Player
Maarten Stekelenburg
Nationality
Dutch
Date of Birth
22-09-1982
On the Pitch
Maarten Stekelenburg spent more than twenty years in professional football, making his debut at eighteen and retiring at forty. His career took him across different clubs, countries and competitions, but Ajax always remained central to his story. Returning to Amsterdam towards the end of his career brought him back to where it all began and allowed him to enjoy football without constantly thinking about the next step.
With the Netherlands, Stekelenburg played at five major tournaments: two World Cups and three European Championships. His defining international campaign came at the 2010 World Cup, where he helped Oranje reach the final and produced one of the tournament’s standout saves against Kaká in the quarter-final against Brazil. Throughout his career, his calmness under pressure and down-to-earth mentality became defining qualities of his game.
Off the Pitch
Retirement has given Stekelenburg something professional football rarely allowed him: freedom over his own time. All three of his sons play football, with two in AZ’s academy, and he now spends weekends watching matches from the sidelines rather than preparing for his own. For Stekelenburg, that family time has become one of the most rewarding parts of life after football.
Sport still plays a major role. He regularly plays padel, often together with former footballers, and the competitive side of his personality has certainly not disappeared. He also made investments, including in real estate, before retiring. What he misses most from professional football is the dressing room and the feeling of belonging to a team, but he does not miss the physical strain or constant responsibilities that came with the job. Above all, Stekelenburg wants to remain the person he has always tried to be: honest, normal and down-to-earth.
Clothing Style
Minimalistic
Playing Style
Goalkeeper
