Background and career
Steven Jerome Pienaar (Afrikaans pronunciation: [ˈstivən ˈpinɑːr]; born 17 March 1982) is a South African former professional footballer and current coach of the U14 team of Sharjah FC in the United Arab Emirates.
He hails from Westbury, a suburb in Johannesburg's Westrand. He was a captain of the South African national team. He primarily played as a winger, but also played as an attacking midfielder. Pienaar played at club level in South Africa, the Netherlands, Germany, and England for Ajax Cape Town, Ajax, Borussia Dortmund, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland and Bidvest Wits. Pienaar is currently serving as an international ambassador at former club Everton.
A former under-17 international, Pienaar made his international debut for South Africa in a 2–0 win against Turkey in 2002. He earned 62 caps and scored three goals over the course of his international career. Pienaar participated at the 2002 and 2010 World Cups, the latter on home soil.
