

A creative Dutch midfielder whose career was a story of brilliant flashes and persistent battles with injury.
Siem de Jong emerged from the famed Ajax academy, a playmaker whose intelligence and eye for goal marked him as a future star. His peak came in Amsterdam, where his knack for decisive contributions helped secure four consecutive Eredivisie titles. A high-profile move to Newcastle United in 2014 promised a new chapter, but his time in England was defined by a cruel series of injuries that stifled his momentum. After spells back in the Netherlands, Germany, and a final stint in Australia, he retired having shown the sublime talent of a classic number ten, yet whose narrative was equally shaped by physical adversity. He remains a poignant figure for Ajax fans, who remember the elegant, game-changing performances he delivered when fully fit.
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Siem was born in 1989, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
The biggest hits of 1989
#1 Movie
Batman
Best Picture
Driving Miss Daisy
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
The world at every milestone
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Euro currency enters circulation
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
He is the older brother of fellow Dutch international and former Ajax player Luuk de Jong.
He made his senior debut for Ajax in a KNVB Cup match in 2007, coming on as a substitute for Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
He played for the Netherlands at every youth level from U-16 to U-21.
“A footballer's career is not a straight line; you adapt and keep playing.”