A tall, left-footed midfielder with exceptional vision and a strong shot, Kevin Strootman broke into the Dutch national side during UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying. His profile has also been raised by a series of fine showings for PSV Eindhoven following a summer 2011 transfer from FC Utrecht.

• Joined Sparta Rotterdam as a youngster and made a quick breakthrough into the first team, his senior debut coming in a 6-2 defeat by AFC Ajax on 15 February 2008.

• Although still a teenager, he featured regularly in Sparta's lineup over the next two seasons, but suffered a shock relegation with the team − following the play-offs − in 2010.

• Remained with Sparta for half a season in the second tier until Utrecht snapped him up in the January transfer window; shortly after his arrival he was awarded his first senior cap for the Netherlands, as a substitute in an Eindhoven friendly against Austria.

• Left Utrecht for PSV in tandem with Belgian international Dries Mertens for a combined €13m fee in June 2011 and ended his first season as a Dutch Cup winner following a 3-0 final victory against Heracles Almelo.

• Started the Oranje's final four UEFA EURO 2012 qualifiers, scoring his first international goal in the second of them, a 2-0 win against Finland in Helsinki.