Martijn Reuser
A Dutch midfielder whose audacious free-kick for Ipswich Town became an iconic moment in a historic promotion campaign.
Born 1975 (age 51)·Dutch footballer·Birthday: February 1·Generation X
Biography
Martijn Reuser's football journey was one of technical grace finding its perfect stage. Born in Leiden, he came through the Ajax academy, a pedigree evident in his cultured left foot. His career in the Eredivisie with clubs like Vitesse was solid, but it was a loan move to England's Ipswich Town in 2000 that etched his name into folklore. Arriving as George Burley's side chased promotion to the Premier League, Reuser became an instant impact substitute, a catalyst of chaos with his precise set-pieces and clever passing. His most famous contribution was a stunning, last-minute free-kick against Barnsley that sealed a critical win, a goal replayed endlessly by fans. Though his single cap for the Netherlands was a brief honor, his legacy is permanently tied to Portman Road, where he helped deliver top-flight football before returning to the Netherlands to see out his career with ADO Den Haag.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Martijn was born in 1975, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Martijn Was Born
The biggest hits of 1975
#1 Movie
Jaws
Best Picture
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Martijn's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1975Born
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1980Started school
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1988Became a teenager
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Could drive
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1993Could vote
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Turned 21
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2005Turned 30
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 40
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 50
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 51 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored a dramatic, last-minute winning free-kick for Ipswich Town against Barnsley in a pivotal 2000 promotion match.
- Won promotion to the English Premier League with Ipswich Town in the 1999-2000 season.
- Earned a cap for the Netherlands national team in a 2000 friendly against Turkey.
- Played over 100 Eredivisie matches for Vitesse Arnhem between two spells at the club.
Did You Know?
His nickname at Ipswich Town was 'The Supersub' due to his habit of scoring crucial goals after coming off the bench.
He is a qualified pilot and has worked as a first officer for a Dutch airline after retiring from football.
Reuser scored on his debut for three different clubs: Ajax, Vitesse, and Ipswich Town.
“A left-footed pass to the right spot is its own kind of goal.”
