Maarten Stekelenburg

Maarten Stekelenburg (; born 22 September 1982 in Haarlem) is a professional Dutch football goalkeeper who plays for Serie A club Roma and also the Netherlands national football team.

Stekelenburg is product of the Ajax youth system, where he followed in the footsteps of Edwin van der Sar, who he succeeded in the Dutch national team, with whom he reached the final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Club career

Ajax

Stekelenburg began his career at Zandvoort '75 before joining VV Schoten, which he left for Ajax when he was 15 years old. He made his official debut for Ajax on 24 February 2002, in a game against NAC Breda. At the start of the 2002–03 season he won his first prize when Ajax won the Johan Cruijff-schaal. In 2004 he and Ajax won the Eredivisie championship, having played 10 matches that season.

He became the first goalkeeper at Ajax in the 2005–06 season. In 2006 he won his first KNVB Cup. At the start of the 2006–07 season he won his second Johan Cruijff-schaal, which he helped his team defend the next season, and later on in 2006–07, he won his second KNVB Cup.

Stekelenburg was named Ajax "Player of the Year" for the 2007–08 season, succeeding Wesley Sneijder.During the 2008–09 season, he lost his place in the goal to Kenneth Vermeer due to injuries. He re-established himself as the first-choice keeper under new manager Martin Jol and subsequently had a very strong season for both Ajax and the Dutch national side. During the 2009-10 season...
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