Clubs: FC Groningen, PSV Eindhoven, Chelsea FC, Real Madrid CF, FC Bayern München

• Demonstrated considerable early talent at Groningen and though bought by PSV in 2001, he remained with his first club for another 12 months. Won the Eredivisie in his first season at PSV, scoring 12 goals; voted Talent of the Year at the 2003 Dutch PFA awards, ahead of Wesley Sneijder.

• Made his Netherlands debut in the same game as Sneijder – a friendly against Portugal on 30 April 2003; his major tournament bow came at UEFA EURO 2004, where he scored the winning penalty in a quarter-final shoot-out with Sweden, and was also on song for Oranje at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and UEFA EURO 2008.

• Joined Chelsea in 2004 and though his debut was delayed due to injury, he made a major impact when fit, winning two Premier League titles and three domestic cups.

• Became Madrid's fourth most expensive signing after arriving for €35m in 2007; won the Spanish title in his first season but departed at the end of the second, transferring to Bayern for €25m. Scored a career-best 16 league goals in his first campaign, winning the Bundesliga and German Cup but losing to FC Internazionale Milano in the UEFA Champions League final.

• Played five games, scoring two goals, as the Netherlands reached the 2010 World Cup final, losing to Spain in the Johannesburg showpiece; a torn thigh muscle diagnosed upon his return to Bayern in August ruled him out until early 2011.

• Had an extra-time penalty, which would have given his team the lead, saved by Chelsea's Petr Čech in the 2012 UEFA Champions League final; Bayern lost in the subsequent shoot-out. However, scored the winner in the Wembley showpiece 12 months later against Borussia Dortmund.

UEFA honours
UEFA Champions League: runner-up 2010, 2012; winner 2013
UEFA.com users' Team of the Year: 2011