# Stefan de Vrij
**Stefan de Vrij** (born 1992 in Ouderkerk aan den IJssel) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a center-back. He came through the [Feyenoord](https://www.edgepedia.org/feyenoord) academy, spent four seasons at Lazio, and from 2018 to 2026 played for [Inter Milan](https://www.edgepedia.org/inter-milan), winning two [Serie A](https://www.edgepedia.org/serie-a) titles and being named the best defender in Serie A for 2019/20. For the Netherlands he was a starter at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, where the Dutch finished third and he was named by FIFA in its team of the tournament.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1992, Ouderkerk aan den IJssel, Netherlands; 190 cm tall[1](https://www.fifadata.com/document/fwc/2014/pdf/fwc_2014_squadlists.pdf) • [2](https://fieldinsider.com/scout-report/stefan-de-vrij-194) |
| Clubs | Feyenoord 2009–2014; Lazio 2014–2018 (118 appearances, 10 goals); Inter 2018–2026 (290 appearances, 13 goals)[3](https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/eol-de-vrij-stefan/) • [4](https://www.inter.it/en/news/2018-07-2-stefan-de-vrij-is-an-inter-player) • [5](https://www.inter.it/en/news/birthday-stefan-de-vrij-2026) |
| Club honors | Serie A 2020/21 and 2023/24; Coppa Italia 2022 and 2023; Supercoppa Italiana 2017 (with Lazio), 2021, 2022, and 2023 (with Inter)[3](https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/eol-de-vrij-stefan/) |
| Individual honor | Best Serie A defender, 2019/20 season[6](https://www.inter.it/en/news/200-appearances-devrij-inter) |
| Netherlands debut | 15 August 2012, friendly against Belgium[4](https://www.inter.it/en/news/2018-07-2-stefan-de-vrij-is-an-inter-player) |
| 2014 World Cup | 7 matches, 676 minutes, 1 goal; Netherlands finished third[7](https://fbref.com/en/squads/5bb5024a/2014/Netherlands-Men-Stats) |
| International career | 56 caps for the Netherlands, 2014–2026[8](https://theanalyst.com/players/4671/stefan-de-vrij/national/career) |
## Feyenoord and Lazio
De Vrij began in the Feyenoord youth academy and played for the first team from 2009 to 2014, described by the Treccani encyclopedia as a defender and good marker with an excellent reading of the game.[3](https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/eol-de-vrij-stefan/)
At Lazio he spent four seasons, from July 2014 to June 2018, making 118 appearances and scoring 10 goals across Serie A, the [Coppa Italia](https://www.edgepedia.org/coppa-italia), the [Supercoppa Italiana](https://www.edgepedia.org/supercoppa-italiana), the Champions League, and the Europa League, and winning the Supercoppa Italiana in 2017.[4](https://www.inter.it/en/news/2018-07-2-stefan-de-vrij-is-an-inter-player) • [9](https://www.fotmob.com/nl/players/188555/stefan-de-vrij) The 2015/16 season was disrupted by a knee injury picked up on international duty, after which he returned to his place as a leader in the defense.[4](https://www.inter.it/en/news/2018-07-2-stefan-de-vrij-is-an-inter-player)
## Inter Milan
De Vrij joined Inter on 1 July 2018 as a free transfer.[6](https://www.inter.it/en/news/200-appearances-devrij-inter) • [9](https://www.fotmob.com/nl/players/188555/stefan-de-vrij) He was named the best Serie A defender for the 2019/20 campaign and made a key contribution to Inter's Scudetto triumph in 2020/21, the club's first league title in over a decade.[6](https://www.inter.it/en/news/200-appearances-devrij-inter) By May 2023 he had reached 200 Inter appearances, comprising 149 in Serie A, 30 in the Champions League, 12 in the Coppa Italia, 7 in the Europa League, and 2 in the Supercoppa Italiana, with 9 goals scored in that span.[6](https://www.inter.it/en/news/200-appearances-devrij-inter)
His Inter career ultimately ran eight seasons. By his birthday in 2026 the club counted 290 appearances and 13 goals, with two Serie A titles, two Coppa Italia trophies, and three Supercoppa Italiana victories to his name.[5](https://www.inter.it/en/news/birthday-stefan-de-vrij-2026) Treccani dates the second league title to 2024 and the Coppa Italia wins to 2022 and 2023.[3](https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/eol-de-vrij-stefan/) He then joined the Greek club Panathinaikos.[10](https://tactix.football/player/s-de-vrij)
## Netherlands and the 2014 World Cup
De Vrij won his first senior cap on 15 August 2012 in a friendly against Belgium.[4](https://www.inter.it/en/news/2018-07-2-stefan-de-vrij-is-an-inter-player) At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil he wore shirt number 3 for the Netherlands, listed at 190 cm with 19 caps and 1 goal before the tournament.[1](https://www.fifadata.com/document/fwc/2014/pdf/fwc_2014_squadlists.pdf)
Coach [Louis van Gaal](https://www.edgepedia.org/louis-van-gaal) built the team around a 5-3-2 formation in which De Vrij and [Bruno Martins Indi](https://www.edgepedia.org/bruno-martins-indi) played the man-marker roles, tracking runners into midfield, while the wingbacks recovered to maintain a solid back line; the system was central to the Netherlands' 5–1 win over Spain in the opening [Group B](https://www.edgepedia.org/group-b) match.[11](https://time.com/2941273/world-cup-three-center-backs/) De Vrij played 76 minutes and scored in that Spain match.[12](https://fbref.com/en/players/d0d8dd44/matchlogs/c1/Stefan-de-Vrij-Match-Logs) Across the tournament he played 7 matches and 676 minutes and scored 1 goal, and the Netherlands took third place, beating host Brazil 3–0 in the third-place match after a semi-final penalty defeat to Argentina.[7](https://fbref.com/en/squads/5bb5024a/2014/Netherlands-Men-Stats) • [13](https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/netherlands-team-profile-history)
His international career ran from 2014 to 2026 and totaled 56 caps and 4,642 minutes, with 3 goals according to Opta's career record.[8](https://theanalyst.com/players/4671/stefan-de-vrij/national/career)
## Playing style
De Vrij is a center-back whose defining trait, per the accounts of his career, is reading of the game rather than pace.[3](https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/eol-de-vrij-stefan/) At the 2014 World Cup his role was defensive man-marking within a back three, tracking opponents into midfield.[11](https://time.com/2941273/world-cup-three-center-backs/) At Inter under [Simone Inzaghi](https://www.edgepedia.org/simone-inzaghi) he played a more attacking role than before, with greater freedom in build-up, as the Dutch magazine Voetbal International analyzed.[14](https://www.vi.nl/pro/analyse/onder-inzaghi-speelt-de-vrij-aanvallender-dan-ooit) His longevity at the top level is reflected in the club's own description of his eighth Inter season as built on consistency, reliability, and experience.[5](https://www.inter.it/en/news/birthday-stefan-de-vrij-2026)
## References
1. [2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil squad lists, FIFA](https://www.fifadata.com/document/fwc/2014/pdf/fwc_2014_squadlists.pdf)
2. [Stefan de Vrij scouting report, Field Insider](https://fieldinsider.com/scout-report/stefan-de-vrij-194)
3. [De Vrij, Stefan, Enciclopedia Treccani](https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/eol-de-vrij-stefan/)
4. [Stefan De Vrij is an Inter player!, Inter.it, July 2018](https://www.inter.it/en/news/2018-07-2-stefan-de-vrij-is-an-inter-player)
5. [Happy birthday, Stefan de Vrij!, Inter.it, February 2026](https://www.inter.it/en/news/birthday-stefan-de-vrij-2026)
6. [200 Inter appearances for De Vrij, Inter.it, May 2023](https://www.inter.it/en/news/200-appearances-devrij-inter)
7. [2014 Netherlands Men Stats, World Cup, FBref.com](https://fbref.com/en/squads/5bb5024a/2014/Netherlands-Men-Stats)
8. [Stefan de Vrij International Career History, Opta Analyst](https://theanalyst.com/players/4671/stefan-de-vrij/national/career)
9. [Stefan de Vrij career statistics, FotMob](https://www.fotmob.com/nl/players/188555/stefan-de-vrij)
10. [S. de Vrij player page, TACTIX](https://tactix.football/player/s-de-vrij)
11. [The World Cup Tactical Trend Yielding the Most Success, Sports Illustrated via Time.com, June 2014](https://time.com/2941273/world-cup-three-center-backs/)
12. [World Cup Stefan de Vrij Match Logs, FBref.com](https://fbref.com/en/players/d0d8dd44/matchlogs/c1/Stefan-de-Vrij-Match-Logs)
13. [Netherlands World Cup history, FIFA](https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/netherlands-team-profile-history)
14. [Onder Inzaghi speelt De Vrij aanvallender dan ooit, Voetbal International](https://www.vi.nl/pro/analyse/onder-inzaghi-speelt-de-vrij-aanvallender-dan-ooit)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of continental Europe › Dutch footballers › Dutch footballers born since 1985*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license