Steven Pienaar grew up in Westbury, a Johannesburg township marked by gang violence, before building a 16-year career across four countries. He is best remembered for his years at Everton, where his understanding with Leighton Baines down the left became one of the Premier League’s most effective partnerships.
His rise from Ajax Cape Town to the top of English football is a story many South African fans who use online betting with Virgin Bet will know well. Pienaar earned 61 caps for his country and captained the side on a number of occasions.
In this article, we reflect on the career of one of South Africa’s finest exports.
The making of a player in Amsterdam
Pienaar started out at Ajax Cape Town before joining the Dutch parent club, Ajax, in 2001. He spent five seasons in Amsterdam and won the Eredivisie twice, in 2002 and 2004, along with a KNVB Cup. His close control and passing suited the Dutch game, and his form earned a move to Borussia Dortmund in 2006, where he was handed the number 10 shirt previously worn by Tomas Rosicky.
A difficult spell in Germany
Germany did not work out for Pienaar. He made 25 league appearances for Dortmund across two seasons without scoring, and never settled in the Bundesliga. By the summer of 2007, he was looking for a fresh start, and David Moyes offered him one at Everton on an initial loan deal.
Finding a home at Goodison Park
Pienaar found his feet quickly on Merseyside. The move became permanent in 2008, and over the next few years, he became a favourite among Everton supporters. His link-up play with Baines on the left flank caused defences problems week after week, and he weighed in with goals and assists across two separate spells.
A brief move to Tottenham Hotspur in January 2011 did not last, and within a year, he was back at Goodison Park. Known to team-mates as ‘Schillo’, he became one of the few South Africans to make a lasting impression in the Premier League era.
A Bafana Bafana mainstay
Pienaar was a regular for South Africa for a decade between 2002 and 2012. He played at the 2002 World Cup and again in 2010, when his country hosted the tournament, captaining the side at various points. Comfortable as a winger or an attacking midfielder, he gave Bafana Bafana a creative edge through the middle years of his career. The 2010 finals, staged on home soil, were the highlight of his international career, played out in front of his own supporters.
The final chapter
After leaving Everton in 2016, Pienaar had a season at Sunderland before returning home to Bidvest Wits, where he retired in 2018. Across his career, he made more than 440 appearances and scored close to 50 goals for club and country. He now serves as an international ambassador for Everton, the club where he made his name. Few players from South Africa have matched the length of his career at the top level of European football.