 | Short compilation about everything Of Klaas Jan Huntelaar.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (born August 12, 1983) is a Dutch footballer who plays as a striker for Ajax and the Netherlands. He previously represented PSV Eindhoven, De Graafschap, AGOVV Apeldoorn, and SC Heerenveen.
Various media outlets have noted him as a rising star in Dutch football, being named Dutch Football Talent of the Year and Ajax "Player of the year" in 2006. He was also named in the UEFA Team of the Tournament. Due to his goal-scoring ability he has earned the nickname "The Hunter", a play on his last name.[1] He was a part of the Dutch side that won the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, where he became the tournament's leading goal-scorer. He is the all-time highest goal-scorer for the Netherlands U21 squad with 18 goals in 22 matches. In domestic football he was Eredivisie's top scorer in the 2005--06 season with 33 goals in 31 games.
Huntelaar was born in Drempt, a village in the Achterhoek region of Netherlands, but moved to Hummelo when he was six weeks old.[2] He lived with parents Dirk-Jan and Maud Huntelaar, and his two brothers Niek and Jelle.[2] Like his two brothers, at the age of five Huntelaar joined the local football team v.v. H. en K. (football club Hummelo and Keppel) where he played for the next six years.[2] Huntelaar was scouted as a youth talent by Go Ahead Eagles, however, the distance required to travel prohibited him from joining the team from Deventer.[2] Soon after he was scouted by De Graafschap where on April 6, 1994 he signed his first youth contract, aged eleven.[2] During his first two years with De Graafschap, Huntelaar played as a left back, a left winger, an attacking midfielder, and even as a goalkeeper; only in his third year was he deployed as a striker.[2] In the 1997--98 season, the now 14 year old Huntelaar was the first striker for the C-team at De Graafschap, and scored 33 goals in 20 matches.[2] The following season saw him promoted to the B1 team, and in the 1999--00 season he became top scorer of the B1 league with 31 goals.[2] His goal-scoring abilities drew the attention of PSV Eindhoven, who signed him in June 2000.[2]
Huntelaar is a striker who plays as a centre forward, or an "out-and-out" striker, rather than as a supporting striker. He has a good technical ability and can score goals with either foot.[1] In an October 2007 interview Huntelaar stressed the importance of fitness to his game: "You have to work on every area but I would say that physical fitness is absolutely essential, especially in big games. I need to stay sharp and keep my speed up over 90 minutes, from the kick-off right through to the final whistle. That's fundamental."[3] He has been compared in playing style to Marco van Basten and Fernando Morientes.[1][4] In January 2001, Huntelaar and his girlfriend Maddy became a couple.[2]
Ajax
Celebrating victory in the Dutch Cup with AjaxAfter transferring from Heerenveen during the winter break, Huntelaar struggled in his first month with Ajax. It was only in February, in his fifth match for Ajax, that he scored his first goal, in a Gatorade Cup tie against his old club Heerenveen.[39] Once he had broken his scoring drought, Huntelaar started scoring regularly. During the month of February, Huntelaar scored nine goals in seven matches for Ajax, including a header against Inter Milan on his Champions League debut.[40] Huntelaar continued his goal-scoring for the rest of the season, and ended as the Dutch league's top scorer, having scored sixteen goals in as many appearances for Ajax, bringing his total for the season to 33 goals in 31 matches.[41] As Ajax finished second in the Dutch league, they needed to win the European play-offs to secure a place in the third round of the Champions League. In the semis, Ajax faced their rivals Feyenoord, who had finished fourth in the league. In the first leg at the Amsterdam Arena, Ajax crushed Feyenoord 3--0, with Huntelaar scoring the final goal for Ajax.[42] In the second leg, Ajax further humbled Feyenoord by beating them 2--4 in De Kuip. Huntelaar was once again on target, scoring the second goal for Ajax.[43] Huntelaar featured in the defeat of FC Groningen in the final two games of the play-offs to secure Ajax Champions League football for next season, although he did not score.[44] Huntelaar scored a bicycle kick during injury time in the KNVB Cup semi-final against Roda JC, which levelled the score at 1--1. Ajax went on to win the game 4--1 after extra time, with Huntelaar scoring another goal in the 109th minute to take them to the final of the Dutch cup, where Ajax faced Huntelaar's old club PSV.[45] In the final Huntelaar scored a brace, including the winning goal, to bring Ajax its 16th KNVB Cup.[46] The season had been Huntelaar's most successful to date, and he was awarded the Eredivisie Johan Cruijff Award award (for talent of the year), and was named Ajax player of the year.[47] |