Daniël Robin Frederick de Ridder (born 6 March 1984) is a Dutch former professional footballer. He played as a winger operating either on the right or left side but would occasionally play a more advanced role. He represented Ajax, Celta Vigo, Birmingham City, Wigan Athletic, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Grasshoppers, Heerenveen, RKC Waalwijk and Cambuur.

Daniël de Ridder
De Ridder leaving the Celta Vigo training ground in 2006
Personal information
Full name Daniël Robin Frederick de Ridder[1]
Date of birth (1984-03-06) 6 March 1984 (age 40)
Place of birth Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Position(s) Winger
Youth career
Ajax
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2005 Ajax 30 (3)
2005–2007 Celta Vigo 20 (1)
2007–2008 Birmingham City 10 (0)
2008–2011 Wigan Athletic 18 (0)
2010Hapoel Tel Aviv (loan) 11 (2)
2011–2012 Grasshoppers 22 (3)
2012–2013 Heerenveen 13 (4)
2014 RKC Waalwijk 10 (2)
2014–2015 Cambuur 21 (2)
Total 155 (17)
International career
2004–2007 Netherlands U21 30 (1)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Netherlands
UEFA European Under-21 Championship
Winner 2006 Portugal
Winner 2007 Netherlands
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Since 2016, De Ridder has worked as a pundit for football program NOS Eredivisie op Vrijdag.[3]

Early and personal life

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De Ridder was born in Amsterdam to a Dutch father and a Jewish-Israeli mother.[4][5] He is Jewish and speaks Hebrew.[6][7][8][9] De Ridder is one of only six Jewish players to have played for Ajax – the others being Eddy Hamel, Johnny Roeg, Bennie Muller, Sjaak Swart and Ilan Boccara.[10][11]

Club career

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Ajax

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De Ridder worked his way up to first-team selection from Ajax's youth department, making his full debut in an away game against Roda JC on 21 January 2004, and scored his first goal against Willem II on 16 May.[7]

De Ridder was a regular throughout the second half of the campaign, starting nine games and appearing a further six times as a substitute. De Ridder made his UEFA Champions League debut in September 2004, coming on as a 69th-minute substitute in a 4–0 defeat at Bayern Munich. In December 2004, he was offered an improved contract until June 2007.[12]

Part of the Netherlands side that reached the second qualifying round of the UEFA European Under-19 Championship in 2002–03, De Ridder stepped up to the U21s as the 2006 UEFA European Championship qualifying campaign kicked off.

De Ridder was told prior to the 2005–2006 season that there would be no room for him in the squad and he could expect little playing time if he decided to stay.[13]

Celta Vigo

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De Ridder joined Celta de Vigo permanently on 31 August 2005.[14]

On 25 September 2005, De Ridder made his official debut for Celta when they beat Sevilla, allowing the Galician club to temporarily top La Liga. On 3 April 2006, De Ridder scored his first official goal for Celta against Atlético Madrid. Throughout the second half of the campaign he was a regular for Celta, but they were relegated to the Segunda División at the end of the 2006–07 season.

Birmingham City

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De Ridder signed for Birmingham City on a free transfer on 3 July 2007.[15][16][5] He made his Premier League debut on 12 August 2007 as a substitute in the opening match of the season against Chelsea, but injured his ankle within minutes of coming on[17] and was unable to complete the match. Though starting the League Cup defeat at Blackburn Rovers, he was not considered fit enough for League games[18] until after the October international break, when he made a substitute appearance against Manchester City. He was a key player in Birmingham's 3–2 win against Wigan Athletic on 27 October 2007 in which he made his full home debut.[19] De Ridder's last game for the club was in January 2008 in the FA Cup, manager Alex McLeish considering him better suited to a style of play which placed more emphasis on passing than did Birmingham's.[20] His contract was cancelled by mutual consent at the end of the season.[21][22]

Wigan Athletic

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De Ridder joined Wigan Athletic the next day on a free transfer and signed a three-year deal.[23][5] De Ridder got his first assist against Newcastle United coming off the bench and swinging in an 89th-minute corner for a dramatic Titus Bramble equalizer.[24] He was released by Wigan at the end of the 2010–11 season.

Loan to Hapoel Tel Aviv

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De Ridder moved to Israel and signed for Hapoel Tel Aviv on loan until the end of the season on 20 January 2010 after failing to make an appearance for Wigan Athletic in the 2009–10 season.[5] Hapoel Tel Aviv were surprised to learn that De Ridder did not have an Israeli passport since the age of 3 and would have to register him as a foreigner.[25][26] The club then approached the Interior Ministry to check what allowances could be made to register De Ridder as an Israeli since he is Jewish.[25] During his time with Hapoel, De Ridder scored a crucial goal against Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv F.C. in the 46th minute (which won the game for Hapoel). He also scored the third goal against F.C. Ashdod, a game which Hapoel won 4–0. He won the Israeli Cup and the Israeli Championship with Hapoel Tel Aviv in 2010.

Grasshopper Club Zürich

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On 9 July 2011, De Ridder signed a two-year contract with Grasshopper Club Zürich.[27] Through his first 11 games for the club, De Ridder assisted two Swiss Super League goals.[28]

International career

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Ever-present in the qualification games of the Netherlands U-21 team along with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, De Ridder entered the finals as the most experienced member of the Netherlands' U-21 squad with 18 caps. He scored the decisive goal in the match against Italy which ensured qualification for the semifinals. The Netherlands went on to win the UEFA U-21 Championship 2006.

In 2007 De Ridder was called up by Jong Oranje coach Foppe de Haan to be part of his squad for the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship held in the Netherlands. De Ridder participated in their first round group match against Israel (1–0 win) and after the match against Portugal (2–1 win) they secured a semifinal spot and qualification for the 2008 Summer Olympics. In the semifinals against England (1–1, 13–12 after 32 penalty kicks) De Ridder scored and missed one of the penalty kicks. In the final against Serbia (4–1), De Ridder provided the pass from which Otman Bakkal made it 1–0. In the second half De Ridder created the opportunity for Ryan Babel to put the Netherlands 2–0 up, and in the 87th minute Luigi Bruins scored a tap-in from a De Ridder move to make it 4–1. The Netherlands won the UEFA U-21 Championship 2007.

Honours

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Ajax

Hapoel Tel Aviv

Netherlands U21

Individual

  • Talent of the Year (NOS Award): 2004

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "De Ridder Daniel Robin Frederick". The Israel Football Association. Archived from the original on 18 February 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  2. ^ "Premier League Player Profile". Premier League. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Oud-Ajacied Daniël de Ridder wordt NOS-commentator". Het Parool (in Dutch). 13 January 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  4. ^ Kuper, Simon (2011). Ajax, the Dutch, the War. Orion. ISBN 978-1-4091-3786-3.
  5. ^ a b c d Isaacs, John (2014). Jack in the Box. Matador. p. 90. ISBN 978-1783063-741.
  6. ^ Liphshiz, Cnaan (24 October 2017). "Europe has a 'Jewish' soccer team problem". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  7. ^ a b "De Ridder, Daniel". Jews in Sports. Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  8. ^ Daskal, Ouriel (22 June 2005). "Soccer / De Ridder's dilemma: hold out for a chance with Holland, or star for Israel". Haaretz. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  9. ^ Sinai, Allon (22 January 2010). "Hapoel TA finalizes de Ridder signing". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  10. ^ "Anne Frank and antisemitism: The unwelcome focus of European soccer". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 16 June 2018.
  11. ^ "Bennie Muller | 1968–1969 - PES Stats Database". pesstatsdatabase.com. Archived from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  12. ^ "Ajax en Daniël de Ridder vernieuwen contract" [Ajax and Daniël de Ridder renew contract] (in Dutch). AFC Ajax. 22 December 2004. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
  13. ^ "Ajax: 'Geen plaats voor De Ridder en Obodai'" [Ajax: 'No room for De Ridder and Obodai']. Voetbal International (in Dutch). 8 August 2005. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  14. ^ "Daniël de Ridder definitief over naar Celta de Vigo" [Daniël de Ridder to Celta de Vigo confirmed] (in Dutch). AFC Ajax. 31 August 2005. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
  15. ^ "De Ridder signs for Blues". Birmingham City F.C. 2 July 2007. Archived from the original on 25 January 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
  16. ^ "Birmingham sign winger De Ridder". BBC Sport. 3 July 2007. Retrieved 10 August 2007.
  17. ^ Tattum, Colin (15 August 2007). "Bruce tells Blues: Up and at 'em". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  18. ^ Tattum, Colin (3 October 2007). "Dan needs to prove his fitness – Bruce". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  19. ^ Soneji, Pranav (27 October 2007). "Birmingham 3–2 Wigan". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  20. ^ "McLeish says de Ridder must wait". BBC Sport. 30 April 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2008.
  21. ^ "De Ridder leaves Birmingham City". BBC Sport. 30 June 2008. Retrieved 30 June 2008.
  22. ^ "De Ridder leaves Blues". Birmingham City F.C. 30 June 2008. Archived from the original on 1 March 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
  23. ^ "Wigan sign Dutch winger De Ridder". BBC Sport. 1 July 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2008.
  24. ^ "Newcastle vs Wigan Athletic". Wigan Athletic F.C. 15 November 2008. Archived from the original on 17 December 2008. Retrieved 15 November 2008.
  25. ^ a b Pshakhtzy, Motti (23 January 2010). דניאל דה רידר יירשם כנראה כזר [Daniël de Ridder Will Likely Count As Foreigner] (in Hebrew). Sport5. Archived from the original on 25 January 2010. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
  26. ^ Botz, Lee (22 January 2010). דה רידר לא יבקש אזרחות ישראלית, ייחשב כזר [de Ridder Will Not Apply For Israeli Citizenship, Will Count As Foreigner]. Yedioth Ahronoth (in Hebrew). Retrieved 23 January 2010.
  27. ^ "GC verpflichtet Daniël de Ridder" [GC hire Daniel de Ridder] (in German). 9 July 2011. Archived from the original on 1 August 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  28. ^ "Grasshopper Club Zürich: Kader: Daniel de Ridder" [Grasshopper Club Zürich: Squad: Daniel de Ridder] (in German). Schweizerischer Fussballverband. Archived from the original on 1 February 2012.
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