Georginio Gregion Emile Wijnaldum is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for and captains Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq and the Netherlands national team. He is noted for his high work-rate and impressive technical ability.
A youth product of Eredivisie side Feyenoord, Wijnaldum became the youngest player ever to represent the club when he made his debut in 2007, and went on to play 134 matches over the course of a five-year spell, winning the KNVB Cup in 2008. Following his departure from Feyenoord, Wijnaldum spent four seasons at PSV, where he won the KNVB Cup in his first season and the Eredivisie in his last, a season where he also earned the Dutch Footballer of the Year award.
In 2015, Wijnaldum joined Premier League side Newcastle United for £14.5 million, before departing following the club's relegation a year later to join Liverpool in a £23 million deal. At Liverpool, Wijnaldum took on a role deeper in the midfield than in his previous clubs. In the 2018–19 season, Wijnaldum scored twice against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final second leg comeback as Liverpool went through 4–3 on aggregate, and he started as the club were victorious in the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final. In the following season, he played an integral role as Liverpool won the UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and Premier League, the club's first league title in 30 years. Wijnaldum appeared 237 times in a Liverpool shirt and is often regarded as a club legend who played a major part in Liverpool’s successes over his years at the club. Wijnaldum signed for French club Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 on a free transfer.
Wijnaldum is also a full Dutch international, having earned over 90 caps since making his debut in 2011, and was a member of the squad which finished third at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and runners-up in the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League. |
