Boudewijn Zenden

Infobox Football biography
playername= Boudewijn Zenden


fullname = Boudewijn Zenden
nickname = Bolo
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1976|08|15
cityofbirth = Maastricht
countryofbirth = Netherlands
height = height|ft=5|in=8
currentclub = Marseille
clubnumber = 10
position = Left-winger / central midfielder
youthyears = 1985–1987 1987–1993
youthclubs = MVV PSV Eindhoven
years = 1993–1998
1998–2001
2001–2004
2003–2004
2004–2005
2005–2007
2007–
clubs = PSV Eindhoven
FC Barcelona
Chelsea
→ Middlesbrough (loan)
Middlesbrough
Liverpool
Marseille
caps(goals) = 109 (32)
064 0(2)
043 0(4)
031 0(4)
036 0(5)
023 0(2)
034 0(4)
nationalyears = 1997–2004
nationalteam = Netherlands
nationalcaps(goals) = 054 0(7)
pcupdate = 1:42, 9 August 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 13 March 2006

Boudewijn "Bolo" Zenden (Pronunciation|BoudewijnZenden.ogg) (born August 15, 1976 in Maastricht) is a Dutch footballer who plays most often as a midfielder. Zenden is currently playing for Marseille. He has earned 54 caps and scored 7 goals for the Dutch national team, and he represented his country in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2000 and Euro 2004 tournaments.

Prior to joining Marseille, Zenden played for PSV Eindhoven (1994-98), Barcelona (1998-2001), Chelsea (2001-03), Middlesbrough (2003-05) and Liverpool (2005-07). He started his career out as a winger, playing on the left, however he has also played as a left-wingback and a central midfielder during his career.

Youth

Zenden's father Pierre Zenden is a former judoka, who worked as a sports broadcaster for the public NOS broadcasting system from 1968 to 2005. [nl icon [http://www.jbn.nl/li/nieuws/DU2960_Pierre+Zenden+bondsridder.aspx Pierre Zenden bondsridder] , "jbn.nl", May 25, 2005] Zenden played football and was also competitive in judo as a child. In 1985 Dutch club MVV Maastricht signed Zenden after watching him play for amateur club Leonidas. Two years later Zenden joined the youth academy of PSV Eindhoven. [http://www.lfchistory.net/player_articles_view.asp?article_id=854&player_id=1129 Profile of Bolo Zenden] at "lfchistory.net"]

He earned his judo black belt by the age of 14 [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/1954699.stm Chelsea who's who] , "BBC Sport", April 30, 2002] and was three times judo champion of his home province of Limburg. [ [http://football.guardian.co.uk/Euro2000/Euronotes/0,,335476,00.html Boudewijn Zenden] at "football.guardian.co.uk"] However, at the age of 16 he chose to pursue a career in football.

Club career

PSV

As his career developed at PSV Eindhoven, Zenden made the left wing position his own, displacing Peter Hoekstra and finally becoming a firm member of the starting line-up after the departure of Dutch national team player Jan Wouters. Zenden was an important part of the PSV team that won the Dutch Eredivisie league championship in 1997, and he received the 1997 "Dutch Talent of the Year" award. [http://www.lfchistory.net/player_articles_view.asp?article_id=854&player_id=1129 Profile of Bolo Zenden] at "lfchistory.net"] After another season at PSV, in which he scored 12 goals in 23 games, he moved to Spanish club Barcelona in 1998.

Barcelona

At Barcelona he became part of a large contingent of Dutch players under Barcelona's Dutch coach Louis van Gaal. He found his first-team opportunities at Barcelona limited by the form of fellow Dutchman Marc Overmars, who played in Zenden's favoured left wing position for both club and country. Instead, Zenden was deployed as a left wingback, a defensive role which he took on successfully, as he displaced Spanish international and local favourite Sergi Barjuán. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/euro2000/teams/holland/squad/743886.stm EURO2000 | SQUAD | Boudewijn Zenden] at "BBC Sport".] He helped Barcelona win the 1998-99 La Liga championship, and in the 1999-2000 season, he scored his only three goals for the club. However, after Van Gaal's resignation as coach in 2000, first team appearances became more scarce for Zenden. At the end of the 2000-2001 season, English club Chelsea bought him for £7.5 million. [ [http://www.soccernet.com/england/players/zendenboudewijn.html Boudewijn Zenden] at "Soccernet"]

Chelsea

In his three years at Chelsea, Zenden played in the 2002 FA Cup final, a 2-0 defeat by Arsenal, however he struggled to maintain a constant place in the starting line-up mainly due to persistent injuries. [ [http://soccernet.espn.go.com/players/profile?id=8918& Boudewijn Zenden profile] , ESPN]

Middlesbrough

He was loaned out to Middlesbrough for the 2003-2004 season. Here he found playing success, as he scored the winning goal in the 2004 League Cup final against Bolton Wanderers to secure Middlesbrough their first major trophy in club history. When his contract with Chelsea expired in the summer 2004, he moved to Middlesbrough on a free transfer, signing a one-year contract for the 2004-2005 season. [ [http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=305891&cc=5739 Zenden signs one-year Boro deal] , "Soccernet", July 31, 2004] He was deployed in a central midfield position, where he played 36 of 38 league games, scoring 5 goals in the process, and was voted the Middlesbrough fans' 2005 Player of the Year. [http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/team/squad/zenden/a_index.shtml Boudewijn Zenden Squad Profile] at "liverpoolfc.tv"] However, it would be his last for Middlesbrough, as he left in the summer of 2005 when his contract ran out.

Liverpool

Zenden joined newly crowned UEFA Champions League champions Liverpool on July 4, 2005. He started his Liverpool career being used regularly as a left midfielder, and was in the starting line-up as Liverpool won the 2005 European Super Cup. He suffered a serious cruciate ligament injury in his right knee in December 2005, [Neil Johnston, [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20051210/ai_n15921734 Knee injury rules out Zenden for season] , "The Independent", December 10, 2005] which ruled him out for the rest of the season. He recovered for the start of the 2006-2007 season, and was part of the Liverpool team that won the 2006 Community Shield. After the departure of German central midfielder Dietmar Hamann in the summer 2006, Liverpool manager Rafa Benítez indicated that he saw Zenden as an option in the central midfield. [Mark Platt, [http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N152869060711-1301.htm Rafa: Bolo can be middle man] , "liverpoolfc.tv", July 11, 2006]

Zenden suffered a further knee injury playing against Manchester City on November 25th, 2006, and has recovered since undergoing surgery. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/6192408.stm Zenden out for six weeks after op] "BBC Sport", November 28, 2006]

Zenden played in both legs of Liverpool's Champions League semi-final against Chelsea, scoring Liverpool's first penalty in the penalty shootout at the end of the second leg, which Liverpool won 4-1.

Marseille

On May 24 2007, it was announced by Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez that Zenden's contract would not be renewed and that he was allowed to talk to other clubs [liverpoolfc.tv, [http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N156037070524-0837.htm Gonzalez Set To Leave Reds] , May 24, 2007] , and on July 6, 2007, Zenden signed a 2 year contract with Olympique de Marseille.

International career

Zenden made his debut for the Dutch national team in a 1998 World Cup qualification match against San Marino on April 30, 1997. He was included in the starting formation, and played the entire game as the Netherlands won 6-0. [nl icon [http://www.knvb.nl/oranje/programma/opstelling?match_id=538 Wedstrijd details | San Marino 0 - 6 Nederland] at "KNVB"] He was called up to represent the Netherlands at the 1998 World Cup in France, where Zenden started the tournament as a substitute. Coming on twice as a substitute, he was selected to start in the semi-final loss to Brazil. He was once more selected to play in the 3rd placing playoff against Croatia, where he scored a goal after a solo run and a powerful long-range shot. [ [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/world/events/1998/worldcup/scoreboards/1998/07/11/recap.croatia.netherlands.html World Cup Soccer Recap (Netherlands-Croatia)] , "CNN/SI", July 11, 1998] After scoring, he attempted to celebrate with an acrobatic somersault, but failed, throwing himself head first to the ground.

It was during the run-up to Euro 2000 that he gained acclaim, with the tournament itself providing the platform some of his finest performances. His raw pace and acceleration down the flank, coupled with his ability to function both as a wing-forward and as a wing-back made him a versatile player to have in the squad. His man-of-the-match performance in a friendly against Germany at the turn of the millennium cemented his position in the national team -- he set up the opening goal for Patrick Kluivert, then added his own name to the scoresheet with a thunderous volley from Ronald de Boer's corner, before nearly putting the gloss on the finish when he left the entire German defence for dead with his raw pace, beat the goalkeeper with his shot, only for it to rebound off the upright.

Zenden played in all five Dutch matches at Euro 2000. Carrying his pre-tournament form into the big event, Zenden grabbed a goal against Denmark and the winner against France to help the Netherlands finish top of Group D. The Dutch annihilated the Yugoslavians 6-1 in the quarter-final; Zenden once again put in a stellar performance, including the assist for what turned out to be Kluivert's hat-trick goal. He started the semi-final against Italy, but he was substituted in a game that would see the Dutch be eliminated on penalties. Zenden was named in the UEFA Team of the Tournament, along with compatriots Patrick Kluivert (top goalscorer), Frank de Boer, and Edgar Davids.

Zenden featured again in Euro 2004 (Euro 2004), though he only played in the first match against Germany and as a substitute in the semi-final defeat to Portugal. Following the tournament, Zenden, like other experienced players including Clarence Seedorf and Edgar Davids, found himself excluded from the national squad selection by new Dutch national team coach Marco van Basten. Since September 2004, Zenden has not been called up, and the injury he suffered in December 2005 put paid to any chance he might have had of playing in the 2006 World Cup.

Career statistics

Club performance

International goals

:"Scores and results list the Netherlands' goal tally first."

Honours

;flagicon|NED PSV Eindhoven
* 1995–96 Dutch Cup
* 1996–97 Dutch League Championship

;flagicon|ESP Barcelona
* 1998–99 Spanish League Championship

;flagicon|ENG Middlesbrough
* 2003–04 League Cup

;flagicon|ENG Liverpool
* 2005–06 European Super Cup
* 2006–07 Community Shield
* 2006–07 UEFA Champions League - Runner-up

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=12662|name=Boudewijn Zenden
*nl icon [http://www.knvb.nl/oranje/selectie/spelers/detail?player_id=20031111101427111 Dutch national team profile]
* [http://www.4thegame.com/club/liverpool-fc/player-profile/1543/boudewijnzenden.html Profile] at 4thegame.com
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/searchresults.asp?ButtonLe
] at sporting-heroes.net
* [http://premierleague.com/fapl.rac?command=forwardOnly&nextPage=enPlayerProfile&playerId=38680 Profile] at premierleague.com
*wvo|1110

Persondata
NAME= Zenden, Boudewijn
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Zenden, Boudewijn
SHORT DESCRIPTION= footballer
DATE OF BIRTH= 1976-08-15
PLACE OF BIRTH= Maastricht , Netherlands
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=