Gianni Zuiverloon is a professional football player, who was born on December 30, 1986 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. He had a passion for playing football from the age of six and his mother sent him to the Feyenoord Rotterdam football club.
Gianni Zuiverloon began his international career with the Netherlands national Under-21 team. In the summer of 2006, he represented his country’s Under-21 side in 3 matches for the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Under-21 Football Championship in France. He was a part of the squad, which won the 2006 UEFA Under-21 Football Championship. His impressive performances, caught the attention of Foppe de Haan, the then coach of the Jong Oranje, who retained him in the Under-21 squad for the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held in his home country.
Gianni Zuiverloon played well in the first round group matches and helped his team, Jong Oranje, defeat Israel with a 1-0 score and the Portugal side with a 2-1 score. After these victories, the team reached the semi finals and the Netherlands Under-21 team qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics. The semi final match against England, which ended in a 1-1 draw after extra time, Gianni Zuiverloon turned the game towards the Netherlands favour, with his strike past Scott Carson in the penalty shoot-out. After his commendable shots, the Netherlands team entered the finals. Owing to his outstanding performances, Jong Oranje also won the 2007 UEFA Under-21 Football Championship. For his commendable display of unmatched football skills, Gianni Zuiverloon was named in the UEFA Team of the Tournament in 2007.
His good form helped the Netherlands team to reach the quarter finals of the 2008 Summer Olympics but had to return after the 2-1 defeat to Argentina. Gianni Zuiverloon played 17 matches for the Netherlands Under-21 football team, as of the year 2008.
Gianni Zuiverloon honed his football skills at the Feyenoord Rotterdam football club, and improved his form with every match and training session for 11 years in various other youth teams in his country. Impressed with his performances, Ruud Gullit, the coach of Feyenoord club, moved him to the club’s first team. On August 22, 2004, Gianni Zuiverloon made his senior debut against Willem II Tilburg in the 2004-05 season. He played ten matches for Feyenoord before being sent on a loan period to the Rooms Katholieke Combinatie (RKC) Waalwijk club. He netted a goal in 28 games he played for the RKC Waalwijk team in the 2005-06 season.
Gianni Zuiverloon joined the Sportclub (SC) Heerenveen in June 2006 by signing a three-year contract. Between 2006 and 2008, he performed well and scored 3 goals in 60 matches for the SC Heerenveen. In spite of receiving offers from many Premier League and European clubs, Gianni Zuiverloon chose to play for the English Premier League side, the West Bromwich Albion football club in July 2008. As per his 3-year contract with the SC Heerenveen, he still had a year to play for the club but the Baggies had paid £3.2 million for this talented defender. On August 23, 2008, Gianni Zuiverloon played his first match for the West Bromwich Albion club against the Everton FC.
