Jaap Stam

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Template:Football player infobox | height = 191 cm | currentclub = AFC Ajax | position = Defender | youthyears = –1992 | youthclubs = DOS Kampen | years = 1992-1993</br>1993-1995
1995
1996-1998
1998-2001
2001-2004
2004-2006
2006 | clubs = FC Zwolle</br>Cambuur Leeuwarden
Willem II
PSV Eindhoven
Manchester United
S.S. Lazio
A.C. Milan
AFC Ajax | caps(goals) = 32(1)
66(5)
19(1)
78(12)
80(1)
70(3) | nationalyears = 1996-2004 | nationalteam = Netherlands | nationalcaps(goals) = 67 (3) }}

Jaap Stam (real name Jackob Stam, born July 17 1972 in Kampen, Netherlands) is a Dutch football player. He is seen as one of the best defenders in the world. His nickname is 'de Rots van Kampen' (the rock of Kampen).

Stam started his career with local amateur football club DOS Kampen. In 1992, Stam made his professional debut for FC Zwolle. Stam's breakthrough came in his first season at Willem II. A shock 1-0 home victory over Ajax Amsterdam led to Stam's transfer to PSV Eindhoven. Two and a half years later, Stam became the then most expensive Dutch football player in history, when Manchester United bought him for ƒ36m (about £10.5m). Stam spent 3 seasons at Manchester United and won the Premiership, FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League while with them. During the 2001-02 season, Stam was controversially sold to S.S. Lazio in Italy for ƒ55m (£16.5m), after Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was reportedly furious with allegations Stam had made in his autobiography 'Head to Head'. During his time with Lazio, Stam was found guilty of having the banned steroid nandrolone in his system following a Serie A game, and received a 5-month ban, which was eventually reduced by a month after appeals. Stam currently plays for Italian side A.C. Milan. On January 30, 2006, it was announced that he would return to the Dutch Eredivisie and play for Ajax, where he signed a two-year contract. This came as a surprise to many, as it was expected he would return to either his former club PSV, or SC Heerenveen.

Stam made his debut for Dutch national team on April 24 1996, in the 1-0 defeat to Germany. He has played 67 matches for the Netherlands, scoring 3 goals and was an important player in the Dutch team that finished fourth in the Template:Wc. At Euro 2000, Stam missed an important kick in the penalty shootout in the semi-finals, which led to the Dutch defeat against Italy. Stam retired from international football after the Euro 2004 tournament in Portugal, saying he wanted to focus on AC Milan and his family.

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