Stefan

Career Story

Stefan de Vrij was born on 5 February 1992 in Ouderkerk aan den IJssel, the Netherlands. His start in football is linked with the amateur side VV Spirit where he played for five seasons. At 10 years old he is chosen by Feyenoord as part of a group of youngsters, later getting himself noticed and receiving an offer to enter their youth system.

There, his growth did not go unnoticed, in 2007 he quickly received his first call-up to the U16s national squad, and moreover, in 2009 he signed his first professional contract with Rotterdam. One year later he played abroad for the first time in a qualifier for the UEFA Europa League, and in 2012 he made his Champions League debut. On 15 August of the same year, he made his debut with the Dutch national team in a friendly against Belgium. In 2014 he arrived at Lazio getting his debut almost straight away in a Coppa Italia match, also scoring his first goal in the Biancoceleste jersey. In the same year, he took part in the World Cup in Brazil, scoring in the debut match, the 5-1 win over Spain, with the Netherlands finishing in third place.

On 1 July 2018, he officially became an Inter player. From his debut, the number 6 has been his to wear in Simone Inzaghi’s squad. In his first season, he became a defensive cornerstone of the team, also showing that he could be dangerous in offensive play. His first goal for the Nerazzurri came on matchday 2 of the campaign. Against Tottenham, he got the assist for Vecino’s goal in his debut in the competition. During the second derby of the season, won 3-2 by Inter, he scored an extremely important goal. At the end of the season, he counts 36 appearances, with 2 goals.

In the following season, he had another great year in terms of appearances, also doubling down on his offensive skills. At the end of the season, he counts 4 goals, including another very important one in the derby won 4-2. An extraordinary year that ended with recognition from the Lega Serie A which named him best defender of the 2019/20 season.

In 2020/21 he played a big part in the campaign that ended with Inter winning their 19th Scudetto. A triumphant season in which the Dutch defender demonstrated reliability and great tactical maturity. At the end, he counts 42 appearances, topped off with a goal.

In the last two seasons, 2021/22 and 2022/23, the Dutchman's contributions were always of great quality. 80 appearances and two goals. Numbers that proved decisive for the victory of two Coppa Italia and two Supercoppa.

Stefan’s history in the Nerazzurri shirt speaks for itself. Solidity, experience, tactical intelligence, and an eye for the goal. Stefan De Vrij has united all of these skills in the last five seasons at Inter where he counts, in total, 203 appearances and 9 goals.