Robert Zwinkels

Robert Zwinkels (born 4 May 1983) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.^[1]

Robert Zwinkels

Zwinkels in 2015
Personal information
Date of birth	(1983-05-04) 4 May 1983 (age 42)
Place of birth	Kwintsheul, Netherlands
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Youth career
	SV VELO
	ADO Den Haag
2000-2005	Ajax
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2005–2022	ADO Den Haag	156	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Zwinkels joined ADO Den Haag from the Ajax academy in 2005 and made his first‑team debut the following year at the age of 23. He spent most of his career as second‑choice goalkeeper but was the club's regular starter for three seasons, making a total of 155 competitive appearances.^[2]

In July 2020 he signed a new deal that carried him into a 16th consecutive season with ADO, the longest active spell by any Eredivisie player at a single club. His position changed after head coach Ruud Brood arrived in October 2021: Zwinkels trained initially but was soon told there was no room for him in the match‑day squad, with Luuk Koopmans and two academy goalkeepers preferred.^[3]

Zwinkels went on sick leave late in 2021. When Koopmans suffered an injury in January 2022, Brood said recalling the veteran was "not an option". On 20 May 2022 club and player agreed to terminate the rolling contract that would otherwise have seen him move into a back‑room role after retirement.^[4]

After football

In January 2024, Zwinkels returned to the amateur game as a member of the youth‑coaching staff at Loosduinen club GDA, working principally with the club's goalkeepers alongside former team‑mate Ronald Samson.^[5]

The following year he took up a civil‑service post as a sports adviser for the municipality of The Hague, focusing on community programmes that promote safe participation and healthy lifestyles among young people.^[6]

Career statistics

As of match played 7 March 2020

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
ADO Den Haag	2005–06	Eredivisie	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	2006–07		15	0	0	0	0	0	15	0
	2007–08	Eerste Divisie	15	0	0	0	7	0	22	0
	2008–09	Eredivisie	26	0	1	0	0	0	27	0
	2009–10		12	0	0	0	0	0	12	0
	2010–11		1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	2011–12		1	0	2	0	0	0	3	0
	2012–13		7	0	2	0	0	0	9	0
	2013–14		6	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
	2014–15		2	0	1	0	0	0	3	0
	2015–16		1	0	1	0	0	0	2	0
	2016–17		12	0	3	0	0	0	15	0
	2017–18		29	0	1	0	1	0	31	0
	2018–19		22	0	2	0	0	0	24	0
	2019–20		5	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
Career total			155	0	14	0	8	0	177	0