Leroy Fer

Leroy Fer
Fer playing for Swansea City in 2017
Personal information
Full name Leroy Johan Fer[1]
Date of birth (1990-01-05) 5 January 1990 (age 34)
Place of birth Zoetermeer, Netherlands
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Position(s) Central midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Al-Nasr
Number 8
Youth career
0000–1999 DWO
1999–2007 Feyenoord
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2011 Feyenoord 103 (14)
2011–2013 Twente 58 (13)
2013–2014 Norwich City 30 (3)
2014–2016 Queens Park Rangers 48 (8)
2016 → Swansea City (loan) 11 (0)
2016–2019 Swansea City 79 (8)
2019–2021 Feyenoord 49 (2)
2021–2024 Alanyaspor 81 (2)
2024– Al-Nasr 0 (0)
International career‡
2005–2006 Netherlands U16 7 (1)
2006–2007 Netherlands U17[3] 17 (4)
2007–2009 Netherlands U19[4] 15 (2)
2009–2013 Netherlands U21 31 (6)
2010–2014 Netherlands 11 (1)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Netherlands
FIFA World Cup
Third place 2014
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 26 June 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 November 2014

Leroy Johan Fer (born 5 January 1990) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for UAE club Al-Nasr. He formerly represented the Netherlands national team, making eleven appearances between 2010 and 2014.

Fer has various nicknames.[5] In his youth, he was nicknamed "De Uitsmijter" ("The Bouncer") by Feyenoord youth coach Jean-Paul van Gastel for his strong physical appearance. Other nicknames are "Lerra"[6][7] and "Ferovic".[8] Cor Pot, coach of the Netherlands under-21 national team, compared Fer with Patrick Vieira. According to Pot, both players show many similarities, on and off the field.[9][10] He has also been compared to Frank Rijkaard.[11]

  1. ^ "2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil: List of Players: Netherlands" (PDF). FIFA. 14 July 2014. p. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 February 2020.
  2. ^ "Leroy Fer". Elf Voetbal (in Dutch). Retrieved 28 September 2009.
  3. ^ "uefa.com – UEFA European U-17 C'ship". UEFA. Archived from the original on 25 September 2009. Retrieved 28 September 2009.
  4. ^ "uefa.com – UEFA European U-19 C'ship". UEFA. Archived from the original on 25 September 2009. Retrieved 28 September 2009.
  5. ^ "QPR midfielder plots to get one over his Sunderland cousin". Get West London. 28 August 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
    "QPR midfielder Leroy Fer looking forward to facing cousin against Sunderland". The Kilburn Times. 27 August 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  6. ^ RTV Rijnmond (11 September 2009). Rap Feyenoorders (Television production). Rotterdam. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Swansea's Leroy Fer: I didn't want the horse – I lived in an apartment". The Guardian. 10 September 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  8. ^ "Uitsmijter houdt punten in De Kuip" [Bouncer keeps points in De Kuip]. De Pers (in Dutch). 15 March 2008. Archived from the original on 16 March 2009. Retrieved 28 September 2009.
  9. ^ "Fer, nieuwe Vieira in de Kuip" [Fer, new Vieira in de Kuip]. AD (in Dutch). 8 September 2009. Archived from the original on 10 September 2009. Retrieved 28 September 2009.
  10. ^ "IN THE SPOTLIGHT... WITH LEROY FER". Swansea City A.F.C. Archived from the original on 26 June 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  11. ^ "'FER HEEFT IETS WEG VAN RIJKAARD'". Ons Oranje (in Dutch). 26 October 2011. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
    "Everton FC's Leroy Fer can be 'new Rijkaard' at Goodison says Dutch pundit". Wales Online. 29 January 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2021.