Demy de Zeeuw

Demy Patrick René de Zeeuw (born 26 May 1983) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

He previously played for AGOVV, Go Ahead Eagles, AZ and AFC Ajax.

In the 2001–02 season, he played three league matches for the club, and went on to play five seasons for the club, playing 65 matches and scoring 7 goals.

By the 2004–05 season, de Zeeuw established himself as an important player for the club.

His performance attracted from Eredivisie clubs, including FC Groningen.

De Zeeuw's performances were noticed by Eredivisie club AZ Alkmaar, especially after he played well during a friendly game against AZ in the summer of 2005.

AZ manager Louis van Gaal was impressed by the player and he transferred to the club for €100,000, signing a four-year contract.

De Zeeuw made his debut for AZ Alkmaar in the opening game of the season against Sparta Rotterdam and started the whole game, as the club won 3–0.

Since joining the club, he quickly became a first team regular, playing in the either defender and midfield position.

De Zeeuw played in both legs of the first round of the UEFA Cup against Krylia Sovetov Samara, as he helped AZ Alkmaar went through to the group stage through away goal following a 6–6 draw.

However, de Zeeuw suffered a muscle injury during a 3–0 loss against PSV Eindhoven on 16 October 2005 and was substituted in the 35th minute.

After the match, it was announced that he would be sidelined for two months.

On 10 December 2005, de Zeeuw made his return to the first team, coming on as a second-half substitute, in a 3–1 win against FC Twente.

In a follow–up match against RKC Waalwijk, he scored his first goal for the club, in a 3–0 win.

At the end of the 2005–06 season, de Zeeuw went on to make 33 appearances and scoring once in all competitions in his first season in the Alkmaarderhout.

Consequently, in May 2006 he was offered a new contract by AZ that would keep him until 2010.

In the opening game of the 2006–07 season, de Zeeuw started the season well when he set up a goal for Joris Mathijsen, in an 8–1 win against NAC Breda.

In a follow–up match against Vitesse, de Zeeuw scored his first goal of the season, in a 3–1 win.

Since the start of the 2006–07 season, he continued to establish himself in the first team, playing in the midfield position.

De Zeeuw scored his second goal of the season, in a 10–0 win against VV Bennekom in the second round of the KNVB Cup.

He then scored two goals in two matches between 22 October 2006 and 26 October 2006 against PSV Eindhoven and Willem II.

A week later on 2 November 2006, de Zeeuw scored his first European goal of his career, in a 5–2 win against Grasshoppers.

He then scored three goals in three matches between 8 November 2006 and 18 November 2006 against SV Meerssen, Heracles Almelo and Feyenoord.

Despite being sidelined the total of three matches throughout the 2006–07 season, he went on to make 53 appearances and scoring nine times in all competitions.

On 14 February 2007, de Zeeuw scored his ninth goal of the season, in a 3–3 draw against Fenerbahçe in the first leg of UEFA Cup Round of 32.

During a 1–1 draw against AFC Ajax on 25 February 2007, he found himself colliding with Maarten Stekelenburg, leading to teammate Maarten Martens scoring an equalising goal, which led to criticism from Netherlands media.

De Zeeuw helped the club beat NAC Breda to reach the KNVB Cup Final on 19 April 2007.

In the final against Ajax, he started in the match and played 102 minutes before being substituted following a 1–1 draw, as AZ Alkmaar went on to lose on penalties.

De Zeeuw was featured in both legs in the play-offs for the European place against Ajax once again but the club lost 4–2 on aggregate.

At the start of the 2007–08 season, de Zeeuw scored his first goal of the season, in a 3–0 win against Excelsior on 31 August 2007.

His second goal of the season came on 23 September 2007, in a 3–2 loss against Ajax.

Two weeks later on 7 October 2007, he scored his third goal of the season, in a 2–2 draw against FC Groningen.

While at AZ he was a key player in the squad that won the 2008–09 Dutch league, the club's first championship victory in 28 years.

Following this success he transferred to Ajax, with whom he won the 2009–10 Dutch Cup, and the 2010–11 Dutch league title.

A good tackler and a gifted passer of the ball, he made 24 appearances for the Netherlands national team.

De Zeeuw began playing football in his hometown Apeldoorn at WSV Apeldoorn and stated that football was his passion, having started out playing the sport when he was five years old.

De Zeeuw played there until he was twelve at which point he was scouted by Go Ahead Eagles.

De Zeeuw progressed through the club's youth system and signed his first professional contract with them when he was eighteen years old.

De Zeeuw played his first matches in professional football for the Deventer-based Go Ahead Eagles.

Following this, de Zeeuw signed a contract extension with AZ, keeping him until 2011.