Sparta’s Toornstra chases 500th Eredivisie match, defying injury

If Sparta Rotterdam manager Rogier Meijer gives him the nod on Sunday, 37‑year‑old Jens Toornstra will line up against Ajax for his 500th Eredivisie appearance – a milestone the veteran says few injury‑free players reach.

A landmark appearance on the horizon

Meijer’s decision could see Toornstra become the eleventh player to reach five‑hundred matches at the highest Dutch level, with ADO Den Haag icon Aad Mansveld close behind on 505. Only four outfield players have logged more games, while six of the top ten are goalkeepers.

"I am proud to be among those names," Toornstra said. "Very special for a boy from Ter Aar. The conclusion is that I have been little injured, I think, and often available. When I was 19 I could never have imagined I would play 500."

From ice‑age debut to championship night

Toornstra’s Eredivisie debut came in 2009 for ADO Den Haag as a substitute against Roda JC; the match finished 1‑1 after Karim Soltani equalised. He later laughed that the debut was "in the ice age" and recalled the team’s early‑2000s habit of posting on Hyves.

After joining ADO from amateur side Alphense Boys, he signed his first professional contract following that debut. He credits his father, a marine, for instilling a hard‑working mentality that helped his progression.

His next step was FC Utrecht, where he earned four caps for the Netherlands after Louis van Gaal selected him for an Asian tour that included games in Indonesia and China. He added two more internationals in 2017 while at Feyenoord.

At Feyenoord, Toornstra describes the championship match against Heracles at De Kuip as the pinnacle of his career, even though he did not consider it his personal best. He was 28 at the time, an age he believes marks a player’s peak.

He also recalls a 35‑metre direct free‑kick for Utrecht that he regards as his most beautiful goal, a testament to his technical skill.

After the Sparta‑Ajax encounter, an online summary of the duel will be available for fans to review.