Sneijder: the bright star of the national team's journey

Not yet 18 years old, Sneijder's name has been ringing through the Dutch national team. in April 2003, he only played 10 matches in the Dutch League, but accidentally won the favor of the then coach Ed Wolcott, and has been on his way to the national team since then. In November of the same year, in the 2004 UEFA European Championship play-offs, the Dutch team was 0-1 down to Scotland in the first round of the visit, Sneijder stepped up to the plate and scored with a long-distance shot, followed by two accurate assists to help the team to a 6-0 reversal of the win, locking up the qualification for the final round of the tournament.

Since then, Sneijder has become a regular in the national team and has a place in the final week roster of the 2004 UEFA European Football Championship. After the Euros, van Basten took over the Dutch coaching reins and Sneijder continued to be trusted with the team for the 2006 World Cup. Despite finishing in the last eight, Sneijder became a sought-after player by all major clubs, eventually joining Real Madrid in Spain, and at Euro 2008, he led the team out of the Group of Death, only to be stopped in the last eight against Russia.

In the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Sneijder scored twice against Brazil, leading the Netherlands to the final, although ultimately defeated Spain to finish second, but this is the peak of his career. In the same year, he won the Triple Crown at Inter Milan and was runner-up in the World Cup with his national team. Expected to be crowned World Footballer of the Year, he was unexpectedly left out of the top three, sparking widespread controversy.

At Euro 2012, the Netherlands were seen as favorites to win the tournament, but exited the tournament with three consecutive defeats in the group stage, with core players such as Sneijder being blasted by the media and fans.

In the 2014 World Cup, Sneijder was once again in action, scoring a threatening goal against Mexico in the eighth-quarter final to help his team equalize and eventually win 2:1. In the semi-final penalty shootout, he missed a penalty kick, but the Netherlands still won the third place.

So.

Sneijder's performance at the International

Drawing a line under that? For more stats and stories about him, stay tuned to this site.

13Hits​ Collection

Related