie season, he continued to play for the club in the Eerste Divisie. During his time at Sparta, he made 72 league appearances, scoring 8 goals.
3.2. Utrecht
In the January transfer window of 2011, Strootman was signed by FC Utrecht. He played for Utrecht in the second half of the 2010-11 Eredivisie season, contributing to the team's performances before moving to PSV Eindhoven in June 2011. He played 14 league matches for Utrecht, scoring 2 goals.
3.3. PSV Eindhoven
Strootman joined PSV Eindhoven in June 2011, alongside fellow Utrecht recruit Dries Mertens. Both players signed five-year deals with the club. Strootman made his PSV debut in a 3-1 home victory against AZ. During his tenure at PSV, he made a total of 88 appearances across all competitions. His impressive performances for PSV, including his selection for the Dutch national team, attracted interest from major European clubs such as Manchester United F.C. and A.C. Milan.
3.4. Roma
On July 16, 2013, PSV and AS Roma finalized a deal for Strootman's transfer to the Italian side. The transfer fee was reported to be 17.00 M EUR, with the potential to rise to 19.00 M EUR through add-ons. He was assigned the number 6 shirt, a decision that generated some discussion as it had been previously retired in honor of club legend Aldair. Strootman expressed his happiness about joining Roma, stating, "I'm really happy to finally be here. The negotiations took a bit long. But finally, I'm a Roma player. This is a top club, I joined Roma because I know we will win immediately."
In a pre-season friendly against the Major League Soccer (MLS) All-Stars, Strootman scored one goal and assisted another, helping Roma secure a 3-1 victory at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kansas. He scored his first competitive goal for Roma in a 3-1 Serie A victory over Parma. He subsequently scored in matches against Torino, Atalanta, A.C. Milan, and A.S. Livorno.
On March 9, 2014, Strootman suffered a significant knee injury in Roma's 1-0 defeat to Napoli. This injury forced him to miss the remainder of the 2013-14 season and, critically, the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He made his first appearance for Roma in exactly eight months on November 9, appearing as an 84th-minute substitute in a 3-0 victory over Torino at the Stadio Olimpico. His first start of the 2014-15 season came in a 2-2 draw with Sassuolo on December 7. On January 12, 2015, in the 175th Derby della Capitale against Lazio, he assisted the first of captain Francesco Totti's two goals after coming on as a substitute in a 2-2 draw.
On January 26, 2015, Strootman was substituted during a Serie A fixture against Fiorentina after sustaining further damage to his anterior cruciate ligament, requiring another knee surgery three days later. On August 26, it was reported that his injury necessitated yet another surgery, sidelining him for the majority of the 2015-16 Serie A season. He finally made his first appearance of the season on February 21, 2016, as a substitute in a 5-0 home victory over Palermo. On May 2, he made his first start in over 15 months, playing the full 90 minutes in Roma's 3-2 win at Genoa. He concluded the season with five appearances, including two starts, and provided his only assist of the season in a 3-1 final day victory over Milan at the San Siro.
On August 20, 2016, Strootman captained Roma in the opening match of the 2016-17 Serie A season, a 4-0 home win against Udinese. In the team's second fixture, he scored his first goal since January 2014 as Roma drew 2-2 at Cagliari. On May 29, 2017, Strootman signed a new five-year contract with the 2017 Serie A runners-up.
3.5. Marseille
On August 28, 2018, Marseille reached an agreement with Roma for Strootman's transfer. The deal was worth 25.00 M EUR, with an additional 3.00 M EUR in bonuses, and Strootman signed a five-year contract. Strootman cited the club's rich history, its ambitions, and his close relationship with coach Rudi Garcia as key motivating factors for his move. On January 10, 2020, Strootman scored an 84th-minute winner for Marseille after coming on as a substitute against Rennes.
3.6. Genoa
Strootman had multiple stints with Genoa C.F.C.. On January 12, 2021, he was loaned to the Serie A club until the end of the season. After a subsequent loan spell at Cagliari, Strootman returned to Genoa on a new loan deal on August 24, 2022. Following Genoa's promotion to Serie A, Strootman signed for the club permanently on a free transfer on July 6, 2023.
3.7. Cagliari
On July 3, 2021, Strootman joined Cagliari Calcio on loan from Marseille for the 2021-22 Serie A season, with an option to extend the loan for the 2022-23 season. He contributed to the team's efforts during his time there.
4. International career
Strootman represented the Netherlands at various youth levels before making his mark on the senior national team, participating in qualifiers for major tournaments.
4.1. Netherlands
Strootman made his senior international debut for the Netherlands against Austria in 2011. He scored his first international goal against Finland in a UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying match on September 6, 2011, securing a 2-0 victory. He was included in the Netherlands' squad for UEFA Euro 2012 but did not feature in any matches as the team was eliminated in the group stage.
He also appeared for the Netherlands U21 team at the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, where the team reached the semi-finals before losing to Italy. Strootman was a regular in Louis van Gaal's squad during the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. However, he missed the tournament finals due to the knee injury he sustained in March 2014.
On May 27, 2016, Strootman made his first international appearance in two years, having missed both the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the entirety of the team's unsuccessful UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying campaign. He was selected to start in a friendly match against the Republic of Ireland, playing 70 minutes before being substituted.
5. Style of play
Strootman was widely regarded as a dynamic and tough-tackling midfielder who possessed excellent vision, technique, and balance on the ball. A tall, physically strong, and tactically intelligent left-footed player, he was often described as a "modern" midfielder due to his comprehensive range of skills. He was most effectively deployed as a central or defensive midfielder, often fulfilling roles such as a box-to-box midfielder or a mezzala. This versatility stemmed from his exceptional work-rate, formidable ball-winning abilities, and his capacity to contribute significantly to both offensive and defensive phases of play.
Additionally, Strootman excelled as a deep-lying playmaker, owing to his extensive passing range, keen awareness, and ability to initiate goal-scoring opportunities for his teammates immediately after recovering possession. He also contributed to his team's offensive efforts through goals, utilizing his powerful and accurate striking ability from outside the penalty area, and by making well-timed late attacking runs into the box to capitalize on teammates' passes. Strootman was often compared to his compatriot Mark van Bommel for his robust style and tactical acumen. During his inaugural season with Roma (2013-14), he earned the distinctive nickname la lavatrice (la lavatricethe washing machineItalian), a testament to his consistent ability to "clean up" play by winning back the ball and distributing it with precision to his teammates. He was also compared to Roy Keane for his combative midfield presence.
6. Career statistics
6.1. Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Sparta Rotterdam | 2007-08 | Eredivisie | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 3 | 0 | |||
| 2008-09 | Eredivisie | 25 | 2 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | 28 | 3 | ||||
| 2009-10 | Eredivisie | 28 | 2 | 4 | 2 | - | - | 4 | 0 | 36 | 4 | |||
| 2010-11 | Eerste Divisie | 16 | 4 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 17 | 4 | ||||
| Total | 72 | 8 | 8 | 3 | - | - | 4 | 0 | 84 | 11 | ||||
| Utrecht | 2010-11 | Eredivisie | 14 | 2 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | 16 | 2 | |||
| PSV Eindhoven | 2011-12 | Eredivisie | 30 | 2 | 5 | 1 | - | 11 | 3 | - | 46 | 6 | ||
| 2012-13 | Eredivisie | 32 | 6 | 5 | 1 | - | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 8 | ||
| Total | 62 | 8 | 10 | 2 | - | 15 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 88 | 14 | |||
| Roma | 2013-14 | Serie A | 25 | 5 | 4 | 1 | - | - | - | 29 | 6 | |||
| 2014-15 | Serie A | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
| 2015-16 | Serie A | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2016-17 | Serie A | 33 | 4 | 3 | 0 | - | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 6 | ||
| 2017-18 | Serie A | 32 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 1 | ||
| 2018-19 | Serie A | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 102 | 10 | 8 | 1 | - | 21 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 131 | 13 | |||
| Marseille | 2018-19 | Ligue 1 | 28 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | - | 34 | 1 | |
| 2019-20 | Ligue 1 | 25 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 30 | 2 | |||
| 2020-21 | Ligue 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 3 | 0 | - | 14 | 0 | |||
| Total | 64 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | - | 78 | 3 | |||
| Genoa (loan) | 2020-21 | Serie A | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 18 | 0 | |||
| Cagliari (loan) | 2021-22 | Serie A | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 11 | 0 | |||
| Genoa (loan) | 2022-23 | Serie B | 30 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 31 | 2 | |||
| Genoa | 2023-24 | Serie A | 27 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | 29 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 399 | 33 | 37 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 486 | 45 | ||
6.2. International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 2011 | 10 | 1 |
| 2012 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 46 | 3 | |
International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition:
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 6, 2011 | Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland | 6 | Finland | 1-0 | 2-0 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |
| 2 | August 14, 2013 | Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé, Portugal | 19 | Portugal | 1-0 | 1-1 | Friendly |
| 3 | October 11, 2013 | Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands | 22 | Hungary | 2-0 | 8-1 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
7. Honours
7.1. Club
7.1.1. PSV Eindhoven
- KNVB Cup: 2011-12
- Johan Cruyff Shield: 2012
8. Retirement
On October 18, 2024, Kevin Strootman officially announced his retirement from professional football, concluding a career that spanned over 15 years and saw him play at the highest levels of European football.