Ron Peter Vlaar (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈrɔɱ ˈvlaːr]; born 16 February 1985) is a Dutch former footballer who played as a centre-back.
Vlaar came up through AZ's youth ranks. After making his professional debut, he played sparingly for two seasons before joining Feyenoord in 2006. He later played in the Premier League with Aston Villa before rejoining AZ in 2015.
Vlaar represented the Netherlands at various youth levels. However, he had most success with the Netherlands U20 on the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship and with Netherlands U21 on the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in 2006 and 2007. Vlaar was a Netherlands international from 2005 until retiring in 2014. He was included in national team for Euro 2012 and the 2014 FIFA World Cup, where they won the bronze medal. Vlaar played 32 times for the Netherlands national team and has captained both Feyenoord and Aston Villa.
Vlaar was born in Hensbroek, North Holland. His mother, Margaret, was a handball player, while his father was an amateur football player. Vlaar has two younger sisters, Ellen and Lisan, who are both active in sports as well. Ellen is a gymnast and Lisan plays volleyball.
In Hensbroek, Vlaar joined local club Apollo '68 at the age of six. Apollo '68 youth coach Kees Wijte was quickly convinced: "But when Ron was five, he was already allowed to train with us. You could already see how good he was. Ron had a powerful kick with both his left and right leg, and a very good one as well. Besides, he had a fantastic mentality. Ron always wanted to win and become better."
When Vlaar went to his final year in elementary school, he left Apollo '68. The youngster wanted to play on a higher level and joined SVW '27 from Heerhugowaard. At his new club, Vlaar's development went well above expectation. After playing for SVW '27 for one season, he was invited to join the AZ youth academy, a professional side playing in the Eerste Divisie. In 2002, Vlaar signed his first youth contract with the club, keeping him in Alkmaar until summer 2007. Having initially started out in the attacking midfield position, Vlaar began playing in the defender position after "being told by his coach that he could be better focus in the back".
Halfway towards the end of the 2004–05 season, Vlaar made his unexpected Eredivisie debut at the age of 20 because due to suspensions within the first-team squad at the end of the season, he was paired up with the experienced centre back Barry Opdam on 23 April 2005 in the away match against RKC Waalwijk, as AZ lost 2–1. Five days later, on 28 April 2005, Vlaar made his European debut when he was part of the starting line-up in the UEFA Cup semi-final away match against Sporting Lisbon, losing 2–1. Vlaar played three Eredivisie matches and two UEFA Cup matches in his debut season.
While Vlaar thought the season 2005–06 would be his breakthrough year, AZ coach Louis van Gaal kept choosing for more experienced players. However, he suffered a thigh injury that saw him miss the first two league matches of the season. But Vlaar made his first appearance of the season, coming on as a 64th-minute substitute, in a 5–0 win against Vitesse on 27 August 2005. He scored his first goal for the club, in a 5–3 loss against Krylia Sovetov Samara in the first leg of the UEFA Cup on 15 September 2005. Vlaar was part of the starting line-up thrice, while he came in as a substitute in four matches, having a total of seven Eredivisie appearances in his first half-year. In a match against PSV Eindhoven on 15 October 2005, Vlaar received a red card for a second bookable offence, in a 3–0 loss. Despite his substitute status at AZ, the youngster impressed the Netherlands coach Marco van Basten enough to invite him for his first international matches. As he was only playing at AZ for a youth contract, various sides were interested to offer the player more playing time. AZ were keen to offer him a new and improved contract, however Vlaar had no interest in staying at AZ as he felt blackmailed by AZ coach Louis van Gaal: "He told me I would only play at emergencies if I wouldn't sign the new contract". In response, coach van Gaal denied the player's claims and was fined as a result. Vlaar was close to a deal with Ajax and was spotted in London, as he was visiting Martin Jol's Tottenham Hotspur with his father and agent. However, on 28 December 2005, Vlaar signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with Feyenoord. He later reflected on decision on rejecting Tottenham Hotspur, saying: "When I was twenty years old I could go to Ajax, PSV and Tottenham", Vlaar tells De Telegraaf . "I went to Tottenham twice. I did not do it, in consultation with my parents, and now I have this experience at Aston Villa I know that I have made the right choice. Now I come in like a big boy."
After being given a number twenty shirt, Vlaar made his official Feyenoord debut on 15 January 2006, in the away match against Vitesse Arnhem, as the club won 1–0. After the match, he said: "It was not bad, but there is always room for improvement. I have to calm down a bit on the ball and I still have to get used to my fellow players. In any case, it is nice that we won here, for the first time in the history of the club. Much has been said and written about what has happened in recent months. I now want to leave that behind. I feel very free at the moment, both in practice and in the games. It is going very well. I am relaxed, in a good way. That is very pleasant." Vlaar helped Feyenoord keep a clean sheet in the next two matches against Roda JC and Heracles Almelo. Since joining the club, he quickly became a first team starter, forming a centre–back partnership with André Bahia. In his first match against his former club, AZ Alkmaar, on 19 March 2006, Vlaar was booed by AZ Alkmaar throughout the match whenever he touched the ball, as Feyenoord lost 1–0. Vlaar then played in both leg of the play-offs round against rivals’ Ajax, as the club lost 7–2 on aggregate; during which, he was at fault for conceding the first goal of the game in the return leg. Despite the loss, his contributions at Feyenoord saw the club qualify for the UEFA Cup next season. At the end of the 2005–06 season, Vlaar played 16 Eredivisie matches after his winter break transfer, without scoring any goals.
Vlaar had a bad start of the 2006–07 season, as he got foot injury in the pre-season match against Reading, as Feyenoord lost 2–1. At first it seemed to be a minor injury, but Vlaar had to drop out in the 33rd minute of the season opening away match, in a 3–0 loss against FC Groningen. The doctors found a crack in a bone in his foot, causing Vlaar to be out for almost the entire first half of the season. By late–November, it was announced on Feyenoord website that he was declared fit to return from injury. Following this, Vlaar made his return from injury, playing for Jong Feyenoord and played over an hour, in a 3–0 win against Den Bosch on 4 December 2006. He made his first league appearance in four months for the club, coming on as a second-half substitute, in a 3–1 win against ADO Den Haag on 10 December 2006. Three days later on 13 December 2006, Vlaar made his first start for Feyenoord and played the whole game, in a 3–1 win against Wisła Kraków in the UEFA Cup. In a follow–up match, he scored his first goal for the club in the away match, in a 2– 1 loss against Utrecht on 16 December 2006. After his recovery, Vlaar regained his place in the first team, forming a partnership with Bahia. He then helped Feyenoord keep three consecutive clean sheets in three matches between 11 March 2007 and 1 April 2007. Vlaar played in both legs of the league play–offs for a place in the UEFA Cup next season against Groningen, as the club lost 3–1 on aggregate. At the end of the 2006–07 season, he went on to make twenty–three appearances (twenty Eredivisie matches) and scoring once in all competitions.
With the arrival of the new Feyenoord coach Bert van Marwijk and new centre back partner Kevin Hofland in the 2007–08 season, Vlaar was ready to make the next step in his development. He started the season well by helping the club keep a clean sheet in the first three league matches. During which, Vlaar scored his first goal of the season, in a 5–0 win against NAC Breda on 26 August 2007. However, on 16 September 2007, he was injured in the Eredivisie away match against Roda JC and was substituted in the 41st minute, as Feyenoord won 3–1. Vlaar needed a surgery on the cruciate ligament and was out for the rest of the season. After the surgery, Vlaar was confronted with an additional setback, as he had a bacterial infection. While on the sidelines, Vlaar signed a contract extension with the club, keeping him until 2012. Shortly after signing a contract with Feyenoord, he said: "I'm going to do everything I can to be at the first training session on July 5th. The only thing I don't do is fight duels. But otherwise things are going very well. I am pleased with the confidence expressed in this new contract. It gives me a helping hand." At the end of the 2007–08 season, Vlaar went on to make four appearances and scoring once in all competitions.