Barry Opdam Explained

Barry Opdam
Fullname:Barry Opdam
Birth Date:27 February 1976
Birth Place:Leiden, Netherlands
Height:1.86m (06.1feet)
Position:Centre back
Youthclubs1:Lisse
Years1:1996–2008
Caps1:331
Goals1:13
Years2:2008–2010
Caps2:48
Goals2:1
Years3:2010–2012
Caps3:16
Goals3:0
Totalcaps:395
Totalgoals:14
Nationalyears1:2005–2006
Nationalcaps1:8
Nationalgoals1:1

Barry Opdam (born 27 February 1976) is a Dutch retired footballer who played as a central defender.

He spent most of his 16-year professional career with AZ, amassing Eredivisie totals of 316 games and 13 goals over the course of 11 seasons, all with that club.

Club career

Born in Leiden, South Holland, Opdam began his professional career with AZ Alkmaar, being relegated to the second division in his first year and immediately promoting back in the following. Subsequently, he became an undisputed starter for the North Holland side, amassing more than 400 official appearances.

Not known as a goal scorer, Opdam scored an essential one in the second leg of the 2006–07 UEFA Cup round-of-32 clash against Fenerbahçe SK. After a 3–3 draw in Istanbul, the Turkish led 2–0 at half-time, and the defender headed home from a Julian Jenner free kick with seven minutes to go, making it 2–2 and sending his team to the next round on away goals rule (eventually reaching the last-eight stage);[1] in the 2004–05 edition AZ reached the semifinals of the competition, the second time in 24 years.

In 2008, one year after finishing second in the Dutch Cup, 32-year-old Opdam had his first abroad experience, signing for Austrian club FC Red Bull Salzburg. After two seasons, being an important defensive unit in the conquest of back-to-back national championships, he returned to his country, joining FC Volendam in the second level.

International career

On 4 June 2005, Opdam made his debut for the Netherlands in a 2–0 win against Romania for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. On 8 October, in the same competition, he scored his first and only international goal, in a 2–0 win against the Czech Republic.

Opdam would be, however, overlooked by national team coach Marco van Basten for the final stages in Germany, gaining a total of eight caps.

Club statistics

[2] [3]

SeasonClubAppsGoalsCompetition
1996/97AZ240Eredivisie
1997/98AZ150Eerste Divisie
1998/99AZ220Eredivisie
1999/00AZ345Eredivisie
2000/01AZ322Eredivisie
2001/02AZ311Eredivisie
2002/03AZ320Eredivisie
2003/04AZ281Eredivisie
2004/05AZ332Eredivisie
2005/06AZ240Eredivisie
2006/07AZ241Eredivisie
2007/08AZ321Eredivisie
2008/09Red Bull250Austrian Bundesliga
2009/10Red Bull231Austrian Bundesliga
2010/11Volendam140Eerste Divisie
2011/12Volendam20Eerste Divisie
Total39514

Honours

AZ

1997–98

Runner-up 2006–07

Red Bull

2008–09, 2009–10

Notes and References

  1. News: Opdam leaves it late as AZ progress. UEFA. 22 February 2007. 12 February 2015.
  2. News: Barry Opdam. Voetbal International. Dutch. 3 September 2011.
  3. News: B. Opdam. Soccerway. 11 February 2015.