Dutch · Rotterdam, Netherlands · Born 11 November 1990Liverpool's unsung engine — two consecutive Champions League Final goals and a Premier League title.
Georginio Wijnaldum was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands in 1990. Liverpool paid £25 million for him from Newcastle in 2016. His five Liverpool seasons produced the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League in 2020. He came on as a substitute against Barcelona in the 2019 Champions League semi-final second leg — Liverpool trailing 3-0 from the first leg — and scored twice in a four-minute spell to transform the tie. His two goals in the space of 120 seconds are the most decisive individual substitute contribution in a single Champions League knockout tie. He won the Nations League with the Netherlands in 2019. He left Liverpool on a free transfer in 2021 in a decision widely discussed in the context of Jürgen Klopp's squad planning. His consistent professionalism — rarely unavailable, consistently performing — made him one of the most underappreciated midfielders in Liverpool history. His combination of box-to-box energy, pressing intensity and ability to score in decisive moments made him functionally irreplaceable.
Scoring twice in Liverpool's 4-0 comeback against Barcelona in 2019
How They Played
Box-to-box midfielder with excellent dribbling and work rate
Lasting Impact
Wijnaldum played a crucial role in Liverpool's return to the summit of European and English football, contributing to one of the most successful periods in the club's modern history.
Career Honours
- Champions League (2019)
- Premier League (2020)
- Nations League (Netherlands 2019)
- Champions League 2019
- Premier League 2020
- UEFA Nations League 2019
| Club | Period | Fee | Apps | Goals | Shirt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feyenoord | 2006–2007 | — | 1 | 17 | #28 |
| Liverpool | 2016–2021 | — | 237 | 22 | — |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 2021–2022 | — | 38 | 3 | — |
| Sparta Rotterdam | 2007–2011 | — | 86 | 10 | — |
| PSV Eindhoven | 2011–2015 | — | 159 | 58 | — |
| Newcastle United | 2015–2016 | €27.5m | 38 | 11 | — |
| AS Roma | 2022–2023 | loan | 55 | 5 | — |
| Al-Ettifaq | 2023–2024 | free | 21 | 4 | — |
 Netherlands | — | — | 91 | 26 | — |
Dutch Athletes