Wouter Burger
{{short description|Dutch footballer (born 2001)}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Wouter Burger
| image =
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|02|16|df=yes}}{{soccerway|508915}}
| birth_place = Zuid-Beijerland, Netherlands
| position = Defensive Midfielder
| currentclub = Stoke City
| clubnumber = 6
| youthclubs1 = ZBVH
| youthyears1 = 2006–2008
| youthclubs2 = VV SHO
| youthyears2 = 2008–2011
| youthclubs3 = Excelsior
| youthyears3 = 2011–2013
| youthclubs4 = Feyenoord
| youthyears4 = 2013–2019
| years1 = 2018–2021
| clubs1 = Feyenoord
| caps1 = 8
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2020
| clubs2 = → Excelsior (loan)
| caps2 = 7
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2020–2021
| clubs3 = → Sparta Rotterdam (loan)
| caps3 = 18
| goals3 = 2
| years4 = 2021–2023
| clubs4 = Basel
| caps4 = 59
| goals4 = 4
| years5 = 2023–
| clubs5 = Stoke City
| caps5 = 78
| goals5 = 4
| club-update = 13:43, 3 May 2025 (UTC)
| nationalteam1 = Netherlands U15
| nationalcaps1 = 8
| nationalgoals1 = 3
| nationalyears2 = 2016–2017
| nationalteam2 = Netherlands U16
| nationalcaps2 = 9
| nationalgoals2 = 4
| nationalyears3 = 2017–2018
| nationalteam3 = Netherlands U17
| nationalcaps3 = 15
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| nationalyears4 = 2018
| nationalteam4 = Netherlands U18
| nationalcaps4 = 2
| nationalgoals4 = 1
| nationalyears5 = 2018–2019
| nationalteam5 = Netherlands U19
| nationalcaps5 = 16
| nationalgoals5 = 4
| nationalyears6 = 2021–2022
| nationalteam6 = Netherlands U21
| nationalcaps6 = 4
| nationalgoals6 = 0
}}
Wouter Burger (born 16 February 2001) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a central or defensive midfielder for {{English football updater|StokeCty}} club Stoke City.
Burger began his professional career with Feyenoord, making his Eredivise debut in May 2019. after loan spells with Excelsior, and Sparta Rotterdam he moved on to Swiss Super League side Basel in August 2021. After two seasons at St. Jakob-Park, Burger joined English Championship club Stoke City in August 2023 for a fee of £4.3 million.
Club career
=Feyenoord=
Burger started playing football at amateur club ZBVH in the village of Zuid-Beijerland near Rotterdam. After time at VV SHO and Excelsior, he joined the Feyenoord youth academy.{{cite news |title=ZBVH en SHO zijn trots op hun EK-finalist Wouter Burger (Oranje onder 17) |url=https://www.knvb.nl/nieuws/amateurvoetbal/uitgelicht/48318/zbvh-en-sho-zijn-trots-op-hun-ek-finalist-wouter-burger |publisher=KNVB |date=20 May 2018 |language=nl}} On 30 March 2017, Burger signed his first professional contract at the age of 16.{{cite web |title=Feyenoord contracteert jeugdspeler Wouter Burger |url=https://www.feyenoord.nl/nieuws/nieuwsoverzicht/feyenoord-contracteert-jeugdspeler-wouter-burger |website=Feyenoord |language=nl |date=30 March 2017}} Burger made his first-team debut for Feyenoord on 17 August 2018 in the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League third round qualifiers against AS Trenčín, coming on for Tyrell Malacia in the 83rd minute.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2018/08/16/europe/uefa-cup/feyenoord-rotterdam-nv/fk-as-trencin/2855323/|title=Feyenoord vs. AS Trenčín – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway|website=Soccerway|accessdate=17 August 2018}} On 29 August 2019, Burger scored his first goal in professional football in a 3–0 away win against Hapoel Be'er Sheva for Feyenoord in the play-off round of the 2019–20 UEFA Europa League. In December 2018, he signed another contract extension, keeping him at the club until 2023.{{cite news |title=Feyenoord talent Wouter Burger uit Zuid-Beijerland verlengd contract bij Feyenoord tot 2023 |url=https://www.hoekschnieuws.nl/2018/12/12/feyenoord-talent-wouter-burger-uit-zuid-beijerland-verlengd-contract-bij-feyenoord-tot-2023/ |work=Hoeksche Waard Nieuws |date=12 December 2018 |language=nl}}
==Loan to Excelsior==
Burger was sent on loan to his former youth club Excelsior in the second half of the 2019–20 season.{{cite news |title=Feyenoord verhuurt Zuid-Beijerlandse Wouter Burger (18) aan stadsgenoot Excelsior |url=https://www.ad.nl/hoeksche-waard/feyenoord-verhuurt-zuid-beijerlandse-wouter-burger-18-aan-stadsgenoot-excelsior~a1e2cafb/ |work=Algemeen Dagblad |date=23 January 2020 |language=nl}} Burger played in seven Eerste Divisie games for Excelsior, before the league was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news |title='Ik woog 72 toen ik in de basis stond bij Feyenoord, nu zit ik op 80 kilo' |url=https://www.voetbalprimeur.nl/nieuws/938783/spectaculaire-groei-bij-feyenoord-ik-ben-10-kilo-aangekomen-in-spiermassa-.html |work=Voetbalprimeur.nl |date=3 August 2020 |language=nl-NL}}
==Loan to Sparta Rotterdam==
Ahead of the 2020–21 season, Burger was sent on another loan to a Rotterdam-based club – this time Sparta.{{cite web |title=Wouter Burger op huurbasis naar Het Kasteel |url=https://www.sparta-rotterdam.nl/wouter-burger-op-huurbasis-naar-kasteel/ |website=Sparta Rotterdam |language=nl |date=3 October 2020}}{{cite news |title=Sparta huurt Wouter Burger van Feyenoord |url=https://www.bndestem.nl/nederlands-voetbal/sparta-huurt-wouter-burger-van-feyenoord~a86dffac/ |work=BN DeStem |date=2 October 2020 |language=nl}} Here he made 18 first team appearances in the Eredivisie scoring two goals helping Sparta finish in 7th and qualify for the European competition play-offs where Burger played against his parent club Feynoord in a 2–0 defeat.{{cite web |title=Feyenoord vs. Sparta Rotterdam 2 – 0 |url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2021/05/19/netherlands/eredivisie/feyenoord-rotterdam-nv/sparta-rotterdam-bv/3498210/ |website=Soccerway |access-date=7 June 2024}}
=Basel=
On 31 August 2021 Swiss Super League club Basel announced that Burger had signed a four-year contract with them.{{cite web | last = FC Basel 1893 | date = 31 August 2021 | url = https://www.fcb.ch/de/aktuell/news/1-mannschaft/2021/08/wouter-burger/ | title = Wouter Burger stösst von Feyenoord Rotterdam zum FCB | work = Wouter Burger joins FCB from Feyenoord Rotterdam | publisher = FC Basel homepage| accessdate = 31 August 2021}} Burger joined Basel's first team during their 2021–22 season under head coach Patrick Rahmen. He made his domestic league debut for his new club on 12 September being substituted in during the away game as Basel played a 1–1 draw against Lugano.{{cite web | last = FC Basel 1893 | date = 12 September 2021 | url = https://www.fcb.ch/aktuell/news/1-mannschaft/2021/09/spielbericht-fc-lugano-fc-basel/ | title = 1:1 im Tessin – Lugano und der FCB Teilen sich die Punkte | work = 1:1 in Ticino – Lugano and FCB share the points | publisher = FC Basel homepage | accessdate = 12 September 2021}} In his first season with the club, Burger played 35 domestic league and Conference League matches without scoring a goal. The team ended the league season as runners-up and in the 2021–22 Conference League they advanced to the round of 16.
Burger scored his first goal for the team in the first match of the 2022–23 Swiss Super League season. It was the equaliser in the away game at the Schützenwiese on 16 July 2022 as Basel played a 1–1 draw with Winterthur.{{cite web | last = FC Basel 1893 | date = 16 July 2022| url = https://www.fcb.ch/matchcenter/startcenter/62b02665e3be78190d362f64/2022-FC_Winterthur_-_FC_Basel_1893 | title = 1:1 in Winterthur – Punkteteilung zum Saisonstart | work = 1:1 in Winterthur – points shared at the start of the season | publisher = FC Basel 1893 AG | access-date = 16 July 2022}} It was during the first half of this season in which Burger achieved his best playing performances, especially in the 2022–23 Conference League. This was shown during the first group stage match at home in the St. Jakob-Park on 8 September in which he scored his first brace, as Basel won 3–1 against Pyunik.{{cite web | last = UEFA.com | date = 8 September 2022 | url = https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/match/2035917/ | title = FC Basel – FC Pyunik 3:1 (1:1) | publisher = UEFA | access-date = 8 September 2022}} Basel advanced as far as the semi-finals, but here they were defeated by Fiorentina. In the Super League the team suffered a disappointing season and finished in fifth position.{{cite web | first = Karel | last = Stokkermans | year =2023 | url = http://www.rsssf.com/tablesz/zwit08.html | title = Switzerland 2022/2023 | publisher = Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation | access-date = 14 April 2023}}
Soon after the beginning of the next season Burger decided to move on and the club announced his departure on 25 August.{{cite web | last = FC Basel 1893 | date = 25 August 2023 | url = https://www.fcb.ch/aktuell/news/1-mannschaft/wouter-burger-zu-stoke-city/ | title = Wouter Burger wechselt zum Stoke City FC | publisher = FC Basel 1893 AG | language = de | trans-title = Wouter Burger joins Stoke City FC | access-date = 25 August 2023}} During his time with the club he played a total of 104 games for Basel scoring a total of six goals. 59 of these games were in the Swiss Super League, four in the Swiss Cup, 27 in the UEFA Conference League and 14 were friendly games. He scored four goals in the domestic league and the above mentioned two during the European games.{{cite web | last = Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv" | year = 2023 | url = https://www.fcb-archiv.ch/spieler?command=detail&id=10239 | title = Wouter Burger – FCB statistics | publisher = Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv" | accessdate = 25 August 2023}}
=Stoke City=
On 25 August 2023, Burger signed for EFL Championship club Stoke City on a four-year contract for a fee of £4.3 million.{{Cite news |title=Stoke sign Burger from FC Basel on four-year deal |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66617928 |access-date=2023-08-25}} He scored on his full debut for Stoke on 29 August 2023 in a 6–1 win against Rotherham United in the EFL Cup.{{cite web |title=Stoke City 6–1 Rotherham United |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66577630 |website=BBC Sport |date=29 August 2023 |access-date=29 August 2023}} He scored the only goal of the game against Queens Park Rangers on 14 February 2024.{{cite web |title=Stoke City 1–0 Queens Park Rangers: Potters beat fellow strugglers to end four-match losing run |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68224426 |website=BBC Sport |date=14 February 2024 |access-date=7 June 2024}} Burger was a key member of the Stoke team in 2023–24, making 41 appearances, scoring four goals as Stoke successfully avoided relegation, finishing in 17th position.{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Pete |title=Pete Smith's Stoke City end of season player ratings for 35-man squad |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/stoke-city-season-player-ratings-9272394 |website=Stoke Sentinel |date=9 May 2024 |access-date=17 May 2024}}{{cite web |title=Southampton 0–1 Stoke City |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68862287 |website=BBC Sport |date=27 April 2024 |access-date=17 May 2024}} Stoke rejected a bid for Burger from Danish club FC Midtjylland in January 2025.{{cite web |title=Wouter Burger opens up Stoke City transfer decision, Mark Robins and why he won't sulk |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/stoke-city-transfer-wouter-burger-10014530#comments-wrapper |website=Stoke Sentinel |date=11 March 2025 |access-date=24 May 2025}} Burger was again a regular for Stoke in 2024–25, playing 45 times under three managers as they avoided relegation on the final day.{{cite web |title=Stoke City end of season player ratings from sustained excellence to won't be seen again |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/stoke-city-season-player-ratings-10172075 |website=Stoke Sentinel |date=11 May 2025 |access-date=24 May 2025}}{{cite web |title=Derby County 0–0 Stoke City: Both teams survive after goalless draw |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/derby-county-vs-stoke-city/509886 |website=Sky Sports |access-date=24 May 2025}}{{cite web |title=Derby County 0–0 Stoke City |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cddelqp53ygt |website=BBC Sport |access-date=24 May 2025}}
International career
With the Netherlands U17 team, Burger participated in the 2018 UEFA European Under-17 Championship in England. The team eventually won the final over Italy after a penalty-shootout. Burger was subsequently included in the UEFA team of the tournament.{{cite web |url=https://www.uefa.com/under17/news/0252-0cda3998eac3-d862e36a6c04-1000--under-17-euro-team-of-the-tournament/|title=Under-17 EURO team of the tournament|publisher=UEFA|date=16 June 2018|access-date=21 August 2019}}
Career statistics
{{Updated|match played 3 May 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes FA Cup, KNVB Cup and Swiss Cup}} !colspan="2"|League cup{{efn|Includes EFL Cup}} !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="5"|Feyenoord
|2018–19{{Soccerbase season|id=112926|season=2018}} |1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1{{efn|name=UEL|Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League}} | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2019–20{{Soccerbase season|id=112926|season=2019}}
|Eredivisie |6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 4{{efn|name=UEL}} | 1 | 10 | 1 | ||
| 2020–21{{Soccerbase season|id=112926|season=2020}}
|Eredivisie |1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22{{Soccerbase season|id=112926|season=2021}}
|Eredivisie |1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1{{efn|name=UECL|Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa Conference League}} | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|—||6 | 1 | 16 | 1 | |||
| Excelsior (loan)
|7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 7 | 0 | |||
| Sparta Rotterdam (loan)
|Eredivisie |18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1{{efn|Appearance in Eredivisie European competition play-offs}} | 0 | 20 | 2 | ||
| rowspan="4" |Basel
|26 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 8{{efn|name=UECL}} | 0 | 36 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23{{Soccerbase season|id=112926|season=2022}}
|Swiss Super League |21 | 3 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 12{{efn|name=UECL}} | 2 | 35 | 5 | ||
| 2023–24{{Soccerbase season|id=112926|season=2023}}
|Swiss Super League |3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 2{{efn|name=UECL}} | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2" |Total
!50 | 3 | 4 | 0 | colspan="2"|—||22 | 2 | 76 | 5 | |||
| rowspan=3|Stoke City
|39 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 41 | 4 | ||
| 2024–25{{Soccerbase season|id=112926|season=2024}}
|EFL Championship |39 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 45 | 1 | ||
| colspan="2" |Total
!78 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1 | colspan="2"|—||86 | 5 | |||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!162 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 29 | 3 | 205 | 13 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
Feyenoord
- Johan Cruyff Shield: 2018{{cite news|url=https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2018/08/04/netherlands/super-cup/psv-nv/feyenoord-rotterdam-nv/2785610/?ICID=PL_MS_01|title=Soccerway Match Report|publisher=Soccerway|date=4 August 2018|accessdate=17 August 2018}}
Netherlands U17
- UEFA European Under-17 Championship: 2018{{cite web |last1=Saffer |first1=Paul |title=Netherlands win #U17EURO: at a glance |url=https://www.uefa.com/under17/news/0252-0cda398b7316-31ca497b0efe-1000--netherlands-win-u17euro-at-a-glance/?referrer=%2Funder17%2Fnews%2Fnewsid%3D2559358 |publisher=UEFA |language=en |date=20 May 2018}}
Individual
- UEFA European Under-17 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2018
References
{{reflist}}
{{Stoke City F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burger, Wouter}}
Category:People from Korendijk
Category:Footballers from South Holland
Category:Dutch men's footballers
Category:Dutch expatriate men's footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Netherlands men's youth international footballers
Category:Netherlands men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Excelsior Rotterdam players
Category:Sparta Rotterdam players
Category:Eerste Divisie players
Category:Swiss Super League players
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Switzerland
Category:Dutch expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England
Category:Dutch expatriate sportspeople in England
Category:Stoke City F.C. players