A youth product ofEredivisie sideFeyenoord, Wijnaldum became the youngest player ever to represent the club when he made his debut in 2007, and went on to play 134 matches over the course of a five-year spell, winning theKNVB Cup in 2008. Following his departure from Feyenoord, Wijnaldum spent four seasons atPSV, where he won the KNVB Cup in his first season and the Eredivisie in his last, a season where he also earned theDutch Footballer of the Year award.
In 2015, Wijnaldum joined Premier League sideNewcastle United for £14.5 million, before departing a year later to joinLiverpool in a £23 million deal. At Liverpool, Wijnaldum took on a role deeper in the midfield than in his previous clubs. In the2018–19 season, Wijnaldum scored twice againstBarcelona in the Champions League semi-final second leg comeback as Liverpool went through 4–3 on aggregate, and he started as the club were victorious in the2019 UEFA Champions League final.[4][5] In the following season, he played an integral role as Liverpool won theUEFA Super Cup,FIFA Club World Cup andPremier League, the club's first league title in 30 years. Wijnaldum appeared 237 times in a Liverpool shirt and is often regarded as a club legend who played a major part in Liverpool's successes over his years at the club.[6] Wijnaldum signed for French clubParis Saint-Germain in 2021 on a free transfer.
Wijnaldum is also a full Dutch international, having earned over 90 caps since making his debut in 2011, and was a member of the squads which finished third at the2014 FIFA World Cup and runners-up in the2018–19 UEFA Nations League.
Wijnaldum was born and raised inRotterdam,South Holland.[7] When he was six years old, his parents, who are both ofSurinamese descent, went through a divorce resulting in his mother moving toAmsterdam.[7][8] However, Wijnaldum stayed in Rotterdam and moved in with his grandmother, where he lived for the remainder of his childhood.[9]
In Wijnaldum's younger years, he never showed interest in football. He never played with a ball or watched football on TV. His ambition was to become a gymnast or acrobat. This changed when Wijnaldum's cousin asked him to come toSparta Rotterdam's opening day with him; then he was invited to the Sparta Rotterdam youth academy and his love for football started to grow slowly.[10]
At age six, Wijnaldum developed himself rapidly at Sparta Rotterdam, winning two championship titles in his first two seasons. SoonAjax,PSV andFeyenoord showed interest in the youngster, but Wijnaldum declined all offers: "I didn't watch football on TV and I didn't know any of the first team players of Sparta or any of the top clubs. I only knew the real famous players ofOranje, so the offers didn't impress me much. I had a good time at Sparta, I wanted to stay." After playing for Sparta Rotterdam for seven seasons and representing the Netherlands at various youth levels, Wijnaldum decided to accept a new Feyenoord offer. He was convinced playing for Feyenoord was better for his development as a football player and believed in Feyenoord's vision.[10]
At Feyenoord, Wijnaldum joined a successful generation with the likes ofLeroy Fer andLuís Pedro. Wijnaldum stood out as an exceptional talent. In January 2007, a few weeks after turning 16, Wijnaldum was invited to the first team's training camp inBelek, Turkey, by Feyenoord managerErwin Koeman.[14]
On 8 April 2007, Wijnaldum made his official debut in Feyenoord's starting line-up in the 4–0Eredivisie home defeat toGroningen.[15] At the age of 16 and 148 days, Wijnaldum became the youngest player ever to play in Feyenoord's first team and was chosen Feyenoord's man of the match. On 2 December 2007, Wijnaldum scored his first Eredivisie goal for Feyenoord, againstHeracles Almelo in a 6–0 home win.[16]
In the 2008–09 season, Wijnaldum made his official European debut. On 18 September 2008, he was named in the starting line-up in the 1–0UEFA Cuphome loss toKalmar FF.[17] On 2 October 2008, he scored his first European goal for Feyenoord in the return match over Kalmar FF, which resulted in a 1–2 win and a place in thecompetition's group stage.[18]
On 6 March 2009, Wijnaldum signed a new contract at Feyenoord which would have kept him atDe Kuip until summer 2012.[19] On 27 February 2011, he helped his struggling Feyenoord to a 5–1 demolition of Groningen, scoring four goals. He scored two goals from open play in the first half and two more from the penalty spot to add his total forthe season to eight goals.[20]
On 29 June 2011, the technical director of Feyenoord announced the club had reached a transfer deal for Wijnaldum reported to be worth €5 million withPSV.[21] On the opening day of the2011–12 Eredivisie season, Wijnaldum made his debut for PSV in a 3–1 loss againstAZ.[22] On 21 August 2011, Wijnaldum scored his first goal for PSV in a 3–0 victory againstADO Den Haag. Since joining the club, Wijnaldum established himself in the starting 11 as he scored goals and developed assists from his attacking role in midfield in Eredivisie, the KNVB Cup and the UEFA Europa League. After the retirement ofMark van Bommel and the departure ofKevin Strootman in the summer of 2013, Wijnaldum was named PSV's captain for the2013–14 Eredivisie season. However, he played just 11 matches that year, scoring four goals, due to a back injury. For the2014–15 Eredivisie season, Wijnaldum returned to full fitness and captained PSV to their first Eredivisie title since2008.
On 11 July 2015, Wijnaldum joined EnglishPremier League clubNewcastle United on a five-year contract, for a reported transfer fee of £14.5 million, making him the most expensive signing ofMike Ashley's ownership.[23] Wijnaldum made his debut on 9 August as Newcastle began the season with a 2–2 home draw againstSouthampton, heading in a goal fromGabriel Obertan's cross.[24] He would score his second Newcastle goal in a 2–2 draw withChelsea on 26 September.[25] On 18 October, Wijnaldum scored four goals in a 6–2 home win overNorwich City,[26] becoming only the second Newcastle player to score more than three goals in a Premier League match.[27] Wijnaldum was considered the player of the match in a game againstLiverpool when he forcedMartin Škrtel into an own goal as well as scoring himself in a 2–0 win.[28] He scored againstManchester United in a 3–3 draw on 12 January 2016,[29] and again four days later in a 2–1 win againstWest Ham United,[30] and later scored twice againstTottenham Hotspur in a 5–1 win on the final day of the season, finishing the season as Newcastle's top goalscorer.[31] However, after the season, Newcastle were relegated to theChampionship.
On 22 July 2016, Wijnaldum returned to the Premier League, signing for Liverpool on a five-year contract, for an initial £23 million with a further £2 million in conditional add-ons. He was given the number 5 shirt.[32][33]
Wijnaldum made his Premier League debut for Liverpool atArsenal on 14 August 2016, where he played 80 minutes and provided an assist forAdam Lallana before being replaced byKevin Stewart in a 4–3 win.[34] He scored his first goal for the club in a 6–1 thrashing ofWatford on 6 November.[35] On 31 December, he scored the match's only goal with a powerful header in Liverpool's 1–0 win overManchester City to take Liverpool four points clear in second. He was highly praised for his goal.[36] Wijnaldum sealed Liverpool's 3–1 win over Arsenal on 4 March 2017 with a close-range finish in stoppage time.[37] In the final match of the2016–17 Premier League season, with Liverpool needing a win overMiddlesbrough to secure a top-four finish and a2017–18 UEFA Champions League berth, Wijnaldum opened the scoring with a first-half stoppage time goal as Liverpool won 3–0.[38]
On 28 October 2017, Wijnaldum scored his first goal of the2017–18 season, scoring the third goal in Liverpool's 3–0 win over newly-promotedHuddersfield Town.[39] On 2 May 2018, Wijnaldum scored his first away goal since May 2015, and his first for an English club, when he netted in a 7–6 aggregate victory overRoma to help Liverpool progress to the final of the2017–18 Champions League.[40] His goal also saw Liverpool break the competition's record for the most goals scored in a single campaign, with the club's tally of 46 surpassing the record of 45 previously held byBarcelona.[41] Wijnaldum played for Liverpool in the2018 UEFA Champions League Final againstReal Madrid, playing the full 90 minutes as Liverpool lost 1–3.[42]
On 15 September 2018, Wijnaldum scored his first ever Premier League away goal, scoring the opening goal in a 2–1 win overTottenham Hotspur.[43][44] He made his 100th appearance for the club on 29 September in a 1–1 Premier League draw with Chelsea.[45] On 14 April 2019, and against the same opposition, he made his 100th Premier League appearance for Liverpool.[46][47] Notably coming on as a substitute in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, Wijnaldum scored twice in two minutes to draw Liverpool level with Barcelona at 3–3 on aggregate beforeDivock Origi's second goal of the night sent Liverpool to the final.[48] In the final, Liverpool went on to beatTottenham Hotspur 2–0.[49]
At the start of the2019–20 season, Wijnaldum was first choice in Liverpool's competitive midfield selection. FollowingManchester City's FA Cup and League double theprevious season, Liverpool were invited to the2019 FA Community Shield as the league runners-up.[50] Wijnaldum was named in the starting lineup, playing the full match and was one of Liverpool's penalty takers in the subsequentpenalty shoot-out but missed what turned out to be the crucial penalty as Man City won 5–4 on spot-kicks.[51] After starting againstNorwich City in the Red's opening Premier League game,[52] he was on the bench for the2019 UEFA Super Cup againstChelsea which Liverpool had qualified for via last season's Champions League win.[53] Wijnaldum was brought on forJames Milner in the 64th minute. He played the remainder of the game but was not included among the penalty takers for the resulting shoot-out. Liverpool ended up winning 6–5 on penalties as Wijnaldum won his second trophy in three months.[54] On 4 December 2019, just two days after being voted 26th in the polls for the2019 Ballon d'Or award, Wijnaldum scored for Liverpool in the club's 5–2Merseyside derby win overEverton as Liverpool extended their unbeaten run in league football to a club-record 32 matches.[55][56] He was one of Liverpool's key players as they wontheir first league title in 30 years, playing in all but one of the club's 38 Premier League matches, scoring four goals.[57][58]
During the2020–21 season, Wijnaldum scored 3 goals in 51 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool. He helped the club make the quarter-finals of the Champions League and secure a spot for the following season in the competition.[59] On 23 May 2021, Wijnaldum played his final match for Liverpool, a 2–0 win overCrystal Palace. ManagerJürgen Klopp officially confirmed his departure from the club at the end of his contract.[60]
On 7 June 2021, Wijnaldum signed a three-year contract withLigue 1 clubParis Saint-Germain (PSG), as reported byFabrizio Romano andThe Guardian. PSG reportedly "hijacked" a move for the midfielder byLa Liga clubBarcelona, offering him "twice the wage" Barcelona had offered.[61] The move was officially announced on 10 June,[62] and Wijnaldum's presentation at PSG was on 22 July. He chose the number 18 jersey.[63]
Wijnaldum scored his first two goals for PSG in a 2–2 Champions League draw againstRB Leipzig on 3 November 2021.[64] His first Ligue 1 goal came in a 1–1 away draw withLens on 4 December, when he rescued a point with an injury-time header.[65] By the end of the season, Wijnaldum had won the league title with Paris Saint-Germain.[66]
On 4 August 2022,Serie A clubRoma announced the signing of Wijnaldum, on loan from PSG. As part of the agreement, Roma received an option to make the move permanent at the end of the 2022–23 season.[67] On 14 August, he made his debut for the club, as a substitute, in a 1–0 away win overSalernitana.[68] On 21 August, it was announced that Wijnaldum had suffered atibia fracture in training, and that he would be expected to miss the majority of the season.[69] He made his return to competition with Roma on 11 February 2023, almost six months later, as a substitute in a 1–1 away draw againstLecce.[70] On 12 March, Wijnaldum scored his first goal for Roma in a 4–3 home defeat toSassuolo, achip over the goalkeeper in stoppage time.[71]
On 12 November 2008, Wijnaldum was invited to the Netherlands B squad by managerJohan Neeskens but had to deny the invitation due to an injury.[74]
Wijnaldum had to deny his firstNetherlands under-21 invitation on 9 August 2009.[75] He received an invitation for the friendly match againstEngland by managerCor Pot.[76] Wijnaldum made his official Netherlands under-21 debut on 4 September 2009 in a2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification match againstFinland, which ended in a 2–0 victory.
Wijnaldum was selected for the Netherlands at the2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, where he made three appearances and scored against bothGermany andRussia, as theJong Oranje reached the semi-final stage, where they were beaten byItaly.[77]
On 30 May 2011, Wijnaldum was named in theNetherlands senior squad for friendlies againstBrazil andUruguay, but did not play in either match.[78] He made his international debut in the match againstSan Marino on 2 September 2011, appearing as a substitute in the 86th minute and promptly scoring the final goal in an 11–0 win.[79]
Wijnaldum was a member of the Netherlands squad for the2014 FIFA World Cup, where he appeared as a substitute in the team's opening two group matches againstSpain andAustralia. After making his first start of the tournament in the finalGroup B match againstChile, Wijnaldum retained his place in the starting line-up for the remainder of the Netherlands' run to the semi-finals, where they were beaten byArgentina in apenalty shootout.[80] In the third-place play-off, he scored his second goal for theOranje as they defeated host nation Brazil 3–0 .[81]
After sustaining a fractured tibia while playing forA.S. Roma in August 2022, Wijnaldum was unable to feature for the Netherlands at the2022 FIFA World Cup.[89] He returned to the squad for theUEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers in March 2023, where he started both matches against France andGibraltar.[90]
In June 2023, Wijnaldum was a member of the Dutch squad for the2023 UEFA Nations League Finals. He appeared as a substitute against bothCroatia in the semi-final andItaly in the third place play-off, scoring the team's second goal of a 3–2 loss in the latter.[91][92]
On 29 May 2024, Wijnaldum was named in the Netherlands' squad forUEFA Euro 2024.[93]
On 23 June 2021, Wijnaldum announced that he would wear a rainbow armband under the sloganOneLove during the Netherlands'UEFA Euro 2020 round of 16 match againstCzechia in a show of solidarity to both theLGBT community and German captainManuel Neuer who had a case opened against him at UEFA for wearing the rainbow armband. The case was later dismissed.[95]
^"Mokerslag in de Kuip: 0–4" [Slam dunk in de Kuip: 0–4] (in Dutch). Feyenoord. 8 April 2007. Archived fromthe original on 13 August 2012. Retrieved6 October 2009.
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