EPAStrootman in May of this year as a Genoa player
NOS Voetbal•vandaag, 11:53
Kevin Strootman stops playing football. The 46-time international announced this on his social media. “Careers come to an end, thanks football!”, the midfielder writes on X.
Strootman started his professional career at Sparta. From Rotterdam he then switched to FC Utrecht and from there things went quickly. Within six months, Utrecht sold the midfielder to PSV for millions.
In Eindhoven he won the KNVB Cup and a Johan Cruijff Shield.
The footballer from Ridderkerk played no fewer than 88 games for PSV before making his first foreign top transfer. The Eindhoven club sold him to AS Roma for 17.5 million euros.
After AS Roma, Strootman played for Marseille, Genoa and Cagliari. The footballer has been transfer-free since last summer. His old club Sparta made another attempt to bring Strootman back to Rotterdam, but that failed.
In Italy, Strootman was soon nicknamed ‘Il lavatrice’, or the washing machine, because of the dirty work he did for his teams from midfield.
International
On February 9, 2011, Strootman made his debut for the Dutch national team during a practice match against Austria (3-1). After 72 minutes of play he replaced Theo Janssen.
Strootman played a total of 46 international matches, but never played in a final tournament. In 2012 he was in the Dutch squad for the European Championship, but he did not play a minute.
Two years later, Strootman was to travel with the Dutch national team to the World Cup in Brazil, but that was canceled due to a serious knee injury. “My world collapsed,” the midfielder said at the time. The Dutch team ultimately finished third at that tournament.
Strootman Bids Adieu: Time to Hang Up His Boots
Kevin Strootman has decided to hang up his boots, and to say the football world is shocked would be an understatement. The midfielder took to social media to announce his retirement with the not-so-subtle proclamation: “Careers come to an end, thanks football!”—which, let’s be honest, sounds like he’s had a pretty tumultuous relationship with the sport. You know, a bit like those couples on reality TV that just can’t seem to quit each other despite the drama.
A Journey Worth Watching
Strootman began his professional journey at Sparta Rotterdam before realising that the real money might just be elsewhere. After a brief stint at FC Utrecht, where his skills attracted attention faster than a cat spotting a laser pointer, he found himself at PSV Eindhoven. There, he snagged both the KNVB Cup and a Johan Cruyff Shield—no, not like a medieval knight; it’s football, folks, and it involves shiny trophies and a lot fewer horses.
Transfer Hot Potato!
After charming fans and scoring goals in Eindhoven, Strootman took the leap into the international market. PSV sold him to AS Roma for a hefty €17.5 million—as if they were trading in Pokémon cards, but these were a valuable sort. Endless battles, thousands of dollars—what could go wrong?
In Italy, his work ethic earned him the nickname ‘Il lavatrice’ (the washing machine)—the sort of moniker that either suggests he was too good at cleaning up after his teammates or perhaps the Italians were just really bad at making metaphors. Regardless, he churned through midfield duties like a domestic appliance on a mission!
International Aspirations
Strootman’s international highlights were a mixed bag. His debut for the Dutch national team came in 2011, where he’d barely broken a sweat before being subbed off after 72 minutes. Talk about getting the starter’s jacket and then being like, “Nah, I’m good.” Over 46 caps later, he never got to grace a major tournament. In 2012, he was named in the squad for the European Championship but didn’t even make it onto the pitch.
That’s right; in 2014, just when he was about to shine bright like a diamond at the World Cup in Brazil, a knee injury sidelined him, and the Dutch team went on to clinch third place without him. Talk about throwing a spanner in the works—though let’s face it, the Dutch had enough talent even then to still be playing out of their skin.
The Final Switch Off
After stints in Marseille, Genoa, and Cagliari, Strootman found himself without a team since last summer. It was as if his football career had been placed on snooze. His old club Sparta even tried to lure him back to Rotterdam, but that failed faster than a last-minute penalty.
So here we are; Kevin Strootman, the washing machine of midfield may be done. He leaves us with memories, a series of cringe Instagram posts, and a talent that was undeniably potent…
Maybe now he can focus on a new career in motivational speaking—because let’s be real, if anyone can teach you how to rise from the ashes, it’s someone who’s been dropped as a starter every now and then.
Football is full of endings, but for Strootman, this isn’t just a goodbye. Imagine him now, sitting on a beach somewhere with a cocktail, replaying the highlights of his career in his mind, thankful for what was and cheeky about what could have been. Thanks for the memories, Kevin!
