Toornstra on brink of 500th Eredivisie appearance: 'My debut was in the ice age'

Toornstra will reach 500 Eredivisie appearances if Sparta Rotterdam plays him against Ajax on Sunday, entering the all-time top ten.

Jens Toornstra is on the verge of a historic milestone: his 500th Eredivisie appearance. The 37-year-old Sparta Rotterdam midfielder will join an elite group of Dutch football legends if manager Rogier Meijer gives him playing time in Sunday's match against Ajax. Currently ranked 11th all-time, Toornstra is closing in on ADO Den Haag icon Aad Mansveld's 505 appearances. Remarkably, six of the top ten appearance-holders are goalkeepers, making Toornstra one of only four outfield players to surpass this milestone. He made his Eredivisie debut in 2009 with ADO Den Haag and enjoyed his best years at Feyenoord, where he won the league title.