Bolo began his career as a left winger at PSV Eindhoven, winning the Dutch Championship in 1996 and a Dutch Player of the Year award. He announced himself to the world with a spectacular solo goal against Croatia at France 98. After the World Cup, Louis Van Gaal signed him to join the little Holland at Spanish giants Barcelona. Rafael Benitez first came across Zenden when he played for Barcelona and helped the Catalan club win the Spanish title in his first season at the Nou Camp.
He then moved to the Premiership in 2001 when he joined Chelsea for a fee of £7.5 million, before spending the whole of the 2003/04 season on loan with Middlesbrough. He scored the winner against Bolton Wanderers in the 2004 Carling Cup final as the club won their first ever major trophy.
He made a permanent move to Middlesbrough in the summer of 2004 and scored eight goals that season, getting voted the supporters player of the year.
Rafa Benitez secured the signing of Zenden on a free transfer from Middlesbrough in July 2005 making him the third Dutchman to play for Liverpool following in the footsteps of Sander Westerveld and Erik Meijer. He was beginning to settle well into the club when he injured a cruciate ligament against Real Betis in November, ruling him out for the rest of the season.
Profile by Ben W, March 2006
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