Biography
Who is Gerald Vanenburg?
Early life and career
Gerald Vanenburg Mervin Vanenburg was born in Utrecht, Netherlands, on March 5, 1964. He grew up of Surinamese descent and completed his football training with AFC Ajax. He made his senior Eredivisie debut for Ajax exactly one month after his seventeenth birthday against ADO Den Haag. During his early years in Amsterdam, he became a regular starter and provided many assists for teammates like Marco van Basten and Wim Kieft. His skills earned him early recognition as the club secured multiple national championships during the first half of the nineteen eighties.
Success with PSV Eindhoven
In 1986, Gerald transferred to PSV Eindhoven. In his first season, he scored nine goals in thirty-four matches as the club won the league title. The following campaign proved even more successful as PSV secured a historic treble. Gerald played in the final of the European Cup and successfully converted his penalty kick during the shootout against S.L. Benfica.
International success
Gerald earned forty-two caps for the Netherlands national team during his career. He made his international debut in April 1982 in a friendly match against Greece in Eindhoven. He was selected for the squad that competed at the UEFA Euro 1988 tournament in West Germany. Playing in every match, he helped the Oranje lift the trophy after defeating the Soviet Union in the final.
Later career and coaching
At the age of twenty-nine, Gerald moved abroad for the first time to play for Júbilo Iwata in Japan, helping the team earn promotion to the top tier. He later played for FC Utrecht in his home country, followed by stints with AS Cannes in France and TSV 1860 Munich in Germany. He retired from professional play in the year 2000 at the age of thirty-six, having transitioned to playing as a sweeper during his time in Germany.
Personal life
Gerald stands 172 centimeters tall. He comes from a footballing family, as his uncle Roy Vanenburg was a well-known Surinamese international player and manager, and professional player Javairô Dilrosun is also his nephew. In 1984, he was the main subject of a documentary directed by Rimko Haanstra titled Van straat tot stadion.
Birthday and age
Gerald Vanenburg was born on March 5, 1964, which makes Gerald 62 years old today. That birthday falls under the Pisces sign. Gerald shares the date with 23 other famous people.
Explore more
