Manchester United player profile - Edwin Van der Sar

Edwin Van der Sar, Manchester United and Holland goalkeeper, was born on 29th October 1970 in Voorhout, Holland. Edwin Van der Sar has enjoyed a long and varied career with some of Europe's top clubs which began at the age of 10 years with him joining his hometown club, Foreholte, fuve years later he joined VV Noordwijk where he was first spotted by AFC Ajax. Edwin Van der Sar joined Ajax's youth side in 1990 and soon progressed to the senior squad with whom he made 226 appearances winning the main Dutch league 4 times and the UEFA Cup in 1992 and UEFA Champions League in 1995. During his time at Ajax Edwin Van der Sar received a call up to the Holland international team which came for the USA 94 World Cup finals, but, although he travelled with the squad he didn't play. 

The international debut of Edwin Van der Sar came one year later, on 7th June 1995,  in a match against Belarus afterwhich he went on to make a further 125 appearances for his country over a 13 year period. During his international career Edwin Van der Sar represented his country in the France 98 and Germany 06 fifa World Cup finals and the Euro 96, Euro 2000, Euro 2004 and Euro 2008 UEFA European Championships. Prior to the Euro 2008 championships in Austria and Switzerland Edwin Van der Sar announced the competition would be his last and he duely retired from international football upon Holland's exit.

Edwin Van der Sar was sold by Ajax to Italian side Juventus in 1999, where he became the first foreign goalkeeper to play for the club making 66 appearances during his two seasons before moving to English Premiership side Fulham in 2001. Edwin Van der Sar's transfer to the London club came for a fee of around £7 million and he remained with them until 2005, making 127 appearances. On 1st June 2005 Edwin Van der Sar was bought by Sir Alex Ferguson for Manchester United for an undisclosed fee. His first trophy for the 'Red Devils' came in 2006 when they won the English League Cup, the following season he was instrumental in Manchester United's ninth, and Edwin Van der Sar's first Premier League title. In the 07/08 season Edwin Van der Sar, not only won his second Premier League title with Manchester United but also the UEFA Champions League.