Former Netherlands and Manchester United goalkeeper, Edwin van der Sar, is currently in a stable condition but his health is still a cause for concern after experiencing bleeding around his brain.
The 52-year-old was admitted to intensive care on Friday, and his family has expressed their gratitude for the overwhelming support they have received. A statement released by Ajax, the club where Van der Sar served as chief executive until recently, confirmed that he will remain in intensive care for the time being. His condition, while stable, is still concerning. Ajax shared this update on behalf of Annemarie van der Sar, Edwin’s wife. Both the Van der Sar family and Ajax are incredibly grateful for the numerous messages of support they have received.
Manchester United, Van der Sar’s former club, also sent their well wishes, tweeting: “Sending all our love and strength to you, Edwin.” Fulham, another club where Van der Sar spent four years before joining United, tweeted: “Everyone at Fulham Football Club wishes Edwin a speedy recovery. We’re thinking of you.” The Professional Footballers’ Association also expressed their support, tweeting: “The thoughts of everyone at the PFA are with Edwin and his family.”
During his time at Manchester United, Van der Sar won the Premier League four times and the Champions League in 2008. He also achieved European success with Ajax. After retiring from playing, he returned to Ajax as the chief executive in 2016, but he recently stepped down from this role after the club’s disappointing season, finishing third in the Eredivisie and failing to qualify for the Champions League.
Commenting on his decision to step down, Van der Sar said on Twitter in May: “I feel the need to take some distance, to get some rest, and to do other things. It doesn’t feel good to take decisions about the future of this wonderful club in the coming period. That is why I have decided to resign.”
Van der Sar’s professional career spanned over 20 years, with more than 200 appearances for Ajax and notable successes with clubs like Juventus, Fulham, and Manchester United. He represented the Netherlands at the international level, earning 130 caps and becoming their most-capped player for a period.
