Boudewijn Zenden (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈbʌudəʋɛin ˈzɛndə(n)] ; born 15 August 1976) also known by his nickname Bolo, is a Dutch former footballer who played as a left winger or as an attacking midfielder.

Boudewijn Zenden
Zenden playing for Liverpool in 2005
Personal information
Full name Boudewijn Zenden[1]
Date of birth (1976-08-15) 15 August 1976 (age 48)[2]
Place of birth Maastricht, Netherlands
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[3]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1985–1987 MVV
1987–1993 PSV
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993–1998 PSV 112 (32)
1998–2001 Barcelona 64 (2)
2001–2004 Chelsea 43 (4)
2003–2004Middlesbrough (loan) 31 (4)
2004–2005 Middlesbrough 36 (5)
2005–2007 Liverpool 23 (2)
2007–2009 Marseille 54 (6)
2009–2011 Sunderland 47 (4)
Total 410 (59)
International career
1997–2004 Netherlands 54 (7)
Managerial career
2012–2013 Chelsea (assistant manager)
2013–2015 Jong PSV (assistant manager)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Netherlands
UEFA European Championship
Bronze medal – third place 2000 Belgium-Netherlands
Bronze medal – third place 2004 Portugal
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Named the 1997 Dutch Football Talent of the Year, Zenden played for four teams in the English Premier League, totalling 180 games and 19 goals. He also played in the highest leagues in the Netherlands, Spain and France, for PSV, Barcelona and Marseille respectively. Internationally, Zenden earned 54 caps and scored seven goals for the Netherlands, whom he represented at two UEFA European Championships and the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

Early life

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Zenden was born in Maastricht, Limburg.[2] His father Pierre Zenden is a former judoka who worked as a sports broadcaster for the public NOS broadcasting system from 1968 to 2005.[4] Zenden played football and was also competitive in judo as a child. In 1985, Dutch club MVV Maastricht signed Zenden after watching him play for amateur club Leonidas. Two years later, he joined the youth academy of PSV.[5]

Zenden earned his judo black belt at age 14[6] and was three times judo champion of his home province of Limburg.[7] Zenden has been a strict vegetarian since age 19.[8]

Club career

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As his career developed at PSV, Zenden made the left wing position his own, displacing Peter Hoekstra and finally becoming a firm member of the starting line-up after the departure of Dutch national team player Jan Wouters. Zenden was an important part of the PSV team that won the Eredivisie championship in 1996–97, where he also received the 1997 Dutch Talent of the Year award.[5] After another season at PSV, in which he scored 12 goals in 23 games, he moved to Spanish club Barcelona in 1998.[citation needed]

Barcelona

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At Barcelona, Zenden became part of a large contingent of Dutch players under Barcelona's Dutch coach Louis van Gaal. He found his first-team opportunities at Barcelona limited by the form of fellow Dutchman Marc Overmars, however, who played in Zenden's favoured left wing position for both club and country. Instead, Zenden was deployed as a left wing-back, a defensive role which he took on successfully, as he displaced Spanish international and local favourite Sergi.[9] Zenden helped Barcelona win the 1998–99 La Liga championship, and in the 1999–2000 season, he scored his only three goals for the club. After Van Gaal's resignation as coach in 2000, however, first team appearances became more scarce for Zenden. At the end of the 2000–01 season, English club Chelsea bought him for £7.5 million.[10]

Chelsea

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In his two years at Chelsea, Zenden played in the 2002 FA Cup final, a 2–0 defeat to Arsenal; however, he struggled to maintain a constant place in the starting line-up mainly due to persistent injuries.[11]

Middlesbrough

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Zenden was loaned out to Middlesbrough for the 2003–04 season. Here he found playing success, as he scored the winning goal in the 2004 League Cup final against Bolton Wanderers to secure Middlesbrough their first major trophy in club history. When his contract with Chelsea expired in the summer 2004, he moved to Middlesbrough on a free transfer, signing a one-year contract for the 2004–05 season.[12] He was deployed in a central midfield position, where he played 36 of 38 league games, scoring five goals in the process, and was voted the Middlesbrough fans' 2005 Player of the Year.[10] However, it would be his last for Middlesbrough, as he left in the summer of 2005 when his contract ran out.[citation needed]

Liverpool

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Zenden joined newly crowned UEFA Champions League champions Liverpool on 4 July 2005. He started his Liverpool career being used regularly as a left midfielder, and was in the starting line-up as Liverpool won the 2005 UEFA Super Cup. However, he suffered a serious cruciate ligament injury in his right knee in December 2005,[13] which ruled him out for the rest of the season.[10] He recovered for the start of the 2006–07 season and was part of the Liverpool team that won the 2006 FA Community Shield. After the departure of German central midfielder Dietmar Hamann in the summer of 2006, Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez indicated that he saw Zenden as an option in the central midfield.[14]

Zenden suffered a further knee injury playing against Manchester City on 25 November 2006, for which he underwent corrective surgery.[15]

Zenden played in both legs of Liverpool's Champions League semi-final against former club Chelsea, scoring Liverpool's first penalty in the penalty shootout at the end of the second leg, which Liverpool won 4–1. He went on to start in the final, which Liverpool lost to Milan. Zenden scored twice during his spell at Liverpool with goals against West Ham United[16] and Portsmouth in the Premier League.[17]

Marseille

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On 24 May 2007, it was announced by Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez that Zenden's contract would not be renewed and that he was allowed to talk to other clubs,[18] and on 6 July 2007, Zenden signed a two-year contract with Marseille. He made his competitive debut for Marseille on 11 August 2007, starting and eventually being substituted in a 0–0 stalemate with Rennes.[19] At Marseille, Zenden struggled for regular football. In the 2008–09 Ligue 1 season, he featured 13 times (predominately as a substitute) scoring three goals.[citation needed]

After being released, Zenden revealed that he wanted to end his career in England, with Blackburn Rovers and Portsmouth interested in the player. In October 2009, he went to Sunderland on trial. He signed after impressing Sunderland manager Steve Bruce.[20]

Sunderland

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Zenden playing for Sunderland in 2010

In October 2009, Zenden signed a contract with Sunderland which tied him down until the end of the 2009–10 season.[21] Zenden signed in time to make his debut against former club Liverpool and he did an excellent job helping Sunderland to retain their one-goal lead after coming on as a substitute for the injured Lee Cattermole.[22] His Sunderland career often saw him play as a substitute without starting any matches and he had suffered an injury in between, but after recovery he was named in the squad to face his old club Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on 16 January 2010, and within less than ten minutes of coming on as a second-half substitute he scored his first goal for the club, a fine half-volley to reduce his team's deficit to 5–1, having been 4–0 down at half-time. The Black Cats eventually succumbed to a 7–2 defeat.[23] On 3 April 2010, Zenden scored his second goal for Sunderland, a left-footed volley in a 3–1 win against Tottenham Hotspur at the Stadium of Light.[24]

On 17 May 2010, Zenden signed a new one-year contract at the club.[25] Zenden's first start of the season came in Sunderland's 0–0 draw with Manchester United, where he hit the post. Zenden became a YouTube hit after celebrating a goal with Asamoah Gyan in Sunderland's 3–0 victory at Chelsea. Zenden notched his first of the season against Bolton in a 2–1 away win, on 7 May, which he dedicated to his ill father.[26] Following the match, manager Steve Bruce confirmed Zenden would be offered a new contract at the club.[27] Zenden, however, revealed he would quit the club at the end of the season to prolong his career.[28] On 22 May 2011, his last game for Sunderland, he scored the opening goal in a 3–0 win over already-relegated West Ham on the final day of the 2010–11 Premier League season.[citation needed]

International career

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Zenden made his debut for the Netherlands national team in a 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification match against San Marino on 30 April 1997. He was included in the starting formation and played the entire match as the Netherlands won 6–0.[29] He was called up to represent the Netherlands at the 1998 World Cup finals in France, where Zenden started the tournament as a substitute. Coming on twice as a substitute, he was selected to start in the semi-final loss to Brazil. He was once more selected to play in the third-place playoff against Croatia, where he scored a goal after a solo run and a powerful long-range shot.[30] After scoring, he attempted to celebrate with an acrobatic somersault, but failed, throwing himself head first to the ground.[5]

It was during the run-up to UEFA Euro 2000 that he gained acclaim, with the tournament itself providing the platform some of his finest performances. His raw pace and acceleration down the flank, coupled with his ability to function both as a wing-forward and as a wing-back made him a versatile player to have in the squad. His man of the match performance in a friendly against Germany at the turn of the millennium cemented his position in the national team – he set up the opening goal for Patrick Kluivert, then added his own name to the scoresheet with a thunderous volley from Ronald de Boer's corner, before nearly putting the gloss on the finish when he left the entire German defence for dead with his raw pace, beat the goalkeeper with his shot, only for it to rebound off the upright.[citation needed]

Zenden played in all five Dutch matches at Euro 2000. Carrying his pre-tournament form into the tournament proper, Zenden grabbed a goal against Denmark and the winner against France to help the Netherlands finish top of Group D. The Dutch annihilated Yugoslavia 6–1 in the quarter-final; Zenden once again put in a stellar performance, including the assist for what turned out to be Kluivert's hat-trick goal. He started the semi-final against Italy, but he was substituted in a game that would see the Dutch be eliminated on penalties.[citation needed]

Zenden featured again in Euro 2004, though he only played the first half of the first match against Germany. Following the tournament, Zenden, like other experienced players including Clarence Seedorf and Edgar Davids, found himself excluded from the national squad selection by new Dutch national team coach Marco van Basten.[citation needed]

Managerial career

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On 22 November 2012, Zenden replaced Eddie Newton as ex-club Chelsea's new assistant manager when Rafael Benítez took over as manager.[31]

Career statistics

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Club

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[32][33][34][35]
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
PSV 1994–95 Eredivisie 27 5 2 0 1[c] 0 30 5
1995–96 Eredivisie 25 7 4 0 2[c] 1 31 8
1996–97 Eredivisie 34 8 2 1 4[d] 1 0 0 40 10
1997–98 Eredivisie 26 12 3 0 3[e] 0 1[f] 0 33 12
Total 112 32 11 1 10 2 1 0 134 35
Barcelona 1998–99 La Liga 25 0 1 0 4[e] 0 2[g] 0 32 0
1999–2000 La Liga 29 2 4 0 10[e] 1 2[g] 0 45 3
2000–01 La Liga 10 0 3 0 5[h] 0 18 0
Total 64 2 8 0 19 1 4 0 95 3
Chelsea 2001–02 Premier League 22 3 3 0 4 0 3[c] 0 32 3
2002–03 Premier League 21 1 4 0 1 0 1[c] 0 27 1
Total 43 4 7 0 5 0 4 0 59 4
Middlesbrough 2003–04 Premier League 31 4 2 1 6 2 39 7
2004–05 Premier League 36 5 2 0 1 0 10[c] 3 49 8
Total 67 9 4 1 7 2 10 3 88 15
Liverpool 2005–06 Premier League 7 2 0 0 2 0 9[e] 0 1[i] 0 19 2
2006–07 Premier League 16 0 0 0 2 0 11[e] 0 1[j] 0 30 0
Total 23 2 0 0 4 0 20 0 2 0 49 2
Marseille 2007–08 Ligue 1 27 2 2 0 1 0 8 0 38 2
2008–09 Ligue 1 27 4 1 0 1 0 9 0 38 4
Total 54 6 3 0 2 0 17 0 76 6
Sunderland 2009–10 Premier League 20 2 1 0 0 0 21 2
2010–11 Premier League 27 2 0 0 2 0 29 2
Total 47 2 1 0 2 0 50 4
Career total 410 59 34 2 20 2 80 6 7 0 551 69
  1. ^ Includes KNVB Cup, Copa del Rey, FA Cup, Coupe de France
  2. ^ Includes Football League Cup, Coupe de la Ligue
  3. ^ a b c d e Appearances in UEFA Cup
  4. ^ Appearances in UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
  5. ^ a b c d e Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  6. ^ Appearance in Johan Cruyff Shield
  7. ^ a b Appearances in Supercopa de España
  8. ^ One appearance in UEFA Champions League, four appearances in UEFA Cup
  9. ^ Appearance in UEFA Super Cup
  10. ^ Appearance in FA Community Shield

International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year[36]
National team Year Apps Goals
Netherlands 1997 2 0
1998 8 1
1999 7 1
2000 9 3
2001 9 1
2002 5 0
2003 7 0
2004 7 1
Total 54 7
Scores and results list the Netherlands' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Zenden goal.
List of international goals scored by Boudewijn Zenden[37]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 11 July 1998 Paris, France   Croatia 1–1 1–2 1998 FIFA World Cup
2 9 October 1999 Amsterdam, Netherlands   Brazil 2–0 2–2 Friendly
3 23 February 2000 Amsterdam, Netherlands   Germany 2–1 2–1 Friendly
4 16 June 2000 Rotterdam, Netherlands   Denmark 3–0 3–0 UEFA Euro 2000
5 21 June 2000 Amsterdam, Netherlands   France 3–2 3–2 UEFA Euro 2000
6 5 September 2001 Eindhoven, Netherlands   Estonia 1–0 5–0 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
7 28 April 2004 Eindhoven, Netherlands   Greece 2–0 4–0 Friendly

Honours

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PSV[38]

Barcelona

Chelsea

Middlesbrough

Liverpool

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Premier League clubs submit squad lists" (PDF). Premier League. 1 February 2011. p. 32. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Bolo Zenden". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  3. ^ "Boudewijn Zenden: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  4. ^ "Pierre Zenden bondsridder" (in Dutch). Judo Bond Nederland. 25 May 2005.
  5. ^ a b c "The early years of Bolo Zenden" Archived 23 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Lfchistory.net. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  6. ^ "Chelsea who's who". BBC Sport. 30 April 2002.
  7. ^ "No 10: Boudewijn Zenden". The Guardian. 23 June 2000.
  8. ^ "Vegetarian footballers in the Premier League". The Guardian. 17 August 2011.
  9. ^ Boudewijn Zenden Euro 2000 profile. BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  10. ^ a b c Boudewijn Zenden Squad Profile. liverpoolfc.tv. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  11. ^ Boudewijn Zenden profile Archived 19 March 2006 at the Wayback Machine. ESPN. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  12. ^ "Zenden signs one-year Boro deal" Archived 25 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine. ESPN Soccernet. 31 July 2004. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  13. ^ Neil Johnston, "Knee injury rules out Zenden for season". The Independent. 10 December 2005.
  14. ^ "Rafa: Bolo can be a middle man" Archived 9 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Liverpool. 11 July 2006
  15. ^ "Zenden out for six weeks after op". BBC Sport. 28 November 2006.
  16. ^ "Liverpool 2–0 West Ham". BBC Sport. 29 October 2005. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
  17. ^ "Liverpool 3–0 Portsmouth". BBC Sport. 19 November 2005. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
  18. ^ "Gonzalez Set To Leave Reds" Archived 9 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Liverpoolfc.tv. 24 May 2007. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  19. ^ "OM 0–0 Rennes: They couldn't make the break". OM.net. Archived from the original on 13 February 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2009.
  20. ^ "Zenden training with Sunderland". BBC Sport. 6 October 2009. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
  21. ^ "Zenden completes Sunderland move". BBC Sport. 16 October 2009.
  22. ^ "Sunderland v Liverpool". BBC Sport. 16 October 2009.
  23. ^ "Chelsea 7–2 Sunderland". BBC Sport. 16 January 2010.
  24. ^ "Sunderland 3–1 Tottenham". BBC Sport. 3 April 2010.
  25. ^ "Boudewijn Zenden signs new one-year deal at Sunderland". BBC Sport. 17 May 2010.
  26. ^ "Zenden dedicates Sunderland goal to poorly Dad". Tribalfootball.com. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
  27. ^ Wilson, Scott (10 May 2011). "Bruce to offer Zenden a new Sunderland deal". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
  28. ^ "Zenden set for Black Cats exit". Sky Sports. 16 May 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  29. ^ "San Marino 0–6 Nederland" (in Dutch). KNVB. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  30. ^ "CROATIA 2, NETHERLANDS 1". CNN Sports Illustrated. 11 July 1998.
  31. ^ "Benitez appoints Zenden as assistant manager at Chelsea". itv.com. ITV. 22 November 2012. Archived from the original on 27 November 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  32. ^ "Zenden Dutch League stats". ELFVoetbal. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  33. ^ Boudewijn Zenden at BDFutbol. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  34. ^ "Zenden French stats" (in French). LFP. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  35. ^ "Zenden UEFA stats". UEFA. Archived from the original on 18 October 2010. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  36. ^ "Boudewijn Zenden – International Appearances". RSSSF. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  37. ^ Zenden profile. EU-Football.info. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  38. ^ "Bolo Zenden recalls his varied career: Barca, Boro, Liverpool, Sunderland". Planet Football. 10 April 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  39. ^ "Barcelona 1998–99: Statistics". BDFutbol. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  40. ^ "Arsenal lift FA Cup". BBC Sport. 4 May 2002. Archived from the original on 16 December 2002.
  41. ^ "Boro lift Carling Cup". BBC Sport. 29 February 2004. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  42. ^ "Chelsea 1–2 Liverpool: Match report". BBC Sport. 31 August 2006. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  43. ^ "Liverpool 3–1 CSKA Moscow (aet)". BBC Sport. 26 August 2005. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  44. ^ McNulty, Phil (23 May 2007). "AC Milan 2–1 Liverpool: Report". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  45. ^ "Netherlands - Player of the Year and Other Awards". RSSSF. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
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