| Player Profile | |
|---|---|
| Name | Steven Jerome Pienaar |
| Nationality | South Africa |
| Date of Birth | 17 March 1982 |
| Latest Club | Retired: Current U18 Assistant Coach of the Ajax Youth Academy |
| Latest Position | Winger, Attacking Midfielder |
History of Steven Pienaar
Steven Pienaar was one of the best soccer players in South Africa. Pienaar was born on 17 March 1982 in Johannesburg, South Africa. He started his football career in 1999 when he played for the Youth team of Ajax Cape Town.
He joined the youth set-up of Ajax CT after attracting attention while playing for the School of Excellence in 2000. Pienaar later featured for Ajax Cape Town before he was signed by Eredivisie side Ajax.
Pienaar had Dutch coach Leo van Veen to thank for his impact in the early days of his career while he was at Ajax Cape Town. He played his last game for Ajax Cape Town in the Rothman’s Cup final with a 4-1 victory over Orlando Pirate in December 2000.
Pienaar eventually joined Ajax in January 2001, but he didn’t make his debut for the club until February 2002.
Steven Pienaar In South Africa
Following his involvement with Ajax Cape Town, Steven Pienaar caught the eyes of the South African Under-17 team and played just one game between 1999 and 2000.
However, he was eventually featured for the Under-20 team, where he played nine games and scored three goals.
However, thanks to his performance with the Under-20 team and the big move to Eredivisie side Ajax in 2001, Pienaar made his international debut for South Africa at the age of 20 years and 12 days where South Africa triumphed 2-0 over Turkey on 29 March 2002.
After that, Pienaar was called up to the South African squad that graced the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup. However, he couldn’t feature in any of the games. On home soil, Pienaar eventually made his World Cup debut in the 2010 South African World Cup.
Pienaar played a total of 61 games for the National Team and scored three goals before retiring from the South African National Team on 9 June 2012.
Steven Pienaar International Career
Ajax
Steven Pienaar signed for Ajax in January 2001 as a free agent, and he was at the club until 2006 when he moved to Borussia Dortmund.
Pienaar had a successful spell at Ajax, although it didn’t start quite well for him as he had to wait until 2002 to make his debut. However, he played his first game for the Eredivisie side in their 1-0 win over NAC Breda and since then became a vital part of the team.
Pienaar became very instrumental as Ajax chased success which led them to win the Dutch League in 2002 and 2004. He did this alongside notable teammates, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Nigel de Jong, Mido, Wesley Sneijder, Rafael van der Vaart, and others.
Pienaar also helped the side claim the Dutch Cup win in the 2001/02 season and the Dutch Super Cup win in 2006 before leaving the club.
Pienaar eventually made 133 appearances for Ajax before leaving, scoring 18 goals and providing 22 assists.
Borussia Dortmund
After enjoying a fabulous spell at Ajax, Pienaar’s performance attracted interest as Borussia Dortmund signed him on a free transfer as the direct replacement for Tomas Rosicky, who signed for Arsenal.
Pienaar signed a three-year deal when he joined in 2006 and took the No. 10 jersey left behind by the Czech international. However, he couldn’t replicate the same feat as he did with Ajax.
Reports had it that Pienaar didn’t feel accepted by players and coaching staff, and after just one season, he had to leave the club on loan to Everton.
The loan move marked the end of his spell at Dortmund, and he could only make 27 appearances for the Bundesliga side with just one assist. Two of those appearances came in the DFB Pokal, while the other 25 were in the Bundesliga.
Everton – First Spell
Steven Pienaar first joined Everton on loan from Borussia Dortmund in 2007 after struggling to find his feet with the Bundesliga side.
Pienaar made his debut for Everton on 11 August 2007, as the Goodison Park side defeated Wigan Athletic 2-1. Pienaar was brought on as a substitute for Leon Osman in the 73rd minute as he began to write his name in the hearts of Everton fans.
It didn’t take long for the South African to get his first goal for the club, getting on the scoresheet on 30 September 2007, as Everton beat Middlesbrough 2-0 at Goodison Park.
He played 40 times for the club in the 2007-08 season before the end of his loan from Dortmund.
Following his notable performances during the loan spell, Everton took the opportunity to sign Pienaar on a permanent deal in July 2008 for a €2.75 million fee on a three-year deal.
Pienaar picked up from where he stopped for Everton in the 2008-09 season and also made an impact until he left the club in January 2011 for Tottenham.
Pienaar was named Everton’s player of the year in the 2009-10 season despite missing 11 games, and he attracted interest from many clubs.
During his first spell at the club, the South African played 133 times, scoring 14 and assisting 28 goals for the club.
Tottenham
Steven Pienaar’s performance at Everton didn’t go unnoticed, as many clubs showed interest in him.
Chelsea and Tottenham were the two notable sides to bid for him, but he joined Tottenham for a €3.60 million fee on a four-year deal in January 2011.
However, things didn’t go the way Pienaar expected, and he couldn’t replicate his performance at Everton as injuries prevented him from playing for the club.
Pienaar made his debut for Tottenham against Newcastle in a game that ended 1-1.
As the 2011-12 season was about to kick-start in August 2011, Pienaar sustained a groin injury that ruled him out for six weeks.
As a result, he had to wait until 15 December to score his first goal for the club in their 4-0 win against Irish club Shamrock Rovers in the Europa League.
The series of injuries Pienaar had didn’t allow him to make more than 18 appearances for the club before his return to Everton.
Everton – Second Spell
After struggling to get his feet at Tottenham, Steven Pienaar returned to Everton on loan for six months in January 2012 before signing back on a permanent deal in July 2012 for a €5.75 million fee.
Pienaar’s first six months back at Everton was his best in the club’s colors at the time, scoring four goals and assisting seven others in just 14 appearances.
The impact made the club re-sign him after also stated his interest to return to the club permanently.
Pienaar was very influential after returning on a permanent deal, scoring the club’s 1000th Premier League goal. He helped them defeat his former side Tottenham 2-1 from a goal down.
Pienaar scored seven goals and made nine assists in 40 appearances for the club in the 2012/2013 season before he was hampered again by a hamstring injury at the start of the 2013-14 season. Pienaar was out for two months and could only play 25 times for the club that season.
After then, Pienaar found it challenging to stay consistent at a high level and could only make 17 appearances in the next two seasons before he was released after his contract expired at the end of the 2015-16 season.
In total, Pienaar played 229 times for Everton during his first and second spells, scoring 26 times and providing 49 assists.
Sunderland
Pienaar signed a one-year deal for Sunderland on a free transfer ahead of the 2016-17 season after he was released by Everton, where he only played 17 times for the club.
However, Sunderland decided not to renew his deal at the end of the 2016-17 season, and Pienaar returned to South Africa with Bidvest Wits.
Bidvest Wits
Pienaar’s career with Bidvest Wits was short, signing a one-year deal in July 2017, but he was released just six months into the spell. Pienaar eventually retired from professional football in February 2018.
| Steven Pienaar Teams | |
|---|---|
| Team | Period |
| Ajax CT Youth… | 1999-2000 |
| Ajax Cape Town | 2000-2001 |
| Ajax | 2001-2006 |
| Borussia Dortmund | 2006-2008 |
| Everton (Loan) | 2007-2008 |
| Everton | 2008-2011 |
| Tottenham | 2011-2012 |
| Everton (Loan) | 2012 |
| Everton | 2012-2016 |
| Sunderland | 2016-2017 |
| Bidvest Wits | 2017-2018 |
Frequently Asked Questions About Steven Pienaar
Steven Pienaar is famously known as a former professional footballer who thrived for Everton and the South African National Team. Pienaar played the majority of his life in the Premier League, which is arguably the most popular league globally.
Pienaar is the current assistant coach for the Under-18 Ajax Youth Team. He completed his UEFA A Licence coaching badge in September 2019.
Steven Pienaar scored 26 goals during the two spells he used at Everton and assisted 49 others. He eventually played 229 games for the club before being released in 2016.
Pienaar first joined Ajax from Ajax Cape Town, where he won the Eredivisie twice before signing for Borussia Dortmund. He later played for Everton, Tottenham, Sunderland, and Bidvest Wits.
Steven Pienaar’s net worth is around $10 million, and he earns an average of $4.3 million annually.
Steven Pienaar is 39 years old. He was born on 17 March 1982 and will soon clock 40.
Pienaar was born in Johannesburg, South Africa.
