Wout Holverda


Wout Holverda is a former Dutch football striker who played most of his career for Sparta Rotterdam.

Club career

A speedy and stocky forward, Holverda started his professional football career at Sparta and played seven seasons for them, ending up as their top goalscorer in the 1983–84 season. That earned him a move to Fortuna Sittard, where he played alongside British striker John Linford, but a niggling groin injury did not make him a success at Fortuna and he spent his last seasons at HFC Haarlem before retiring.
With Sparta as well as with Fortuna he played European Cup matches, 11 games in total

Alzheimer's disease

Holverda was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease what prevented him from visiting Sparta matches. In September 2013, a group of supporters decided to help him and drive Holverda to Sparta matches for the remainder of the season.