Tom van der Leegte (born 27 March 1977) is a Dutch former professional footballer. He formerly played for clubs like PSV Eindhoven and VfL Wolfsburg.
 Van der Leegte with PSV in 2008 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 27 March 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | Bergeijk, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| EMK Nuenen | |||
| PSV | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1994–1997 | PSV | 30 | (1) |
| 1997 | → RKC (loan) | 12 | (0) |
| 1997–2000 | RKC | 68 | (8) |
| 2000–2003 | Twente | 58 | (6) |
| 2003 | → RKC (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| 2003–2006 | ADO Den Haag | 80 | (3) |
| 2006–2007 | VfL Wolfsburg | 45 | (0) |
| 2007–2008 | PSV | 2 | (0) |
| 2008–2010 | NAC Breda | 28 | (0) |
| Total | 334 | (18) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career edit
Van der Leegte made his debut as a 17-year-old for PSV. He was a member of the Dutch squad at the 1995 FIFA World Youth Championship. After two seasons for PSV he was loaned to RKC Waalwijk. After one season in Waalwijk he signed a permanent contract with the club.
In the 2000–01 season, he was sold to FC Twente for 4 million gulden (approximately €1.8 million) where he played two seasons. In his third season at the club he had a loan spell for his second time at RKC Waalwijk where he finished the season. In the summer of 2003, he signed a contract at ADO Den Haag. After the first half of the 2005–06 campaign he signed a contract for VfL Wolfsburg. Among his teammates at VfL Wolfsburg, his fellow Dutch were Kevin Hofland and Rick Hoogendorp.
In May 2007, it was rumoured that van der Leegte would become Phillip Cocu's successor at PSV. A few days later PSV signed him for two years. He joined NAC Breda in September 2008 on a two-year contract.[2]
Van der Leegte ended his career in March 2010, after long series of injuries.[3]
After football, he worked in the family business VDL Groep and owned various companies. In 2017, he suffered a brain hemorrhage. In 2021 he became team manager at FC Eindhoven.[4]
Honours edit
Twente
References edit
- ^ "T. van der Leegte – Profiel". Voetbal International (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 19 September 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
- ^ "Van der Leegte: 'Het moest zo zijn blijkbaar'" (in Dutch). nac.nl. 1 September 2008. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ "Van der Leegte stopt na zestien jaar profvoetbal" (in Dutch). vi.nl. 5 March 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ Dal, Thomas (24 August 2021). "Confronterende zoektocht leidt ex-PSV'er Van der Leegte terug naar het wereldje dat hij ooit zo beu was". Eindhovens Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- ^ "2001: Boschker de held, Waterreus de schlemiel". TOTO KNVB Beker (in Dutch). 9 March 2018. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.