Born inParamaribo, Suriname, Tiendalli moved to the Netherlands at a young age.[3] He began his football career atAjax and spent eleven years there before joiningUtrecht in 2004.[4]
After progressing through the ranks at the club, Tiendalli was called up to the first team for the first time in December 2004.[5] He made his debut as a 75th-minute substitute in a 1–0 win overDen Bosch on 19 December 2004.[6] Tiendalli found himself in and out of the starting line-up, also playing in the reserve team.[7] Tiendalli scored his first senior goal for FC Utrecht, having come on as a 73rd-minute substitute, in a 1–0 win againstRBC Roosendaal on 12 February 2005.[8] By the end of the 2004–05 season, he had made eleven appearances and scored once in all competitions. Following this, the club began talks over a new contract.[4]
In the 2005–06 season, Tiendalli appeared more often for FC Utrecht, featuring in the first seven league matches,[9] until he wassent off for aprofessional foul in the 65th minute of a 3–1 win againstFeyenoord on 2 October 2005.[10] After serving a one-match suspension, he returned to the starting line-up againstSC Heerenveen on 23 October 2005, as the club drew 1–1.[11] On 27 November he scored his first goal of the season, in a 1–0 win against Ajax.[12] His second goal of the season came in a 3–2 victory overADO Den Haag on 15 January 2006.[13] Despite being sidelined during the 2005–06 season, Tiendalli continued to remain involved in the first team,[14] making twenty-nine appearances, scoring twice, in all competitions.
Ahead of the2006–07 season, Tiendalli was linked to a move away from Utrecht, with Feyenoord andReal Betis interested in signing him.[15] Amid the transfer speculation, he made one further appearance for Utrecht in the opening game of the season, a 2–1 defeat toWillem II.[16]
Tiendalli running for the defence during the match.
In the summer of 2006, Tiendalli moved toFeyenoord on a four-year contract, for a fee of €2 million.[17]
He made his debut five days later on 27 August 2006, in the starting eleven in a 0–0 draw againstHeracles Almelo.[18] In his second appearance againstSparta Rotterdam on 10 September 2016, he suffered a hamstring injury and was substituted in the 68th minute, as the club won 4–1.[19] However, he recovered quickly and made his European debut as a starter in the first round of theUEFA Cup, a 2–2 draw againstLokomotiv Sofia.[20] The club reached the Group Stage after drawing 0–0, going through on away goals.[21] In a match against Willem II on 12 November 2006, he was sent off after handling the ball on the goal-line in the 78th minute, as Feyenoord won 5–3.[22] Following the match, however, video evidence showed that Tiendalli had not committed an offence; referee Jack van Hulten admitted his mistake and the red card was rescinded.[23] He became a first-team regular for Feyenoord in the first half of the season,[24] but was later sidelined with injuries, including a groin injury meaning he was expected to miss the entire season.[25][26] By March, he was sufficiently recovered to resume training,[27] and returned to the starting line-up on 22 April 2007 in a 1–1 draw withNEC Nijmegen.[28] In his first season at Feyenoord, Tiendalli made nineteen appearances in all competitions.
Tiendalli in the Feyenoord home shirt in 2007.
Tiendalli's return was short-lived as he fractured his lower leg, which kept him out for the rest of the year.[25][29] On recovering from his injury, he was told by Feyenoord that he would be loaned out.[30] Feyenoord loaned Tiendalli to city rivalsSparta Rotterdam on 25 January 2008, where he was re-united with his former Utrecht coachFoeke Booy.[31] Tiendalli made his debut for Sparta Rotterdam on 26 January 2008 as a member of the starting line-up, setting up the second goal in a 2–1 win over FC Twente.[32] He became a first-team regular, helping them avoid relegation and making thirteen appearances in all competitions.[33]
After his loan spell ended, Tiendalli was told by Feyenoord that he could leave the club despite his being keen to stay and take his chance.[34] Tiendalli ended up staying at Feyenoord over the summer, because of the club's asking price.[35] At the start of the 2008–09 season, he found himself playing for the reserve side.[36] A month later, on 26 October 2008, Tiendalli made his first senior appearance of the season, in a 2–2 draw with SC Heerenveen.[37] Following his return to the first team, he was involved more often by the club,[38] until he was sent off for a second bookable offence in a 2–0 defeat inDe Klassieker, Feyenoord's highly contested match with Ajax, on 15 February 2009.[39] Following his return, Tiendalli failed to make his hoped-for breakthrough into regular first-team contention.[40] He was sent off again in the last game of the season, a 3–2 defeat toRoda JC, for a professional foul in the 19th minute.[41] Despite injuries and suspensions, he made twenty-eight appearances in all competitions during the 2008–09 season.[42]
At the start of the2009–10 season, Tiendalli suffered a shoulder injury while playing for the club's reserve side[43] and the club announced on 31 August 2009 that his contract would be terminated.[44]
On 14 September 2009, Tiendalli signed a one-year contract withFC Twente – on a free transfer – with a view to a further year,[45] following a trial.[46]
A month after joining Twente, having appeared as an unused substitute in the previous two matches, Tiendalli made his debut as a substitute forDario Vujičević in the 63rd minute of a 3–1 win over Heracles Almelo.[47] A week after his debut, he scored his first goal and provided an assist forMiroslav Stoch's opener in a 4–0 win overFC Groningen.[48] Having established himself in the first team, he competed withSlobodan Rajković andNicky Kuiper in the defence,[49] though he also played in other positions.[50] Tiendalli helped Twente keep four consecutive clean sheets between 17 January 2010 and 3 February 2010.[51] Having missed out on the club's earlier matches in Europe, Tiendalli made his Europa League debut, playing in both legs againstWerder Bremen in which Twente lost 4–2, resulting in their elimination in the second round.[52] A month later, on 16 March 2010, he signed a one-year contract extension with Twente.[53] Tiendalli later helped the club to their first-everEredivisie title.[54] By the end of the 2009–10 season, he had made thirty-two appearances, scoring once, in all competitions.
At the start of the2010–11 season, Tiendalli started in theJohan Cruyff Shield match against Ajax and helped Twente win 1–0.[55] He was then involved in four consecutive clean sheets in the first four league matches of the season.[56] He made hisUEFA Champions League debut againstInter Milan on 14 September 2010, in the starting eleven, as FC Twente drew 2–2.[57] He went on to make two more appearances in the Champions League, but Twente finished in third place in thegroup stage, relegating the club to theUEFA Europa League.[58] The club advanced through theknockout stage to the quarter-final, in the first leg of which Tiendalli received a straight red card in a 3–1 loss againstVillarreal. Twente ultimately lost thetwo-legged tie 8–2 on aggregate.[59] In the 2010–11 season, he lost his first-team place because of injuries and competition from other players.[60] Tiendalli finished the season having made twenty-eight appearances in all competitions. At the end of the season, it was announced that his contract would not be renewed after talks stalled.[61] A week before his contract expiry, he attended the club's first session of the new season, insisting it was to maintain his fitness.[62] However,Michel Preud'homme's successor as manager,Co Adriaanse, offered him a new one-year contract, which Tiendalli accepted.[63] After signing the deal, Tiendalli stated that he hoped to make a fresh start under Adriaanse.[64]
In the2011–12 season, Tiendalli started for Twente as they faced Ajax for the second time in a row for theJohan Cruyff Shield and went on to win 2–1.[65] He played in three matches in Twente's UEFA Champions League Qualification Round, until the club were eliminated in the play-offs following a 5–3 loss on aggregate againstBenfica.[66] From the start of the 2011–12 season, Tiendalli found himself in competing for his first-team place at left back.[67] In theUEFA Europa League match againstOB, he set up the club's second goal of the game, a 3–2 win leading to qualification for the knockout stage of the tournament.[68] Tiendalli suffered an ankle injury during a 4–1 victory overGroningen on 29 January 2012 and was substituted in the 7th minute.[69] He did not return to the first team until 4 March 2012 when he came on as a late substitute in a 6–2 win overPSV Eindhoven.[70] He continued to face competition for the left-back position under new managerSteve McClaren.[71] He finished the 2011–12 season having appeared forty-one times in all competitions. It was announced on 1 April 2012 that Tiendalli would be leaving the club at the end of the season.[72]
Tiendalli made his Swansea City debut in the third round of theLeague Cup, providing an assist forDanny Graham in a 3–2 win overCrawley Town.[75] Having been on the bench in the league for two months since joining, as a result ofBen Davies andÀngel Rangel being first choice in the left and right back position respectively (Tiendalli played in both positions), he finally made his league debut on 1 December 2012 againstArsenal, coming on as a substitute forJonathan de Guzmán in the 74th minute of a 2–0 win.[76] After the match, Tiendalli stated his intent to stay at Swansea despite his lack of first-team opportunities.[77] From December, he became the club's first choice right-back after Rangel was injured, as well as being rotated in different positions.[78] Tiendalli appeared in thefinal of theLeague Cup when he came on for Davies in the 84th minute of a 5–0 win overBradford City, Swansea becoming the first non-English Premier League team to win the League Cup and the first since 1927 to win a major English cup (Swansea's rivalsCardiff City won theFA Cup in 1927).[79] ManagerMichael Laudrup praised Tiendalli for his performance in response to uncertainty over his future.[80] Laudrup, however, said he expected Tiendalli to move on at the end of the season.[81] Tiendalli scored his first goal for the club in a 3–2 away win overWigan Athletic on 7 May 2013 at theDW Stadium.[82] In his first season at Swansea City, he made twenty-one appearances and scored once in all competitions. At the end of the 2012–13 season, Tiendalli's agent Sebastien Casenaz toldTalksport that he would not be at Swansea the following season after contract talks had broken down.[83]
On 28 August 2013, however, Tiendalli re-joined Swansea City on a three-year contract lasting until June 2016.[84] His first game after signing for the club in his second spell came on 19 September 2013 againstValencia in the UEFA Europa League, a 3–0 victory.[85] However, his first-team opportunities at Swansea City were limited once again, due to competition with other defenders.[86] He made six starts in league matches during December in the absence of Rangel.[87] Tiendalli set up Swansea City's goal in a 2–1 defeat toEverton on 22 December 2013.[88] However, once again he was placed down the pecking order, as well as facing injury concerns.[89] After three months away from the first team, he started a match and played 77 minutes before being substituted in a 1–0 defeat toSouthampton on 3 May 2014.[90] By the end of the 2013–14 season, Tiendalli had appeared nineteen times in all competitions.
Tiendalli appeared in the first three matches of the2014–15 season,[91] but again found himself down the pecking order.[92] After not playing for five months, Tiendalli returned to the starting line-up againstTranmere Rovers in the third round of the FA Cup, Swansea winning 6–2.[93] He made two more appearances for the club later in January.[94]
On 26 March 2015, Tiendalli was loaned out to promotion-chasingMiddlesbrough of theChampionship for the remainder of the2014–15 season.[95] He made his Boro debut away toWatford on 6 April 2015, starting in a 2–0 loss.[96] He sat out the next four matches for the club and did not make an appearance until the last game of the season, a 0–0 draw withBrighton & Hove Albion.[97] These were his only two appearances for Middlesbrough. Middlesbrough elected to terminate his loan deal, allowing him to return to his parent club.[98]
He was deemed by Swansea City to be surplus to requirements,[99] and on 1 September 2015 the club announced that his contract had been cancelled by mutual consent.[100]
Tiendalli's start to his Oxford United career was affected by fitness concerns.[104] He made his debut for the club on 29 August 2017, starting in a 6–2 win overStevenage in an EFL Trophy match.[105] In the 28th minute of a 1–1 draw againstMilton Keynes Dons on 2 September 2017, Tiendalli suffered a hamstring injury and was substituted.[106] Following surgery, he was sidelined for a month.[107] He returned to the starting line-up on 28 October 2017, in a 2–0 defeat toFleetwood Town.[108] The next two months saw him establish himself in the starting eleven, playing in the right-back position.[109] He also contributed two assists, both goals scored byJames Henry.[110] Tiendalli was released at the end of the2017–18 season[111] having played in 13 league fixtures, none of them under new managerKarl Robinson.[112]
In May 2013, Tiendalli was called up to thesenior team for the first time.[125] He made his full international debut in a 3–0 friendly win againstIndonesia on 7 June 2013, replacingDaryl Janmaat in the second half.[126] His first starting appearance, and his only other senior appearance, was againstChina four days later.[127]
Tiendalli is married and has three children.[114][128] Tiendalli lived in Oxford, England, and his children attended school in England, while he travelled to Netherlands for his business.[114]
Tiendalli's brother, Wesley Tiendalli, works alongside him as an agent.[114][129]
^van der Linden, Danny (22 September 2018)."Oud FC Utrecht-speler Dwight Tiendalli stopt met voetballen" (in Dutch).Algemeen Dagblad. Retrieved22 September 2020.Dwight Tiendalli is gestopt met voetballen. De verdediger, die zijn professionele loopbaan bij FC Utrecht begon, gaat zich richten op een nieuwe carrière.
