Ron Peter Vlaar (born 16 February 1985) is a Dutch former
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby le ...
who played as a
centre-back
In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield position whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring.
Centre-backs are usually positioned in pairs, with one full-back on either s ...
.
Vlaar came up through
AZ's youth ranks. After making his professional debut, he played sparingly for two seasons before joining
Feyenoord
Feyenoord Rotterdam () is a Dutch professional football club in Rotterdam, which plays in the Eredivisie, the top tier in Dutch football. Founded as Wilhelmina in 1908, the club changed to various names before settling on being called after its ...
in 2006. He later played in the
Premier League
The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Foo ...
with
Aston Villa
Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the , the top tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1874, they have played at their home ground, Villa Park ...
before rejoining AZ in 2015.
Vlaar represented the Netherlands at various youth levels. However, he had most success with the Netherlands U20 on the
2005 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship was the 15th edition of the FIFA World Youth Championship. It took place in the Netherlands between 10 June and 2 July 2005.
Venues
Qualification
The following 24 teams qualified for the 2005 FIFA Worl ...
and with
Netherlands U21 on the
UEFA European Under-21 Championship
The UEFA European Under-21 Championship, the UEFA Under-21 Championship or simply the Euro Under-21, is a biennial football competition contested by the European men's under-21 national teams of the UEFA member associations. Since 1992, the compe ...
in
2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
and
2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
. Vlaar has been a Netherlands international since 2005, retiring in 2010. He was included in national team for
Euro 2012
The 2012 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2012 or simply Euro 2012, was the 14th European Championship for men's national football teams organised by UEFA. The final tournament, held between 8 June and 1 ...
, and the
2014 Fifa World Cup
The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men's national football teams organised by FIFA. It took place in Brazil from 12 June to 13 July 2014, after the country was awarded the hosting ri ...
which they won the bronze medal. Vlaar played 32 times for the
Netherlands national team and has
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
ed both Feyenoord and Aston Villa.
Early life
Vlaar was born in
Hensbroek
Hensbroek is a village in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Koggenland, and lies about 4 km east of Heerhugowaard.
Overview
The village was first mentioned around 1312 as Hensbroec, and means "swampy ...
,
North Holland
North Holland ( nl, Noord-Holland, ) is a province of the Netherlands in the northwestern part of the country. It is located on the North Sea, north of South Holland and Utrecht, and west of Friesland and Flevoland. In November 2019, it had a ...
. His mother, Margaret, was a
handball
Handball (also known as team handball, European handball or Olympic handball) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outcourt players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of throwing it into the g ...
player, while his father was an amateur football player. Vlaar has two younger sisters, Ellen and Lisan, who are both active in sports as well. Ellen is a
gymnast
Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, sh ...
and Lisan plays volleyball.
Club career
Youth
In Hensbroek, Vlaar joined local club Apollo '68 at the age of six. Apollo '68 youth coach Kees Wijte was quickly convinced: "But when Ron was five, he was already allowed to train with us. You could already see how good he was. Ron had a powerful kick with both his left and right leg, and a very good one as well. Besides, he had a fantastic mentality. Ron always wanted to win and become better."
When Vlaar went to his final year in elementary school, he left Apollo '68. The youngster wanted to play on a higher level and joined SVW '27 from
Heerhugowaard
Heerhugowaard (; West Frisian Dutch: ''Heerhugoweard'', ''Heregeweard'' or ''De Weard'') is a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West Friesland.
Heerhugowaard was previously a municipality, which merged w ...
. At his new club, Vlaar's development went well above expectation. After playing for SVW '27 for one season, he got invited to join the
AZ youth academy, a professional side playing in the
Eerste Divisie
The Eerste Divisie (, en, First Division) is the second-highest tier of football in the Netherlands. It is linked with the top-level Eredivisie and with the third-level Tweede Divisie via promotion/relegation systems. It is also known as the ...
.
In 2002, Vlaar signed his first youth contract with the club, keeping him in
Alkmaar
Alkmaar () is a city and municipality in the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland, about 30 km north of Amsterdam. Alkmaar is well known for its traditional cheese market. For tourists, it is a popular cultural destination. The ...
until summer 2007.
Having initially started out in the attacking midfield position, Vlaar began playing in the defender position after "being told by his coach that he could be better focus in the back".
AZ Alkmaar
Halfway towards the end of the
2004–05 season, Vlaar made his unexpected
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie (; ''"Honour Division"'' or ''"Premier Division"'') is the highest level of professional football in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956, two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is c ...
debut at the age of 20 because due to suspensions within the first-team squad at the end of the season, he was paired up with the experienced centre back
Barry Opdam
Barry Opdam (born 27 February 1976) is a Dutch retired footballer who played as a central defender.
He spent most of his 16-year professional career with AZ, amassing Eredivisie totals of 316 games and 13 goals over the course of 11 seasons, al ...
on 23 April 2005 in the away match against
RKC Waalwijk
RKC Waalwijk () is a Dutch professional football club based in Waalwijk, that is currently competing in the Eredivisie. Its name is derived from 'Rooms Katholieke Combinatie' ('Roman Catholic Combination' in Dutch) and was established as a merger ...
, as AZ lost 2–1. Five days later, on 28 April 2005, Vlaar made his European debut when he was part of the starting line-up in the
UEFA Cup
A cup is an open-top used to hold hot or cold liquids for pouring or drinking; while mainly used for drinking, it also can be used to store Solid, solids for pouring (e.g., sugar, flour, grains, salt). Cups may be made of glass, metal, porcela ...
semi-final away match against
Sporting Lisbon
Sporting Clube de Portugal, founded Sporting Club de Portugal (), otherwise referred to as Sporting CP, often known abroad as Sporting Lisbon , is a Portuguese professional sports club based in Lisbon. It is best known for the professional foot ...
, losing 2–1. Vlaar played three Eredivisie matches and two UEFA Cup matches in his debut season.
While Vlaar thought the season
2005–06 would be his breakthrough year, AZ coach
Louis van Gaal
Aloysius Paulus Maria "Louis" van Gaal (; born 8 August 1951) is a Dutch former football player and manager. At club level, he served as manager of Ajax, Barcelona, AZ Alkmaar, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, as well as having three spel ...
kept choosing for more experienced players. However, he suffered a thigh injury that saw him miss the first two league matches of the season. But Vlaar made his first appearance of the season, coming on as a 64th-minute substitute, in a 5–0 win against
Vitesse on 27 August 2005. He scored his first goal for the club, in a 5–3 loss against
Krylia Sovetov Samara
PFC Krylia Sovetov Samara (russian: Профессиональный футбольный клуб «Крылья Советов» Самара) is a football club from Russia based in Samara. It returned to the Russian Premier League for the 20 ...
in the first leg of the
UEFA Cup
A cup is an open-top used to hold hot or cold liquids for pouring or drinking; while mainly used for drinking, it also can be used to store Solid, solids for pouring (e.g., sugar, flour, grains, salt). Cups may be made of glass, metal, porcela ...
on 15 September 2005. Vlaar was part of the starting line-up thrice, while he came in as a substitute in four matches, having a total of seven Eredivisie appearances in his first half-year. In a match against
PSV Eindhoven
Philips Sport Vereniging (; en, Philips Sports Association ), abbreviated as PSV and internationally known as PSV Eindhoven (), is a Dutch sports club from Eindhoven, Netherlands. It is best known for its professional football department, whi ...
on 15 October 2005, Vlaar received a red card for a second bookable offence, in a 3–0 loss. Despite his substitute status at AZ, the youngster impressed the Netherlands coach
Marco van Basten
Marcel "Marco" van Basten (; born 31 October 1964) is a Dutch football manager and retired professional player, who played for Ajax and AC Milan, as well as the Netherlands national team, as a striker. Widely regarded as one of the greatest pl ...
enough to invite him for his first international matches. As he was only playing at AZ for a youth contract, various sides were interested to offer the player more playing time. AZ were keen to offer him a new and improved contract, however Vlaar had no interest in staying at AZ as he felt blackmailed by AZ coach Louis van Gaal: "He told me I would only play at emergencies if I wouldn't sign the new contract". In response, coach van Gaal denied the player's claims and was fined as a result. Vlaar was close to a deal with
Ajax
Ajax may refer to:
Greek mythology and tragedy
* Ajax the Great, a Greek mythological hero, son of King Telamon and Periboea
* Ajax the Lesser, a Greek mythological hero, son of Oileus, the king of Locris
* ''Ajax'' (play), by the ancient Greek ...
and was spotted in London, as he was visiting
Martin Jol
Maarten Cornelis "Martin" Jol (born 16 January 1956) is a Dutch football manager and former midfielder. He played over 400 games during his career which included spells in the Netherlands, Germany, and England, as well as earning three caps wit ...
's
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as Tottenham () or Spurs, is a professional association football, football club based in Tottenham, London, England. It competes in the Premier League, the top flight of English footba ...
with his father and agent.
However, on 28 December 2005, Vlaar signed a three-and-a half-year deal with
Feyenoord
Feyenoord Rotterdam () is a Dutch professional football club in Rotterdam, which plays in the Eredivisie, the top tier in Dutch football. Founded as Wilhelmina in 1908, the club changed to various names before settling on being called after its ...
.
He later reflected on decision on rejecting Tottenham Hotspur, saying: "When I was twenty years old I could go to Ajax, PSV and Tottenham", Vlaar tells De Telegraaf . "I went to Tottenham twice. I did not do it, in consultation with my parents, and now I have this experience at Aston Villa I know that I have made the right choice. Now I come in like a big boy."
Feyenoord
![FvS Feyenoord Ron Vlaar 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/FvS_Feyenoord_Ron_Vlaar_01.jpg)
After being given a number twenty shirt, Vlaar made his official Feyenoord debut on 15 January 2006, in the away match against
Vitesse Arnhem
Vitesse may refer to:
* Vitesse Models, a diecast model car company
* Vitesse (band), Dutch rock band
* Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse, a car
* Rover 216 Vitesse, a car
* Rover 3500 Vitesse, a car
* Rover 800 Vitesse, a car
* Triumph Vites ...
, as the club won 1–0. After the match, he said: "It was not bad, but there is always room for improvement. I have to calm down a bit on the ball and I still have to get used to my fellow players. In any case, it is nice that we won here, for the first time in the history of the club. Much has been said and written about what has happened in recent months. I now want to leave that behind. I feel very free at the moment, both in practice and in the games. It is going very well. I am relaxed, in a good way. That is very pleasant." Vlaar helped Feyenoord keep a clean sheet in the next two matches against
Roda JC
Sportvereniging Roda Juliana Combinatie Kerkrade (; Ripuarian: ), also known as Roda JC Kerkrade () or commonly Roda JC or Roda, is a Dutch professional football club based in Kerkrade, Netherlands. Roda JC Kerkrade plays in the Eerste Divisie. ...
and
Heracles Almelo
Heracles Almelo is a Dutch professional football club based in Almelo, founded in 1903. The club has won the Dutch national title twice, in 1927 and 1941. Heracles won the Eerste Divisie title during the 2004–05 season, gaining promotion to th ...
. Since joining the club, he quickly became a first team starter, forming a centre–back partnership with
André Bahia
André Luiz Bahia dos Santos Viana (born 24 November 1983) is a former Brazilian footballer who played as a defender.
Early life
André Bahia was born and raised in the Tijuca area of Rio de Janeiro. He has four brothers from his father's side ...
. In his first match against his former club, AZ Alkmaar, on 19 March 2006, Vlaar was booed by AZ Alkmaar throughout the match whenever he touched the ball, as Feyenoord lost 1–0. Vlaar then played in
both leg of the play-offs round against
rivals
A rivalry is the state of two people or groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each participant o ...
’
Ajax
Ajax may refer to:
Greek mythology and tragedy
* Ajax the Great, a Greek mythological hero, son of King Telamon and Periboea
* Ajax the Lesser, a Greek mythological hero, son of Oileus, the king of Locris
* ''Ajax'' (play), by the ancient Greek ...
, as the club lost 7–2 on aggregate; during which, he was at fault for conceding the first goal of the game in the return leg. Despite the loss, his contributions at Feyenoord saw the club qualify for the UEFA Cup
next season. At the end of the 2005–06 season, Vlaar played 16 Eredivisie matches after his winter break transfer, without scoring any goals.
Vlaar had a bad start of the
2006–07 season, as he got foot injury in the pre-season match against
Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...
, as Feyenoord lost 2–1. At first it seemed to be a minor injury, but Vlaar had to drop out in the 33rd minute of the season opening away match, in a 3–0 loss against
FC Groningen
Football Club Groningen () is a Dutch professional association football club based in Groningen, province of Groningen. Founded on 16 June 1971 as the successor of GVAV, the team compete in the Eredivisie, the highest tier of Dutch football. G ...
. The doctors found a crack in a bone in his foot, causing Vlaar to be out for almost the entire first half of the season. By late–November, it was announced on Feyenoord website that he was declared fit to return from injury. Following this, Vlaar made his return from injury, playing for Jong Feyenoord and played over an hour, in a 3–0 win against
Den Bosch
s-Hertogenbosch (), colloquially known as Den Bosch (), is a city and municipality in the Netherlands with a population of 157,486. It is the capital of the province of North Brabant and its fourth largest by population. The city is south of th ...
on 4 December 2006. He made his first league appearance in four months for the club, coming on as a second half substitute, in a 3–1 win against
ADO Den Haag
Alles Door Oefening Den Haag (), commonly known by the abbreviated name ADO Den Haag (), is a Dutch association football club from the city of The Hague. They play in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football, following relegation f ...
on 10 December 2006. Three days later on 13 December 2006, Vlaar made his first start for Feyenoord and played the whole game, in a 3–1 win against
Wisła Kraków
Towarzystwo Sportowe Wisła Kraków Spółka Akcyjna, commonly referred to as Wisła Kraków (), is a Polish professional football club based in Kraków. It currently competes in the I liga, the second level of Polish football league system. It ...
in the
UEFA Cup
A cup is an open-top used to hold hot or cold liquids for pouring or drinking; while mainly used for drinking, it also can be used to store Solid, solids for pouring (e.g., sugar, flour, grains, salt). Cups may be made of glass, metal, porcela ...
. In a follow–up match, he scored his first goal for the club in the away match, in a 2– 1 loss against
FC Utrecht
Football Club Utrecht () is a Dutch professional football club based in Utrecht. The club competes in the Eredivisie, the top tier of Dutch football, and plays its home matches at the Stadion Galgenwaard.
The club was formed in 1970 as a merge ...
on 16 December 2006. After his recovery, Vlaar regained his place in the first team, forming a partnership with Bahia. He then helped Feyenoord keep three consecutive clean sheets in three matches between 11 March 2007 and 1 April 2007. Vlaar played in both legs of
the league play–offs for a place in the UEFA Cup next season against
FC Groningen
Football Club Groningen () is a Dutch professional association football club based in Groningen, province of Groningen. Founded on 16 June 1971 as the successor of GVAV, the team compete in the Eredivisie, the highest tier of Dutch football. G ...
, as the club lost 3–1 on aggregate. At the end of the 2006–07 season, he went on to make twenty–three appearances (twenty Eredivisie matches) and scoring once in all competitions.
With the arrival of the new Feyenoord coach
Bert van Marwijk
Lambertus van Marwijk (; born 19 May 1952) is a Dutch football manager who was recently the head coach of the United Arab Emirates national team. As a player, he played for the Go Ahead Eagles, AZ, MVV and Fortuna Sittard amongst other clubs a ...
and new centre back partner
Kevin Hofland
Kevin Hofland (born 7 June 1979) is a Dutch professional football manager and former player, and was last the head coach of Eerste Divisie club Willem II.
A centre back during his career, Hofland played 15 active seasons in which he amassed Ere ...
in the
2007–08 season, Vlaar was ready to make the next step in his development. He started the season well by helping the club keep a clean sheet in the first three league matches. During which, Vlaar scored his first goal of the season, in a 5–0 win against
NAC Breda
NAC Breda (), often simply known as NAC, is a Dutch professional football club, based in Breda, Netherlands. NAC Breda play in the Rat Verlegh Stadium, named after their most important player, Antoon 'Rat' Verlegh. They play in the Eerste Divi ...
on 26 August 2007. However, on 16 September 2007, he got injured in the Eredivisie away match against
Roda JC
Sportvereniging Roda Juliana Combinatie Kerkrade (; Ripuarian: ), also known as Roda JC Kerkrade () or commonly Roda JC or Roda, is a Dutch professional football club based in Kerkrade, Netherlands. Roda JC Kerkrade plays in the Eerste Divisie. ...
and was substituted in the 41st minute, as Feyenoord won 3–1. Vlaar needed a surgery on the
cruciate ligament
Cruciate ligaments (also cruciform ligaments) are pairs of ligaments arranged like a letter X. They occur in several joints of the body, such as the knee joint and the atlanto-axial joint. In a fashion similar to the cords in a toy Jacob's la ...
and was out for the rest of the season. After the surgery, Vlaar was confronted with an additional setback, as he had a
bacterial infection
Pathogenic bacteria are bacteria that can cause disease. This article focuses on the bacteria that are pathogenic to humans. Most species of bacteria are harmless and are often beneficial but others can cause infectious diseases. The number of ...
.
While on the sidelines, Vlaar signed a contract extension with the club, keeping him until 2012. Shortly after signing a contract with Feyenoord, he said: "I'm going to do everything I can to be at the first training session on July 5th. The only thing I don't do is fight duels. But otherwise things are going very well. I am pleased with the confidence expressed in this new contract. It gives me a helping hand." At the end of the 2007–08 season, Vlaar went on to make four appearances and scoring once in all competitions.
Vlaar recovered from his injury at the beginning of the
2008–09 season, having returned to the training field with Feyenoord since May 2008 in order to regain his fitness. However, during pre-season, he got another injury at a
medial collateral ligament
The medial collateral ligament (MCL), or tibial collateral ligament (TCL), is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial (inner) side of the knee joint in humans and other primates. Its primary function is to resist out ...
of his knee. But Vlaar returned from injury and was featured in a number of friendly matches throughout the club's pre–season. After an innocent coming together with
Kevin Hofland
Kevin Hofland (born 7 June 1979) is a Dutch professional football manager and former player, and was last the head coach of Eerste Divisie club Willem II.
A centre back during his career, Hofland played 15 active seasons in which he amassed Ere ...
, he damaged his
cruciate ligament
Cruciate ligaments (also cruciform ligaments) are pairs of ligaments arranged like a letter X. They occur in several joints of the body, such as the knee joint and the atlanto-axial joint. In a fashion similar to the cords in a toy Jacob's la ...
again. It was the same injury Vlaar had in the previous season, causing him to miss a complete season again. While on the sidelines, he had a successful operation on his knee. In June 2009, he made his return to training after a long absent. Vlaar said about his recovery: "Yes, that was not a nice prospect. I immediately realized that I had to miss an entire season again. That was quite a difficult period for me, especially since I couldn't do anything in the first weeks. I had to wait eight weeks before I could have an operation, because the fluid had to get out of the knee. Did I think my career was in danger? No, not. I'm a positive person. I have become a bit harder anyway. Towards myself, but also towards others. You have to become a little more selfish, only focus on your own troubles. That is why it was nice that I was in Zeist, far away from the club, on my recovery. That way you take some distance, after a while I felt more of a supporter of Feyenoord than a player."
After being sidelined for two seasons, Vlaar made his return from injury, appearing in a number of friendly matches in Feyenoord's pre–season, as he was making his progress on regaining his fitness to fight for his place in the first team. Vlaar made a strong comeback in the
2009–10 season when he helped the club keep four clean sheets in a row. Once Vlaar returned, he formed a strong partnership with Brazilian centre back André Bahia. His performance earned praises with his imposing body and impressive displays. Vlaar was also appointed as Feyenoord's third choice captain. He then scored his first goal of the season, scoring from a 60-meter distance goal in the
KNVB Cup
The KNVB Beker (; en, KNVB Cup), branded as the TOTO KNVB Beker for sponsorship reasons, is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) since 1898. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Ou ...
away, in a 5–0 win against Harkemase Boys in the second round of the KNVB Beker on 24 September 2009. This was followed up by helping Feyenoord keep a clean sheet in the next two matches. His next goal for the club came on 29 November 2009 against ADO Den Haag, scoring from a header, in a 2–0. Vlaar then scored his third goal of the season, scoring from a free kick and turns out to be the winning goal, in a 3–2 win against FC Groningen on 28 February 2010. He scored two more goals later in the 2009–10 season against Heracles Almelo and Vitesse. During a 3–0 win against
Sparta Rotterdam
Sparta Rotterdam () is a Dutch professional football club based in Rotterdam. Established on 1 April 1888, Sparta Rotterdam is the oldest professional football team in the Netherlands.
Sparta currently compete in the Eredivisie, the top flight ...
on 14 April 2010, Vlaar suffered a hamstring injury and was substituted in the 16th minute. He then played in both legs of
KNVB Cup Final against rivals' Ajax, as Feyenoord lost 6–1 on aggregate. Despite suffering injuries on three occasions later in the 2009–10 season, Vlaar went on to make thirty–nine appearances and scoring five times in all competitions. For his performance, he was named
Voetbal International
''Voetbal International'' (VI) is a Dutch football magazine. It is the oldest Dutch football magazine that is still running.
History and Profile
''Voetbal International'' was established in 1965. VI was one of the founding members of ESM but l ...
's Team of the Season.
Ahead of the 2010–11 season, Vlaar was linked away from Feyenoord, with
Bundesliga
The Bundesliga (; ), sometimes referred to as the Fußball-Bundesliga () or 1. Bundesliga (), is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of the German football league system, the Bundesliga is Germany's primary footba ...
side
Werder Bremen
Sportverein Werder Bremen von 1899 e. V. (), commonly known as Werder Bremen (), Werder or simply Bremen, is a German professional sports club based in Bremen, Bremen (state), Free Hanseatic City of Bremen. Founded on 4 February 1899, they are be ...
and
Süper Lig
The Süper Lig (, ''Super League''), officially known as Spor Toto Süper Lig for sponsorship reasons, is a Turkish professional league for association football clubs. It is the top-flight of the Turkish football league system and is run by the ...
side
Bursaspor
Bursaspor Kulübü Derneği (), commonly known as Bursaspor, is a Turkish sports club located in the city of Bursa. Formed in 1963, the club colours are green and white, with home kits usually featuring both colours in a striped pattern.
In th ...
wanted to sign him, but he ended up staying at the club. By the start of the 2010–11 season, Vlaar was appointed as Feyenoord captain, following
Giovanni van Bronckhorst
Giovanni Christiaan van Bronckhorst (born 5 February 1975) is a Dutch football manager and former player, who was most recently the manager of Scottish Premiership club Rangers. Formerly a midfielder, he moved to left-back later in his career. ...
's retirement. He started in the centre–back position, partnering with
Stefan de Vrij
Stefan de Vrij (born 5 February 1992) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a centre back for club Inter Milan and the Netherlands national team.
He began his career at his local club VV Spirit, and debuted as a professional for Fe ...
in the club's first five league matches of the season. During which, Vlaar scored his first goal of the season, scoring from a header, in a 3–2 loss against
Excelsior
Excelsior, a Latin comparative word often translated as "ever upward" or "even higher", may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Literature and poetry
* "Excelsior" (Longfellow), an 1841 poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
* ''Excelsior'' (Macedo ...
on 15 August 2010. However, during a 2–1 loss against Ajax on 19 September 2010, he suffered a hamstring injury and was substituted at half time. After the match, it was announced that the player would be out between four to six weeks. Vlaar previously suffered the same injury during Feyenoord's pre–season but he quickly recovered after his injury was not serious as first thought. It wasn't until on 7 November 2010 when Vlaar made his return from injury, starting the whole game, in a 1–1 draw against Roda JC. Since returning from injury, he continued to regain his first team place, forming a centre–back partnership with de Vrij, as well as, captain. After suffering an injury in the previous match, Vlaar was able to contribute the match against ADO Den Haag when he set up two goals, in a 2–2 draw on 20 February 2011. This was followed up by scoring his second goal of the season, in a 5–1 win against FC Groningen. However during a 3–1 win against PSV Eindhoven on 24 April 2011, Vlaar suffered a calf injury and was substituted at half time. After the match, it was announced that he would be out for the rest of the 2010–11 season. At the end of the 2010–11 season, Vlaar went on to make twenty–eight appearances and scoring two times in all competitions.
After speculation over his future at Feyenoord, it was announced on 27 June 2011 that Vlaar signed a contract with the club, keeping him until 2014. He also switched number shirt from twenty to four ahead of the new season. Vlaar was among thirteen players to lose confidence in
Mario Been
Marinus Antonius Been (born 11 December 1963) is a Dutch football manager and former professional player.
As a footballer, Been played for Feyenoord, Pisa, Roda JC, Heerenveen, FC Tirol Innsbruck and Excelsior. He played in an attacking midfiel ...
, prompting him to resign as Manager of Feyenoord, leading
Ronald Koeman
Ronald Koeman (; born 21 March 1963) is a Dutch professional football manager and former player. He is the younger brother of his former international teammate Erwin Koeman and the son of former Dutch international Martin Koeman. Koeman was cap ...
being appointed as Been's successor. At the start of the 2011–12 season, he continued to establish himself in the first team, forming a centre–back partnership with de Vrij, as well as, retaining his captaincy. Vlaar then scored his first goal of the season, in a 2–1 loss against
Go Ahead Eagles
Go Ahead Eagles () are a Dutch professional football club from the city of Deventer. They play in the Eredivisie, the top tier of Dutch football, having achieved promotion from the second tier Eerste Divisie in the 2020-21 season. The club's h ...
in the third round of the KNVB Beker on 27 October 2011. He said about the club's recent performance, saying: "We have all been through a lot. But you also have to make that stronger, you get a thicker skin. You have to post that. Last year we experienced a lot of negative things and a lot happened at the beginning of this season. Then you get a lot over you and you have to give it a place. If you now fall back in results, you have to arm yourself against it. Then there has to be a switch." Later in the 2011–12 season, Vlaar played a key role in reaching second place in the Eredivisie with the club, securing a spot in the third qualifying round of the
2012–13 UEFA Champions League
The 2012–13 UEFA Champions League was the 58th season of Europe's premier club football tournament organised by UEFA, and the 21st season since it was renamed from the European Champion Clubs' Cup to the UEFA Champions League.
The final was p ...
. Despite facing injuries during the 2011–12 season, he played in every match in the league, making twenty–six appearances and scoring once in all competitions. Reflecting on the season, Vlaar said: "It says a lot about our qualities that we know how to win such top competitions. We have demanded more from each other this season. The trainers also played an important role in this. Fortunately, we also had few injuries. No, second place does not result in a cup or bowl. But this is a wonderful reward for all the people who have worked very hard to get Feyenoord back to the top. I signed up last year because I wanted to create something with this club. That has already been achieved with this second place. But we can take one more step. You always have to look ahead."
Ahead of the 2012–13 season, Vlaar said he's expecting to stay at Feyenoord and continued to help the club with their success. But Vlaar continued to be linked away from Feyenoord, with European clubs, such as,
Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as Fiorentina (), is an Italian professional football club based in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. The original team was founded by a merger in August 1926, while the actual club was refounded in August 2002 fo ...
and
Genoa
Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the List of cities in Italy, sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian ce ...
were interested in signing him. In response to the speculation, the club technical director
Martin van Geel
Martin van Geel (born 27 November 1960 in Goirle) is a retired Netherlands, Dutch footballer who was active as a midfielder. Van Geel made his professional debut on at 24 August 1977 Willem II (football club), Willem II, and also played for AFC ...
announced their intention not to sell the player. Vlaar responded to the transfer speculation, while facing uncertainties over his future with Feyenoord, he wanted to stay at the club and helped them win the league ahead of the
new season. On 15 July 2012, Feyenoord confirmed that Vlaar had travelled to
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...
to hold talks with
Aston Villa
Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the , the top tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1874, they have played at their home ground, Villa Park ...
manager
Paul Lambert
Paul Lambert (born 7 August 1969) is a Scottish professional football manager and former player, who was most recently the manager of Ipswich Town.
Lambert played as a midfielder and won the Scottish Cup in 1987 with St Mirren as a 17-year-ol ...
with a view to a possible transfer. Responding to the transfer speculation, manager Lambert confirmed his interests in signing the player. During Villa's pre-season tour of the United States, however, Vlaar admitted that the deal was off and he would remain with Feyenoord. In another turn of events, it was then announced on 27 July that Vlaar would eventually be joining the
Premier League
The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Foo ...
side, as he had agreed personal terms and would sign for Villa subject to him passing a medical. On 1 August 2012, Vlaar officially joined Aston Villa, signing a three-year contract.
Aston Villa
![Vlaar AV 2014](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/64/Vlaar_AV_2014.jpg)
Shortly after joining Aston Villa and was given a number four shirt, Vlaar spoke out on the club's website about his adapting in the country and aim to be a cult hero among supporters. He made his Aston Villa debut, starting the whole game, in a 1–0 loss against
West Ham United
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club that plays its home matches in Stratford, East London. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. The club plays at the London Stadium, hav ...
in the opening game of the season. After a bad start, it was announced on 15 September 2012 that Vlaar was named captain for the
2012–13 season in the continued absence of club captain
Stiliyan Petrov
Stiliyan Alyoshev Petrov ( Bulgarian: Стилиян Альошев Петров, born 5 July 1979) is a Bulgarian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Petrov joined Celtic from CSKA Sofia in 1999, and won ten trophies in ...
, as the Bulgarian battled cancer. His first game as captain resulted in Aston Villa's first win of the season, a 2–0 win over
Swansea City
Swansea City Association Football Club (; cy, Clwb Pêl-droed Cymdeithas Dinas Abertawe) is a professional football club based in Swansea, Wales that plays in the Championship, the second tier of English football. Swansea have played their ho ...
on 15 September 2012. He then spoke about his responsibility as a captain but faced new challenges as a captain in "a different league, different language and different culture." In the first thirteen league matches of the season, Vlaar established himself in the centre–back position, forming a partnership with
Ciaran Clark
Ciaran Clark (born 26 September 1989) is a professional footballer who plays as a central defender, central midfielder and left-back for Championship club Sheffield United, on loan from Premier League club Newcastle United and the Republic of I ...
. However, he suffered a calf injury during a match against
Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...
on 24 November 2012 and was substituted in the 51st minute, as Aston Villa drew 0–0. After a scan, Vlaar was out for two months with the injury. It wasn't until on 19 January 2013 when he made his return to the starting line–up against
West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion Football Club () is an English professional football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. The club was formed in 1878 and has pla ...
and helped the club draw 2–2. However, after making five starts for Aston Villa, Vlaar suffered a calf injury while in training and missed two matches as a result. But he made his return to the starting line–up against
Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...
on 9 March 2013 and helped the club win 2–1. Following his return from injury, Vlaar regained his first team place for the rest of the 2012–13 season, forming a partnership with Clark and helping Aston Villa fight for survival to avoid relegation in the
Premier League
The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Foo ...
. On 29 April 2013, he scored his first goal for the club with a 30-yard strike in a 6–1 victory over
Sunderland
Sunderland () is a port city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is the City of Sunderland's administrative centre and in the Historic counties of England, historic county of County of Durham, Durham. The city is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is on t ...
. In a match against already relegated
Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic Football Club () is an English professional association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. The team competes in the Championship, the second tier of the English football league system.
Founded in 1932, ...
in the last game of the season, Vlaar scored his second goal for Aston Villa, scoring from a spectacular half-volley from just inside the penalty area, in a 2–2 draw away. At the end of the 2012–13 season, he went on to make thirty–one appearances and scoring two times in all competitions. Reflecting on his first season at the club, Vlaar said while avoiding relegation in the Premier League, he does expect the youngsters in the team that they must learn from their mistakes and hoping that Aston Villa does not found themselves in the relegation zone next season. However, Vlaar later said: "It wasn't an easy season. It was my first season in the Premier League and at Aston Villa, but I could do better I think. I expect more from myself. When we have a new season, I think it's going to be better. I'm never completely satisfied with the way I play, I always look for things to improve. I want to be better in personal battles, I want to win more headers, I want to make less mistakes. I just need to be better. I think with practice you can do a lot. You train like you play so it's 100 per cent every day."
In the opening game of the 2013–14 season, Vlaar started the season well when he captained the whole game and helped Aston Villa beat
Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...
3–1. Since the start of the 2013–14 season, Vlaar continued to be in the first team, forming a centre–back partnership with either Clark,
Nathan Baker
Nathan Luke Baker (born 23 April 1991) is an English former professional footballer who played as a central defender. Baker is a product of the Aston Villa Academy and had loan spells at Lincoln City and Millwall before joining Bristol City in ...
and
Jores Okore
Tetchi Jores Charlemagne Ulrich Okore (; born 11 August 1992), known as Jores Okore, is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Changchun Yatai.
Okore is considered a capable and aggressive defender, who is known for his ...
. He then contributed to helping the club keep three clean sheets out of the four league matches throughout November. Manager Lambert praised Vlaar's performance and believed that he should be included in the
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the ' ( FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The tournament ha ...
squad. In a match against
Southampton
Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
on 4 December 2013, Vlaar suffered a calf injury and was substituted at half time, as the club won 3–2. After missing five matches, he returned to the starting line–up against
Sunderland
Sunderland () is a port city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is the City of Sunderland's administrative centre and in the Historic counties of England, historic county of County of Durham, Durham. The city is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is on t ...
on 1 January 2014, only to be suffer an injury and was substituted in the 70th minute. After missing only match, Vlaar returned to the starting line–up against Arsenal on 13 January 2014, as Aston Villa lost 2–1. He started two more matches before suffering a hamstring injury during a 2–1 loss against
Everton on 1 February 2014 and was substituted in the 80th minute. After being on the sidelines for ten days with the injury, Vlaar returned to the starting line–up against
Cardiff CIty
Cardiff City Football Club ( cy, Clwb Pêl-droed Dinas Caerdydd) is a professional association football club based in Cardiff, Wales. It competes in the Championship, the second tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1899 as R ...
on 11 February 2014 and helped the club keep a clean sheet, in a 0–0 draw. After the match, manager Lambert said: "I think there might be a chance. I'll have to see how he feels. You cannot risk it. He's got to feel himself if he can play and if he's comfortable and thinks he can play then you have to look at it. Ron being out is a bitter blow." Following this, he regained his first team place, playing in the centre–back position for the rest of the 2013–14 season and helped Aston Villa avoid relegation once again by finishing fifteenth place. At the end of the 2013–14 season, Vlaar went on to make thirty–four appearances in all competitions.
Ahead of the 2014–15 season, Vlaar said his new target for the new season is to help Aston Villa to win silverware. For his performance in the FIFA World Cup, Vlaar was linked away from the club, with clubs, such as,
Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers Football Club, commonly abbreviated to QPR, is a professional football club based in Shepherd's Bush, West London, England, which compete in the . After a nomadic early existence, they have played home matches at Loftus Ro ...
and
Lazio
it, Laziale
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, population_blank1 =
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were interested in signing him. Following talks with manager Lambert, he ended up staying at Aston Villa. Vlaar started the 2014–15 season well when he helped the club make a good start to win the first three league matches of the season.
However, Vlaar suffered a calf injury during a 2–1 win against
Hull City
Hull City Association Football Club is a professional Association football, football club based in Kingston upon Hull, Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England, that compete in the . They have played home games at the MKM Stadium since moving ...
on 31 August 2014 and was sidelined for a month.
It wasn't until on 18 October 2014 when he made his return to the starting line–up against
Everton and played the whole game, as Aston Villa lost 3–0. However, his return was short–lived when Vlaar suffered a calf injury while on international duty and was sidelined for weeks.
Vlaar made his return to the first team from injury, coming on as a 78th-minute substitute, in a 1–0 loss against West Bromwich Albion on 13 December 2014. Once again, his return was short–lived when he suffered a knee injury during a 0–0 draw against
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace may refer to:
Places Canada
* Crystal Palace Complex (Dieppe), a former amusement park now a shopping complex in Dieppe, New Brunswick
* Crystal Palace Barracks, London, Ontario
* Crystal Palace (Montreal), an exhibition building
* ...
on 1 January 2015 and was substituted in the 15th minute. After the match, it was announced that Vlaar would be out for six weeks. While on the sidelines, he was linked with a move away from the club, with
Juventus
Juventus Football Club (from la, iuventūs, 'youth'; ), colloquially known as Juve (), is a professional Association football, football club based in Turin, Piedmont, Italy, that competes in the Serie A, the top tier of the Italian football leagu ...
,
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
and
Manchester United
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of City of Salford, Salford to ...
wanted to sign him. In response, Manager Lambert said Aston Villa will not sell Vlaar in the January transfer window, which, he agreed and announcing his intention to see out his contract. Vlaar made his return to the starting line–up against
Leicester City
Leicester ( ) is a city, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands.
The city lies on the River Soar and close to the eastern end of the National ...
in the fifth round of the FA Cup on 15 February 2015 and set up the first goal of the game, in a 2–1 win. In a follow–up match against
Stoke City
Stoke City Football Club is a professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, which competes in the . Founded as Stoke Ramblers in 1863, it changed its name to Stoke in 1878 and then to Stoke City in 1925 after Stoke ...
, he was sent–off for a second bookable offence, in a 2–1 loss. Shortly after serving his suspension, Vlaar suffered a calf injury that saw him out for a month. He made his return to the starting line–up and played the whole game, in a 3–3 draw against
Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers Football Club, commonly abbreviated to QPR, is a professional football club based in Shepherd's Bush, West London, England, which compete in the . After a nomadic early existence, they have played home matches at Loftus Ro ...
on 7 April 2015. Vlaar then relinquished his captaincy role to
Fabian Delph
Fabian Delph (born 21 November 1989) is an English former professional footballer who played as a central midfielder or left-back.
He was on the books of Bradford City as a youngster until he moved to Leeds United aged 11. Having played 45 matc ...
for the rest of the 2014–15 season and played his first match without an armband, in a 2–1 win against
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
in the semi–finals of the FA Cup. Following this, he formed a central defence partnership with
Jores Okore
Tetchi Jores Charlemagne Ulrich Okore (; born 11 August 1992), known as Jores Okore, is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Changchun Yatai.
Okore is considered a capable and aggressive defender, who is known for his ...
and the pair even played together in the
2015 FA Cup Final
The 2015 FA Cup Final was an association football match played between Arsenal F.C., Arsenal and Aston Villa F.C., Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium, London, on 30 May 2015. Organised by the Football Association (FA), it was the List of FA Cup Fin ...
at
Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium (branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE for sponsorship reasons) is a football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the Wembley Stadium (1923), original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 200 ...
, where the team were defeated 4–0 by Arsenal on 30 May 2015.
At the end of the 2014–15 season, Vlaar went on to make twenty–three appearances in all competitions.
With his contract expiring at the end of the 2014–15 season, Vlaar's future at Aston Villa was speculated on whether he would stay or not by offering him a new contract. Vlaar spoke out on two separate occasions that he wanted to stay at the club. After delays of a contract negotiations, it was reported on 8 June 2015 that Vlaar was offered a new contract by Aston Villa. However, he declined the contract offer from the club, leaving him a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
.
During his time at Aston Villa, Vlaar earned a nickname ‘Concrete Ron’ by his teammates. He was a fan favourite among Aston Villa supporters, who chanted: ‘Ooh aah Ron Vlaar’.
Return to AZ
Following his release by Aston Villa, Vlaar was linked with a move return to Feyenoord and even offered him a rehabilitation program after he was out for between three to four months following a surgery. By October, however, the club let him go and later stated his disappointment of the decision. Vlaar, once again, was linked with a move to his former club,
AZ Alkmaar
Alkmaar Zaanstreek (), better known as AZ Alkmaar or simply AZ (), is a Dutch professional football club from Alkmaar and the Zaan district. The club plays in the Eredivisie, the highest professional football league in the Netherlands, and ho ...
and
Everton. On 7 December 2015, he joined AZ Alkmaar for the second time on a deal running until the end of the
2015–16 season.
In order to regain his fitness, Vlaar appeared in a match for Jong AZ, starting a match and playing 61 minutes, in a 4–1 win against
Jong SC Cambuur on 14 December 2015. He made his second debut for the club, starting the whole game, in a 2–2 draw against
FC Utrecht
Football Club Utrecht () is a Dutch professional football club based in Utrecht. The club competes in the Eredivisie, the top tier of Dutch football, and plays its home matches at the Stadion Galgenwaard.
The club was formed in 1970 as a merge ...
on 19 December 2015. Since joining AZ Alkmaar, Vlaar quickly established himself in the first team, forming a centre–back partnership with either
Derrick Luckassen and
Stijn Wuytens
Stijn Wuytens (; born 8 October 1989) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Lommel in the Belgian First Division B.
Club career
Wuytens began his career at Genk, before being transferred to the PSV Eindhoven-youth ...
. He, at times, captained for the club on four occasions in the absence of
Jeffrey Gouweleeuw
Jeffrey Gouweleeuw (born 10 July 1991) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for and captains Bundesliga club FC Augsburg.
Club career AZ
Born in Heemskerk, Gouweleeuw began his early career with ADO '20 and Heerenveen, ...
. Vlaar then scored his first goal for AZ Alkmaar, scoring the second goal of the game, in a 4–1 win against FC Groningen on 20 February 2016. On the last game of the season, he helped the club beat FC Utrecht 3–1 to secure a place in the
UEFA Europa League
The UEFA Europa League (abbreviated as UEL, or sometimes, UEFA EL), formerly the UEFA Cup, is an annual football club competition organised since 1971 by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European football clubs. It ...
next season. Despite being sidelined an injury later in the 2015–16 season, Vlaar went on to make nineteen appearances and scoring once in all competitions. Following this, he signed a new two-year deal with AZ Alkmaar on 9 May 2016.
Ahead of the 2016–17 season, Vlaar switched number shirt to four and was appointed as AZ Alkmaar's captain. At the start of the 2016–17 season, he started the season well for AZ Alkmaar by helping the club win all four of their matches against
PAS Giannina
PAS Giannina Football Club ( el, ΠΑΕ ΠΑΣ Γιάννινα 1966), or with its full name Panepirotikos Athlitikos Syllogos Giannina ( el, Πανηπειρωτικός Αθλητικός Σύλλογος Γιάννινα, ''Panepirotic Athleti ...
and
FK Vojvodina
Fudbalski klub Vojvodina ( sr-Cyrl, Фудбалски клуб Војводина), commonly known as Vojvodina and colloquially as Voša ( sr-Cyrl, Воша), is a Serbian professional football club based in Novi Sad, Vojvodina, the second la ...
in the UEFA Europa League to reach the
group stage
A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:
# One or more competitions held at a single venue and concent ...
. Vlaar then helped AZ Alkmaar keep a clean sheet in three matches between 28 August 2016 and 18 September 2016. However, he suffered a calf injury and was substituted in the 57th minute during a 5–0 loss UEFA Europa League match against
Zenit Saint Petersburg
Football Club Zenit (russian: link=no, Футбольный клуб «Зенит» ), also known as Zenit Saint Petersburg or simply Zenit, is a Russian professional football club based in Saint Petersburg. Founded in 1925 (or in 1914, acco ...
on 29 September 2016. After being sidelined for three weeks with the injury, Vlaar made his return to the starting line–up against FC Groningen on 23 October 2016, only to suffer another calf injury and was substituted in the 69th minute. A week later on 3 November 2016, he made his return to the starting line–up against
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Maccabi Tel Aviv ( he, מכבי תל אביב) is one of the largest sports clubs in Israel, and a part of the Maccabi association. Many sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv are in association with Maccabi and compete in a variety of sports, such ...
in the UEFA Europa League and helped the club keep a clean sheet, in a 0–0 draw. Vlaar then started in the next four matches before suffering a calf injury that saw him out for two months. After being out for two months, it wasn't until on 23 February 2017 when he returned to the starting line–up against
Lyon
Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of t ...
in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 and played the whole game, as AZ Alkmaar lost 7–1 and was out of the tournament. Following this, Vlaar regained his first team place, playing in the centre–back position, competing with
Rens van Eijden
Rens van Eijden (; born 3 March 1988) is a Dutch former footballer who played as a centre back.
Club career PSV Eindhoven
Born in Oss, Netherlands, van Eijden began his career at RKSV Margriet, a club based in his hometown. Then, van Eijden j ...
and Luckassen, as well as, retaining his captaincy, but he faced his fitness along the way. In the
KNVB Cup Final, Vlaar started in the match against Vitesse, as the club lost 2–0. Vlaar played all four matches in the
league's play–offs for a spot in the UEFA Europa League, as AZ Alkmaar lost on penalties against FC Utrecht following a 3–3 draw on aggragate. Reflecting on his first full season at the club, saying: "I am disappointed in this season and also in my own season. It has not turned out what I hoped it would be. We will have to consult ourselves because we can do much better. We have shown that far too little. It is difficult to process this disappointment, but we have to move on…" At the end of the 2016–17 season, Vlaar went on to make thirty–four appearances in all competitions.
Ahead of 2017–18 season, Vlaar said: "I had an unpleasant season. During a good holiday I thought a lot and had conversations with my girlfriend and friends. Like last season, I don't want to go again: struggling with injuries and form. It was often just not good enough. Everything was just not. I didn't think football was good enough either. AZ wants to play more attacking football and provide more spectacle. It has been changeable, that is something that should be out of our game. We are working on something new. That also takes time. Disappointments will also come. It is important to realize that we are doing it with a team, and not with eleven men. We need everyone. Everyone has to fight for a place and that improves the level." At the start of the 2017–18 season, he continued to form a centre–back partnership with Wuytens, as well as, the club's captain role for the first six league matches of the season. However, he suffered a knee injury while training and was sidelined for the rest of the year. Having recovered from his injury, Vlaar, however, found himself placed on the substitute bench for a month, due to the centre–back partnership of
Pantelis Chatzidiakos
Pantelis Chatzidiakos (Greek: Παντελής Χατζηδιάκος; born 18 January 1997) is a Greek Dutch professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Eredivisie club AZ and the Greece national team.
Club career AZ
In January 2 ...
and Wuytens. He then played his first match since returning from injury for Jong AZ against
Fortuna Sittard
Fortuna Sittard (; li, Fortuna Zitterd ) is a football club in Sittard, Netherlands. The club currently plays its football in the 12,500 capacity Fortuna Sittard Stadion and features in the Eredivisie. The club was established through a merger ...
on 12 February 2018 and played 59 minutes before being substituted, as they won 2–0. Five days later on 17 February 2018, Vlaar made his first league appearance in five months, coming on as an 80th-minute substitute, in a 3–1 win against NAC Breda. Following this, he spoke about his fitness, saying: "I am in good shape, I am fit. I have to wait patiently for my chance. I have to get into match rhythm myself. I played for an hour once, and ten minutes and 45 minutes at the first time. Today was ninety minutes of play." Vlaar returned to the duty as captain when he made his first starts in six months against ADO Den Haag on 31 March 2018 and helped the club keep a clean sheet, in a 3–0 win. In a follow–up match against PSV Eindhoven, Vlaar received a red card for a second bookable offence, in a 3–2 loss. After the match, AZ Alkmaar appealed against his suspension, which was successful. Vlaar started in the
KNVB Cup Final against his former club Feyenoord as captain, as the club lost 2–0, making a second time that AZ Alkmaar lost two finals in a row for tha player. During the match, he received a standing ovation from his former club Feyenoord. At the end of the 2017–18 season, Vlaar went on to make fifteen appearances in all competitions. Reflecting on the season, he said: "Of course I imagined it differently. Whatever situation I was in, I have never been disappointed. I've always kept going. I would have liked to play more and be fitter. The moment I was fit again, the team was just fine. Then I had to be patient. I accelerated the training. Not just for myself, but also for the other guys who did play. Competition makes you better. It's about the club. That has not cost me any effort and I have never been frustrated about it."
Having ruled out retirement, Vlaar stayed at AZ Alkmaar by signing a one–year contract extension, keeping him until 2019. Due to his injury concern, he relinquished his captaincy role to
Guus Til. Vlaar was featured in the first two months of the 2018–19 season, forming a centre–back partnership with Chatzidiakos. This lasted until he missed two matches, due to an injury. But Vlaar made his return to the first team from injury, starting a match and playing 57 minutes before being substituted, in a 2–2 draw against
PEC Zwolle
PEC Zwolle is a Dutch football club based in Zwolle, Netherlands. They play in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football, following relegation from the Eredivisie in the 2021–22 season. They have played in the Eredivisie for a total ...
on 30 September 2018. After being dropped to the substitute bench for the next two matches, he then regained his first team place and started in the next three matches. However, Vlaar missed two matches, due to his fitness concern. But he made his return from injury, starting the whole game and helped the club keep a clean sheet, in a 2–0 win against
Fortuna Sittard
Fortuna Sittard (; li, Fortuna Zitterd ) is a football club in Sittard, Netherlands. The club currently plays its football in the 12,500 capacity Fortuna Sittard Stadion and features in the Eredivisie. The club was established through a merger ...
on 7 December 2018. Following this, Vlaar continued to regain his first team place, forming a centre–back partnership with either Chatzidiakos and
Teun Koopmeiners
Teun Koopmeiners (; born 28 February 1998) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Atalanta and the Netherlands national team.
Having represented the Netherlands at various youth levels, Koopmeiners was called up ...
. He helped AZ Alkmaar keep six clean sheets between 19 January 2019 and 16 February 2019. The club's six consecutive clean sheets ended against
Willem II on 24 February 2019 when Vlaar and
Marco Bizot
Marco may refer to:
People
* Marco (given name), people with the given name Marco
* Marco (actor) (born 1977), South Korean model and actor
* Georg Marco (1863–1923), Romanian chess player of German origin
* Tomás Marco (born 1942), Spanish co ...
had a miscommunication, resulting in
Marios Vrousai capitalising the mistakes to score, as AZ Alkmaar lost 2–1. He was able to amend his mistakes by helping the club keep three clean sheets in three matches between 10 March 2019 and 30 March 2019. During which, Vlaar scored the only goal of the game and helped AZ Alkmaar keep a clean sheet, in a 1–0 win against FC Groningen on 30 March 2019. This was followed up by scoring his second goal of the season, in a 2–2 draw against Vitesse. He later helped club qualify for the UEFA Europa League
next season after beating PSV Eindhoven 1–0 on 12 May 2019. At the end of the 2018–19 season, Vlaar went on to make thirty–four appearances and scoring two times in all competitions. Following this, he signed a one–year contract extension with AZ Alkmaar.
At the start of the 2019–20 season, Vlaar started the season well when he helped the club keep six clean sheets in the first six matches, including four UEFA Europa League matches against
BK Häcken
Bollklubben Häcken, more commonly known as BK Häcken or simply Häcken (), is a Swedish professional association football, football club based in Gothenburg. It currently plays in Allsvenskan, the top tier of Swedish football. Formed on 2 Augu ...
and
FC Mariupol
Football Club Mariupol ( uk, Футбольний клуб "Маріуполь" ) was a Ukrainian professional football club based in Mariupol, that competed in the Ukrainian Premier League. The club ceased to exist as a result of the Siege of M ...
. During which, Vlaar scored in the opening game of the season, in a 4–0 win against Fortuna Sittard. After missing one match due to his fitness concern, he played in both legs of the UEFA Europa League play–offs round against
Royal Antwerp
Royal Antwerp Football Club, often referred to as Royal Antwerp or simply Antwerp, is a Belgian football club based in the city of Antwerp. Founded around 1880 as ''Antwerp Cricket Club'' by English students residing in Antwerp, 15 years before ...
, as AZ Alkmaar won 6–2 on aggragate. Following this, Vlaar found himself in and out of the starting line–up for the club in the first three months to the season. He then scored his second goal of the season, scoring from a header, in a 4–2 loss against
Heerenveen
Heerenveen (, fry, It Hearrenfean ) is a town and municipality in the province of Friesland (Fryslân), in the Northern Netherlands. In 2021, the town had a population of 29,790 (1 January) while the municipality had a population 50,859 (1 July). ...
on 19 October 2019. However, Vlaar suffered a calf injury that saw him out for a month. But he made his return from injury against Manchester United in the UEFA Europa League match on 12 December 2019, coming on as a 68th-minute substitute, in a 4–0 loss. However, his return was short–lived when Vlaar suffered a calf injury that saw him out for weeks. He made his return from injury, playing in a friendly match against
Mechelen
Mechelen (; french: Malines ; traditional English name: MechlinMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical contex ...
on 10 January 2020, starting a match and playing 45 minutes before being substituted, in a 5–1 win. Vlaar then started in the next three matches for AZ Alkmaar. However, his return was short–lived when he suffered a muscle injury that saw him out for a month before the season was curtailed with the club finishing fourth place in the league because of the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. At the end of the 2019–20 season, Vlaar went on to make twenty appearances and scoring two times in all competitions. Initially, his contract was formally canceled, though AZ Alkmaar continued to discuss with the player over a new contract. On 12 June 2020, he signed a one–year contract extension with the club, having ruled out of retirement once again.
Ahead of the 2020–21 season, Vlaar continued to recover from his muscle injury. But he recovered and made an appearance in a friendly match against
SC Telstar on 21 August 2020, coming on as a 66th-minute substitute, in a 1–1 draw. Vlaar made two more appearances, both coming from the UEFA Europa League. However, he suffered a muscle injury once again and was sidelined for the next five months. On 10 February 2021, due to physical problems, Vlaar announced his retirement from professional football, ending his seventeen years as a footballer.
International career
Youth
Having represented
Netherlands U19, Vlaar was called up to the
Netherlands U20 team for the
2005 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship was the 15th edition of the FIFA World Youth Championship. It took place in the Netherlands between 10 June and 2 July 2005.
Venues
Qualification
The following 24 teams qualified for the 2005 FIFA Worl ...
took place in the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
between 10 June and 2 July 2005. Vlaar, reserve captain behind
Hedwiges Maduro
Hedwiges Eduard Martinus Maduro (born 13 February 1985) is a Dutch professional football coach and former player who is the assistant coach of Eerste Divisie club Almere City. Mainly a defensive midfielder during his playing career, he could als ...
, was an important player in the Dutch team and was active in every match the team played on the tournament. Netherlands U20 had a smooth run through the group stage, winning their three matches respectively easy against
Japan U20 (2–1),
Australia U20 (3–0) and
Benin U20 (1–0). After beating
Chile U20
Chile national under-20 football team, also known as Chile Sub-20 or La Rojita, is part of the Federación de Fútbol de Chile. The U-20 team is considered to be the breeding ground for future Chile national football team pla ...
(3–0) in the next round, the Netherlands U20 reached the quarter finals against later finalist
Nigeria U20, which they lost 10–9 on
penalty shootout
The penalty shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to pen ...
following a 1–1 draw at
Extra time
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw where the scores are the same. In some sports, this extra period is played onl ...
.
Despite Vlaar's equalizing goal and successful penalty kick, the Netherlands U20 didn't advance to the next stage.
In May 2006, Vlaar was called up to the
Netherlands U21 for the first time. He made his debut for the U21 national team against
Germany U21, starting a match and playing 45 minutes before being substituted, in a 2–2 draw on 17 May 2006. Vlaar was part of the
Netherlands U21 on the
2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship was the 15th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Championship. In December 2005, Portugal was selected to host the finals of the competition, which took place from 23 May–4 June 2006. The tournament was w ...
, where the Dutch side claimed the trophy for the first time in history. Besides being an unused substitute in a 1–1 draw against
Denmark U21 in the group match, he played in every match on the tournament. Jong Oranje started and finished their campaign against
Ukraine U21, going out on a high with a 3–0 win in the final, after surprisingly losing their opening game to the Ukrainian team.
Following the tournament, it wasn't until on 2 February 2007 when Vlaar was called up to the Netherlands U21 squad. He captained the U21 national team for the first team and helped them keep a clean sheet, in a 3–0 win against
Russia U21 on 6 February 2007. Vlaar then captained Netherlands U21 in the next two matches against
Czech Republic U21 and
Republic of Ireland U21. Twelve months after winning the
UEFA European Under-21 Championship
The UEFA European Under-21 Championship, the UEFA Under-21 Championship or simply the Euro Under-21, is a biennial football competition contested by the European men's under-21 national teams of the UEFA member associations. Since 1992, the compe ...
for the first time, he was called up to the Netherlands U21 squad once again for the
tournament
A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:
# One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...
. Vlaar played in every match in the group stage and was the captain of the U21 national team. He had to leave the pitch injured in the semi-final match against
England U21
The England national under-21 football team, also known as England under-21s or England U21(s), is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team.
This team is for England players aged under 21 at the start of the calen ...
, as the U21 national team won 13–12 on
penalty shootout
The penalty shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to pen ...
following a 1–1 draw
at extra time). Vlaar had to watch
the final
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event
** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of cont ...
from the sideline, as Netherlands U21 retained the trophy in style with a 4–1 win against
Serbia U21 in the final and he was able to lift the trophy together with reserve captain
Hedwiges Maduro
Hedwiges Eduard Martinus Maduro (born 13 February 1985) is a Dutch professional football coach and former player who is the assistant coach of Eerste Divisie club Almere City. Mainly a defensive midfielder during his playing career, he could als ...
.
In the months to building up to the
2008 Olympic Games
The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 Na ...
in
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
, China, Vlaar was appointed as the ambassador for both
Netherlands Olympics and the
Netherlands Paralympic teams, along with
Edith Bosch
Edith Bosch (born 31 May 1980) is a Dutch judoka.
Her Olympic debut was at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney where she finished seventh. She won the silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in the middleweight division. She was also European champion ...
. However, he was replaced by
Kees Luijckx
Kees Luijckx (; born 11 February 1986) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. He earned 7 caps with the Netherlands U21 youth team.
Club career
Born in Beverwijk, North Holland. Luijckx began his career in his ho ...
due to his injury. Vlaar said on Feyenoord's column that he's determined to make it to the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
squad for the
Olympics
The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...
.
On 6 June 2008, Vlaar was included in the 36 man preliminary squad selection. However a month later, he did not make the cut after failing to make it to the 23 man squad. Reflecting on being dropped to the squad, Vlaar said: "Yes, I know. Participating in the Olympics can be once in a lifetime. After I tore my cruciate ligament, it was not realistic to go to Beijing. In terms of time schedule I could have made it. Physically I am as good as fit, but I don't have any rhythm. Then in all fairness you have to make a decision to stay at home in the interests of the team and yourself.
Foppe de Haan
Foppe Geert de Haan (, born 26 June 1943) is a Dutch football coach. He is known for his long association with Frisian club SC Heerenveen. De Haan was the manager of the Tuvalu national football team during 2011 and then rejoined Heerenveen's ...
would not be of much use to me and the long term at Feyenoord is simply more important than the short one."
Netherlands
![NED-DEN Euro 2012 (09)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/NED-DEN_Euro_2012_%2809%29.jpg)
In the few matches the promising
defender played, Vlaar made enough of an impression to be noticed by
Marco van Basten
Marcel "Marco" van Basten (; born 31 October 1964) is a Dutch football manager and retired professional player, who played for Ajax and AC Milan, as well as the Netherlands national team, as a striker. Widely regarded as one of the greatest pl ...
, the coach of the
Netherlands national team. He was selected for the qualifier against
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
in June 2005, but did not play. The first international match in which Vlaar played was a match against the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
, coming on as a 57th-minute substitute, in a 2–0 win on 8 October 2005. A month later on 12 November 2005, he made another appearance for the senior national team, starting a match and playing 60 minutes before being substituted, in a 3–1 loss against
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
. Following this, Vlaar did not earn a call up from the Netherlands squad.
![NED-DEN Euro 2012 (08)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/NED-DEN_Euro_2012_%2808%29.jpg)
Since his comeback for Feyenoord, he became a first-choice regular in the club team and his appearances for Feyenoord were noticed by the national team coach
Bert van Marwijk
Lambertus van Marwijk (; born 19 May 1952) is a Dutch football manager who was recently the head coach of the United Arab Emirates national team. As a player, he played for the Go Ahead Eagles, AZ, MVV and Fortuna Sittard amongst other clubs a ...
, who officially stated to be following him in the run-up to the
IFA World Cup in South Africa. However, not yet calling Vlaar to the national team, due to the severity of his previous injuries, allowing him to gradually come to full fitness and preventing overuse of muscles since Vlaar only came back to first team football in the summer of 2009. However, van Marwijk stated he would seriously consider calling Vlaar up in the second half of the season. In February 2010, van Marwijk was called up the player for the first time in almost five years. He made his first appearance in five years, coming on as a second half substitute, in a 2–1 win against
USA
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
on 3 March 2010. Two months later, Vlaar was included in the preliminary squad for the
2010 FIFA World Cup
, image = 2010 FIFA World Cup.svg
, size = 200px
, caption = ''Ke Nako. (Tswana and Sotho for "It's time") Celebrate Africa's Humanity'It's time. Celebrate Africa's Humanity'' (English)''Dis tyd. Vier Afrika se mensd ...
in South Africa. However, he suffered a leg injury while training. Shortly after, Vlaar said he remain optimistic to make it to the squad. However, on 27 May 2010, Netherlands manager
Bert van Marwijk
Lambertus van Marwijk (; born 19 May 1952) is a Dutch football manager who was recently the head coach of the United Arab Emirates national team. As a player, he played for the Go Ahead Eagles, AZ, MVV and Fortuna Sittard amongst other clubs a ...
announced that Vlaar would not be part of the final squad of 23 participating in the competition.
Following the end of the World Cup tournament, Vlaar was called up to the national team squad once again on 9 August 2010. He captained his first match for Netherlands against
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
on 11 August 2010 and started the whole game to help the national side draw 1–1. He then spent the next eighteen months being placed on the substitute bench and didn't play for Netherlands as a result. This lasted until 29 February 2012 when Vlaar made an appearance, coming on as an 82nd-minute substitute, in a 3–2 win against
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. On 7 May 2012, he was named in the provisional list of 36 players for the
UEFA Euro 2012
The 2012 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2012 or simply Euro 2012, was the 14th European Championship for men's national football teams organised by UEFA. The final tournament, held between 8 June and 1 ...
tournament by van Marwijk. After speaking out his determination to be in the squad ahead of the tournament, Vlaar eventually made the cut for the 23 man squad. On 2 June 2012, he scored his first international goal with a header from a corner kick by
Ibrahim Afellay
Ibrahim Afellay (born 2 April 1986) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or winger.
He played youth football at Elinkwijk before joining the PSV Eindhoven youth academy at age 10. After debuting in 20 ...
, the last goal in a 6–0 friendly win over
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
. Vlaar made his first appearance of the UEFA Euro tournament, forming a centre–back partnership with
John Heitinga
John Gijsbert Alan "Johnny" Heitinga (born 15 November 1983) is a Dutch football coach and a former player who played as a centre back. He manages Jong Ajax, the reserves team of AFC Ajax.
A product of the Ajax Youth Academy, he played for their ...
, in a 1–0 loss against
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
on 9 June 2012. After being dropped to the substitute bench in the next match against
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, he returned to the starting line–up against
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
, as the national team lost 2–1 on 17 June 2012, resulting in them finishing bottom of
their group. Following the end of the tournament, Vlaar reflected on the experience, saying: "I already had the feeling that I was close to it. I've had good weeks here. But I can't be satisfied with that now. I am disappointed because you are a sportsman and you want to perform. Later I may be able to look back on this European Championship in a more positive way for me personally."
![NED-DEN Euro 2012 (15)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/NED-DEN_Euro_2012_%2815%29.jpg)
Following the end of the UEFA Euro tournament, Vlaar was
Louis van Gaal
Aloysius Paulus Maria "Louis" van Gaal (; born 8 August 1951) is a Dutch former football player and manager. At club level, he served as manager of Ajax, Barcelona, AZ Alkmaar, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, as well as having three spel ...
's first-choice centre–back for Netherlands for
FIFA World Cup qualification
The FIFA World Cup qualification is a competitive match that a national association football team takes in order to qualify for one of the available berths at the final tournament of the (men's) FIFA World Cup.
Qualifying tournaments are hel ...
Group D matches for the rest of 2012. Between January and September 2013, he rotated in and out of the starting line–up for the national team, due to facing competitions in the centre–backs. But Vlaar regained his place for Netherlands and helped the national team qualify for the
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the ' ( FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The tournament ha ...
after beating
Andorra
, image_flag = Flag of Andorra.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Andorra.svg
, symbol_type = Coat of arms
, national_motto = la, Virtus Unita Fortior, label=none (Latin)"United virtue is stro ...
2–0 on 10 September 2013. In the months leading to the tournament, he remain as Netherlands’ first choice centre–back. In May 2014, Vlaar, who was disappointed to not being included in the squad for the tournament in Germany eight years ago, was finally included in the squad for the
World Cup 2014
The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men's national football teams organised by FIFA. It took place in Brazil from 12 June to 13 July 2014, after the country was awarded the hosting righ ...
in Brazil. On 31 May 2014, he made the cut to be included in the 23 man squad. Vlaar made his tournament debut on Matchday 1 of the Group Stage against
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
on 13 June 2014 and helped the national team win 5–1. He then became first choice centre–backs, playing alongside former Feyenoord teammates, de Vrij and
Bruno Martins Indi
Rolando Maximiliano "Bruno" Martins Indi (born 8 February 1992) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a defender for Eredivisie club AZ Alkmaar and the Netherlands national team.
Martins Indi began his career with Dutch club Feyenoo ...
and
Daley Blind
Daley Blind (; born 9 March 1990) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder, left-back or centre-back for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and the Netherlands national team. He is the son of former Ajax defender and fo ...
. Vlaar received much credit for leading the defence and his contributions led Netherlands not losing any matches in the normal time, with the Vlaar-headed defence conceding just four goals. In the semi-final against
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
, he took the first
penalty kick
A penalty shot or penalty kick is a play used in several sports whereby a goal is attempted during untimed play. Depending on the sport, when a player commits certain types of penalties, the opposition is awarded a penalty shot or kick attempt. ...
, after being one of the best players on the field throughout the official playing time. Vlaar, however, missed, just like Dutch midfielder
Wesley Sneijder
Wesley Sneijder (; born 9 June 1984) is a Dutch retired professional footballer. Due to his elite playmaking ability, Sneijder was considered one of the best midfielders in the world during his prime.
A product of the Ajax Youth Academy, he sta ...
, which caused the Dutch to lose and face
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
in the third-place play-off. After a 3–0 win over Brazil, the Netherlands won the
bronze medal
A bronze medal in sports and other similar areas involving competition is a medal made of bronze awarded to the third-place finisher of contests or competitions such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The outright winner receive ...
; Vlaar's biggest achievement as a player for his national team.
Throughout the FIFA World Cup tournament, he played all seven matches. Vlaar was ranked tenth place in the FIFA best players in the ranking system.
![NED-DEN Euro 2012 (06)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/NED-DEN_Euro_2012_%2806%29.jpg)
Following the end of the tournament, Vlaar missed the international duty with Netherlands, due to a calf injury while playing for Aston Villa.
After making a recovery from injury, he was called up to the national team on 7 November 2014. Four days later on 11 November 2014, Vlaar made his first appearance for Netherlands in four months, starting a match and playing 24 minutes before being substituted, due to another calf injury, in a 3–2 loss against
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
, in what turned out to be his last appearance for the national team.
Following this, his international chances has been sporadic for the rest of his career, appearing in a number of matches as an unused substitute. He earned 32 caps for Netherlands national side and scoring once during his nine years time there.
Personal life
Vlaar was married to Stephanie in 2010 and has two children. He has a tattoo name of his two children across his chest. However, in 2011, Vlaar and his wife divorced, just months after his wife gave birth to his second child.
In March 2011, Vlaar and his then teammate
Luc Castaignos
Luc Castaignos (born 27 September 1992) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a forward for club 1. FC Magdeburg.
Club career Early career
The roots of Castaignos' family are located in the département of Landes, one hundred kil ...
took part in a spinning marathon for the charity, Stichting Luna Sluiter Foundation. In addition to speaking Dutch, he speaks English. It was reported in December 2011 that Vlaar was reported in the Netherlands media, allegeding taking part in a poker game with referee
Serdar Gözübüyük
Serdar Gözübüyük (born 29 October 1985) is a Dutch professional football referee in the Netherlands. He has officiated in 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, beginning with the match between Malta and Italy on 26 March 2013.FIFA
FIFA (; s ...
. In response, he denied such claims, saying: "It is absolute nonsense. I find it very annoying that it is suggested that poker is being played for big money at my home, poker at all, because that is simply not the case. As the research also showed, nothing came out. I find it very annoying that I get into the news that way and that makes me very disappointed." Outside of football, Vlaar said he plays snooker in his spare time.
Vlaar is good friends with
Karim El Ahmadi
Karim El-Ahmadi Aroussi (Arabic: كريم الأحمدي; born 27 January 1985) is a professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder. El-Ahmadi was born in the Netherlands and played for FC Twente and Feyenoord before moving to the P ...
, which they were first teammates at Feyenoord and then Aston Villa, and helped each other settle in England. Following his retirement from professional football, Vlaar said he wanted to do coaching.
Career statistics
Club
:Source:
International
:Source:
Honours
Feyenoord
*
KNVB Cup
The KNVB Beker (; en, KNVB Cup), branded as the TOTO KNVB Beker for sponsorship reasons, is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) since 1898. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Ou ...
:
2007–08
Aston Villa
*
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
runner-up:
2014–15
Netherlands U21
*
UEFA European Under-21 Championship
The UEFA European Under-21 Championship, the UEFA Under-21 Championship or simply the Euro Under-21, is a biennial football competition contested by the European men's under-21 national teams of the UEFA member associations. Since 1992, the compe ...
:
2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
,
2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
Netherlands
*
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the ' ( FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The tournament ha ...
third place:
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
Individual
* Noord Holland's sports talent of the year: 2005
* RTV Rijnmond Footballer of the Year: 2009
References
External links
*
Stats at Voetbal International
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vlaar, Ron
1985 births
Living people
People from Koggenland
Dutch footballers
Netherlands youth international footballers
Netherlands under-21 international footballers
Netherlands international footballers
Association football defenders
AZ Alkmaar players
Feyenoord players
Aston Villa F.C. players
Eredivisie players
Premier League players
UEFA Euro 2012 players
2014 FIFA World Cup players
Dutch expatriate footballers
Expatriate footballers in England
Dutch expatriate sportspeople in England
FA Cup Final players
Footballers from North Holland