50 worldwide contenders for 2012: Teun de Nooijer

Hockey

Netherlands

Born: 22/03/76

Career highlights

It is a case of where to start when assessing de Nooijer's stellar CV. He is a two-time Olympic champion, the first at the age of 20, Holland's most capped player, and a three-time World Hockey Player of the Year (a record only Australia's Jamie Dwyer can beat).

De Nooijer has also won European, World Cup and Champions Trophy titles and been named in the International Hockey Federation all-star team in each of the last five years.

Other career

The midfielder has made 28 Olympic appearances and scored 11 goals.

His dribbling skills and creativity with a stick have seen him dubbed in his homeland as the Johann Cruyff of the hockey world. It is a comparison embraced by de Nooijer, who early in his career changed his squad number to 14 - made famous by Cruyff.

Personal

He is married to former German hockey player Philippa Suxdorf, who featured at the 1996 Olympics.