Wim Jonk

Wim Jonk, born Wilhelmus Maria Jonk on 12 October 1966, currently serves as the technical manager of Eredivisie side Volendam. During his playing days as a midfielder, he collected domestic trophies with Ajax and PSV, lifted the UEFA Cup with Inter Milan in 1994, and also featured in the Premier League for Sheffield Wednesday. Between 1992 and 1999, he earned 49 caps for the Netherlands, playing at Euro 1992 and the World Cups of 1994 and 1998.

Jonk began his career at amateur club RKAV Volendam before signing for Volendam in 1986. A midfielder with a knack for scoring, he helped the club win promotion to the Eredivisie in 1987. Ajax brought him in the following year. He settled quickly, netting six goals in his first season, and played a key role in Ajax’s run to the 1992 UEFA Cup Final, where he scored to beat Torino.

In 1993, he moved to Inter Milan for £3.3 million, joining fellow Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp, who cost £7.1 million. Over two seasons, Jonk made 54 appearances and scored eight goals. He again found the net in a UEFA Cup Final, this time helping Inter win the 1994 edition. After Bergkamp left for Arsenal in 1995, Jonk, nearing 30 and sensing fewer opportunities, returned to the Netherlands with PSV.

For the 1998–99 season, he joined Sheffield Wednesday for £2.5 million, encouraged by stories of the Premier League from compatriots Jaap Stam and Arthur Numan. He was a regular starter for the struggling side but struggled with injuries. A clause in his contract—guaranteeing him £7,500 per game he missed through injury—drew criticism from fans. A groin problem limited his playing time in the 2000–01 season, his final year under contract, though he expressed a desire to return to action in May 2001.

Internationally, Jonk debuted as a substitute in a 3–2 friendly win over Austria on 27 May 1992. That same year, he was selected for Euro 1992, playing only in the opening group match against Scotland, coming on in the 54th minute of a 1–0 victory. At the 1994 World Cup, he scored the equalizer in a 2–1 group win over Saudi Arabia and added a long-range goal in a round-of-16 victory against the Republic of Ireland. After missing Euro 1996, he was picked by Guus Hiddink for the 1998 World Cup, playing five of seven matches as the Netherlands finished fourth. Under new manager Frank Rijkaard, he earned his final cap in a friendly against Denmark on 18 August 1999, ending his international career with 49 appearances and 11 goals.

After retiring, Jonk worked as a pundit for NOS Studio Sport before returning to Volendam as a board member for technical affairs, also serving as an individual trainer and assistant to the first and second teams. From 2008 to November 2015, he worked at Ajax. Disagreements with the board over the implementation of the Plan Cruyff led him to leave in December 2015, alongside Johan Cruyff and several academy staff. He then co-managed Cruyff Football with Jordi Cruyff, an institute based on the Plan Cruyff philosophy. On 13 April 2019, he became manager of Volendam in the Eerste Divisie, leading them back to the top flight after 13 years. On 16 June 2023, he shifted to the role of technical manager, with his former assistant Matthias Kohler taking over as head coach.

Jonk and his wife Gina have two children. While playing for Sheffield Wednesday, they lived in Dore, South Yorkshire. A practicing Catholic, he was the only one among his Dutch teammates to make the sign of the cross during matches.