Sneijder takes his first coaching steps – in the ninth division
He won the Champions League with Inter Milan, played for Real Madrid and Ajax and was a World Cup finalist with the Netherlands. Now, at 42 years old, Wesley Sneijder is starting a whole new career – in the ninth division in his home country.
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From world star to ninth division
Wesley Sneijder is ready to take his first steps as a coach in his native Netherlands, at the age of 42.
The Dutch international takes over the responsibility of the ninth division club Eminent Boys, where his brother Rodney is a board member. Sneijder made his first appearance at the club’s training in Utrecht on Tuesday evening – and has thus formally started his coaching career.
| Key facts | Details |
|---|---|
| Age | 42 years old |
| New club | Eminent Boys (Ninth Division) |
| By | Utrecht, Netherlands |
| Role | Manager |
| Family in the club | Brother Rodney (board member) |
| First training | Tuesday evening |
A world-class playing career
Sneijder played for clubs such as Inter Milan, Ajax and Real Madrid throughout an extensive playing career. He is also the record holder for international matches with the Netherlands.
In the eyes of many fans, Sneijder was among the world’s best players around 2010 and 2011, when he was crucial for José Mourinho at Inter Milan – and won the Champions League.
| Career Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Champions League | Winner with Inter Milan (2010) |
| World Cup | Finalist with the Netherlands (2010) |
| Clubs | Ajax, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Galatasaray, Nice, Al-Gharafa |
| International matches | Record holder for the Netherlands |
Despite retiring as a professional player in 2019, after a spell at Al-Gharafa, he was spotted playing for OSM’75 – another club from Utrecht and a ninth-division team – last season.
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The United link that never came to fruition
One club Sneijder never played for, despite regular speculation, was Manchester United. The club has now confirmed Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager, while they are currently in the relegation zone of the Premier League.
Pochettino hopes that the recruitment team can bring the players he wants to the club. But things don’t always go as planned – as Sir Alex Ferguson experienced during his time at the club. He was unable to convince several players to go to Old Trafford, despite his status. One of them was Sneijder.
Players will learn from a legend
The players at Eminent Boys are sure to be thrilled to learn from the former Champions League winner with Inter Milan and the World Cup finalist.
Sneijder has decided to go very far down the Dutch football pyramid to start his coaching career – and reunite with his brother Rodney.
| Questions | Reply |
|---|---|
| Why Eminent Boys? | His brother Rodney is a board member – and Sneijder wants to start small |
| What can players learn? | Everything from a Champions League winner and World Cup finalist |
| What’s next? | Sneijder’s first game as manager – and the way forward |
A legend starts over
Wesley Sneijder could have chosen an easier path into coaching. Instead, he will start at the bottom – in the ninth division, with his brother on the team and players who will surely remember this season for the rest of their lives. The question is not whether he will succeed at Eminent Boys. The question is how far this journey will actually lead. ⚽🇳🇱
