Tommie van der Leegte
 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) | |
| International career | |||
| 1991 | Netherlands U16 | 3 | (0) |
| 1992–1993 | Netherlands U17 | 8 | (2) |
| 1994 | Netherlands U18 | 1 | (0) |
| 1994–1995 | Netherlands U19 | 10 | (4) |
| 1995–2000 | Netherlands U21 | 14 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Tommie van der Leegte (born 27 March 1977) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. A former youth international, he represented clubs including PSV and VfL Wolfsburg.
Club career
Van der Leegte made his professional debut for PSV at age 17. After two seasons, he was loaned to RKC Waalwijk and subsequently signed a permanent deal with the club.
In the 2000–01 season, he transferred to Twente for 4 million guilders (approximately €1.8 million), where he played two seasons. During his third season, he returned to RKC Waalwijk on loan, finishing the campaign there. In the summer of 2003, he joined ADO Den Haag.
Midway through the 2005–06 season, Van der Leegte moved to VfL Wolfsburg, where he teamed up with fellow Dutch players Kevin Hofland and Rick Hoogendorp. In May 2007, speculation linked him to a return to PSV as Phillip Cocu's successor. Shortly after, he signed a two-year contract with PSV.
In September 2008, he joined NAC Breda on a two-year deal.[2]
Van der Leegte retired in March 2010 due to persistent injuries, ending a 16-year professional career.[3]
International career
Van de Leegte represented the Netherlands at youth international levels, playing for the under-18s at the 1995 UEFA European Under-18 Championship and the under-21s at the 2000 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.[4][5]
Post-playing career
After football, he worked in the family business VDL Groep and owned various companies.[6] In 2017, he suffered a brain hemorrhage.[7]
In 2018, Van der Leegte revealed that he had been detained in Orange County jail, due to passport issues during a trip to Miami. A missing page in his passport and photos from a prior trip to Iraq raised suspicions, leading to hours of interrogation and incarceration. Van der Leegte described the experience as terrifying, with nearly 40 hours without food or sleep, before being released and sent back to the Netherlands.[8][9]
In 2021 he became team manager at FC Eindhoven.[10]
Honours
Twente
References
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Tommie van der Leegte: Jeugd mannen onder 18". OnsOranje (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 8 October 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
- ^ "Tommie van der Leegte: Jong Oranje mannen". OnsOranje (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2 December 2024.
- ^ "Geschiedenis". VDL Seating Systems. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
- ^ "Tommie van der Leegte was bang dat hij nooit meer gezond wakker zou worden". NOS (in Dutch). 21 May 2022. Archived from the original on 27 June 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
- ^ "Van der Leegte in Amerikaanse cel: 'Dan zien ze je echt als een terrorist'". VoetbalPrimeur.nl (in Dutch). 6 February 2023. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
- ^ Vossen, Edwin (24 January 2018). "Oud-voetballer Tommie van der Leegte zat in Amerikaanse cel: 'Wist bij god niet wat ging gebeuren'". Omroep Brabant (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 7 September 2024. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
- ^ 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.