Former Norwich City striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel has announced he will hang up his boots at the end of the current season. The 37-year-old Dutch forward, currently plying his trade with FC Twente, is calling time on a career that has taken him across Europe's top leagues.
Even in the twilight of his career, van Wolfswinkel is showing he's still got it. This season, he's netted 10 goals in 31 appearances for Twente, marking his fifth consecutive campaign with double-digit scoring for the club. It's a testament to his enduring class and professionalism.
Van Wolfswinkel's journey began at Vitesse, where he made his senior debut in the 2007/2008 season. After scoring eight goals in 32 games, he moved to FC Utrecht in 2009. It was there that he truly burst onto the scene, bagging 35 goals in 79 appearances. His standout campaign came in 2010/2011, when 23 goals in 44 games caught the eye of clubs abroad.
Portuguese giants Sporting CP came calling, and van Wolfswinkel delivered immediately, scoring 23 goals in his first 44 games. After another impressive season with 19 goals in 40 appearances, a move to the Premier League beckoned.
Unfortunately, his time with Norwich City in the 2013/2014 season didn't go as planned. The Dutchman managed just a single goal in 27 appearances for the Canaries. The following season, a loan spell at French side Saint-Étienne offered a lifeline, with nine goals helping to revive his reputation. However, after just one more appearance for Norwich in 2015, his English adventure was over.
A loan move to Real Betis followed, but Spain proved difficult, yielding only three goals in 19 games. It seemed van Wolfswinkel's best days were behind him. But a return to his boyhood club Vitesse sparked a remarkable resurgence. He rediscovered his scoring touch with 23 goals in 37 games, reminding everyone of the talent that once lit up the Eredivisie.
Despite his success back in the Netherlands, the lure of a new challenge saw him join Swiss giants Basel. He spent four seasons there, adding another chapter to a career defined by resilience and a knack for finding the back of the net.