Biography
Who is Eljero Elia?
Early life and youth career
Eljero Elia was born in Voorburg, Netherlands. As a young boy, he played for a local side called SV Voorburg. This club later merged to form Forum Sport in 1998. He eventually joined the youth ranks at TONEGIDO before moving to the ADO Den Haag youth system in 1996 at age nine.
In 2000, Eljero moved to the Ajax youth department. During his time there, he played roles in midfield, defense, and as a right back rather than a winger. He left the Amsterdam club at the under-13 level. Two years later, he returned to the youth setup at ADO Den Haag.
Professional career at ADO Den Haag and Twente
Eljero Elia made his professional debut for ADO Den Haag on 23 January 2005 against FC Groningen. He scored his first professional goal for the club on 8 May 2005 in a match against AZ. By the end of the 2006-07 season, he had recorded 37 appearances and three goals for the team.
After leaving ADO Den Haag, he signed a three-year contract with FC Twente in May 2007. He made his debut for the club against FC Utrecht in August 2007. During the 2008-09 season, Eljero scored fourteen goals in all competitions and helped the team reach the Dutch Cup final. His performances earned him the title of Dutch Football Talent of the Year in 2009.
International and European club career
Eljero Elia moved to the German Bundesliga in July 2009 to join Hamburger SV for a transfer fee of 8.5 million euros. He scored his first goal for the German side against VfL Wolfsburg in August 2009. He also competed in the UEFA Europa League with Hamburger SV, scoring against Hapoel Tel Aviv.
On the international stage, he debuted for the Netherlands in September 2009. He was a member of the Dutch squad that reached the 2010 FIFA World Cup final in South Africa. His club career later included stints with Juventus FC, Feyenoord, and İstanbul Başakşehir. He eventually returned to play for Utrecht and ADO Den Haag before retiring in 2022.
Birthday and age
Eljero Elia was born on February 13, 1987, which makes Eljero 39 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aquarius sign. Eljero shares the date with 23 other famous people.
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