Biography
Who is Leroy Fer?
Early life and family background
Leroy Johan Fer was born in Zoetermeer, South Holland, in the Netherlands. He is the first child of parents who came from the Caribbean island of Curaçao. His father, Lesley Fer, played baseball. His maternal grandfather also had a background as a football player in Curaçao, while his paternal grandfather had roots in Suriname.
Family history runs deep for him. He has one younger brother named Leegreg, who spent time playing for the youth teams at Feyenoord. He also has a sister. His cousin, Patrick van Aanholt, is also a professional football player. Growing up in the Netherlands, he started his youth football career at the local club DWO in Zoetermeer. He remained there until he was nine years old, before accepting an invitation to join the youth academy at Feyenoord along with his friend Kaj Ramsteijn.
Professional club career in the Netherlands
Leroy Fer made his official breakthrough with the Feyenoord first team during the 2007–08 season. He debuted on December 2, 2007, against Heracles Almelo at age 17. Shortly after, he signed his first professional contract with the club. During that initial season, he participated in 13 league matches. By the 2008–09 season, he became a regular member of the first team, playing primarily as a central attacking midfielder. He scored his first official goal for the club on October 29, 2008, in a match against Sparta Rotterdam.
As his career progressed, he took on more responsibility. Ahead of the 2010–11 season, he was named the vice-captain of the squad and began wearing the number eight shirt. During this time, he played as a central midfielder. Despite some injury setbacks, including a significant knee injury in late 2010, he remained a key figure for the team. Over his years at Feyenoord, he played in various positions, from right back to defensive midfielder, under different coaches like Mario Been and Gertjan Verbeek.
International play and career highlights
Leroy represented the Netherlands on the international stage. He made eleven appearances for the Netherlands national team between 2010 and 2014. A major highlight of his international career was being part of the Dutch squad that reached third place at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. His performances for the national under-21 team were also noted, with coach Cor Pot comparing his playing style and field presence to professional player Patrick Vieira.
Throughout his time in the sport, he earned several nicknames. A youth coach at Feyenoord called him De Uitsmijter, which translates to The Bouncer, because of his strong physical appearance. Other nicknames used for him included Lerra and Ferovic. Aside from his long tenure at Feyenoord, his professional career included stints with FC Twente, Norwich City, Queens Park Rangers, and Swansea City. He also played for the Netherlands national under-21 football team.
Birthday and age
Leroy Fer was born on January 5, 1990, which makes Leroy 36 years old today. That birthday falls under the Capricorn sign. Leroy shares the date with 50 other famous people.
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