page_title: Maarten Stekelenburg
section_title: Ajax
hierarchical_section_title: Maarten Stekelenburg / Club career / Ajax
caption_attribution_description: Lorenzo Ebecilio, Maarten Stekelenburg &amp; Gregory van der Wiel.
context_page_description: Maarten Stekelenburg is a Dutch footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Eredivisie club Ajax and the Netherlands national team.
  Stekelenburg began his career at Ajax, playing 282 matches over nine seasons and winning nine honours, including two Eredivisie titles. He went on to play for Roma, Fulham, Monaco, Southampton and Everton. He returned to Ajax following the expiry of his contract at Everton following the 2019/20 Premier League season.
  Stekelenburg made his debut for the Netherlands in 2004, and has earned 58 caps in total as of July 2018. He was understudy to Edwin van der Sar at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2008, then was first choice as he helped his nation to the 2010 World Cup final and played at Euro 2012.
context_section_description: Stekelenburg began his career at Zandvoort '75 before joining VV Schoten, which he left for Ajax when he was 15 years old. He made his official debut for Ajax on 24 February 2002, in a match against NAC Breda. At the start of the 2002–03 season, he won his first prize when Ajax won the Johan Cruyff Shield. In 2004, he and Ajax won the Eredivisie championship, having played ten matches that season.
  Stekelenburg became the first choice goalkeeper at Ajax in the 2005–06 season. In 2006, he won his first KNVB Cup. At the start of the 2006–07 season, he won his second Johan Cruyff Shield, which he helped his team defend the next season, and later on in 2006–07, he won his second KNVB Cup.
  Stekelenburg was named Ajax "Player of the Year" for the 2007–08 season, succeeding Wesley Sneijder.
  During the 2008–09 season, he lost his place in the goal to Kenneth Vermeer due to injuries. He re-established himself as the first-choice goalkeeper under new manager Martin Jol and subsequently had a very strong season for both Ajax and the Dutch national side. During the 2009–10 season, Stekelenburg went on to have a consistent season, playing in all of Ajax's Eredivisie and Europa League matches, the latter after they were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League in the group stage. However, Stekelenburg sustained a finger injury which kept him out for the remainder of the season. He made a total of 51 appearances in the 2010–11 season in all competitions.
  After winning the 2010–11 Eredivisie on 15 May 2011, Stekelenburg dropped the trophy while standing on top of the Ajax team coach with Jan Vertonghen. He won Ajax Player of the Year for the second time.
caption: Stekelenburg with his Ajax teammates
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