NOS, "I wasn't selected for half a year. That's why this is a celebration for me. Not playing is awful." Esbjerg fB On 4 August 2018 it was made public that Van der Vaart had signed a one-year contract with Esbjerg fB in the same league. He had been training with them since his FC Midtjylland had ended. He was presented to the fans at the Esbjerg Stadium before a league game against Randers FC, which ended in a 3–3 draw. On 4 November, having been struggling with recurring injuries, he announced he would retire from professional football with immediate effect. On 22 August 2019 Van der Vaart confirmed, that he would play a game for Esbjerg's reserves in the ninth tier of football in Denmark. Due to his relationship with handball player Estavana Polman, he was still living in Esbjerg, as she was playing for Team Esbjerg. International career Van der Vaart gained the notice of the youth team coaches and was called up for the youth squads. He played in the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship with present senior teammates Maarten Stekelenburg and John Heitinga and former Real Madrid teammates Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Arjen Robben. The 18-year-old Van der Vaart then made his senior international debut against Andorra on 6 October 2001. He was a member of the squads that participated in Euro 2004, Euro 2008, Euro 2012, the 2006 World Cup and the 2010 World Cup. Despite figuring prominently in a number of qualifying stage matches, Van der Vaart has had a lack of luck when it came to the final tournament. He was however, vice-captain during the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 behind Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Mark van Bommel respectively. On 15 August 2012, Van der Vaart earned his 100th cap for the Netherlands in the 2–4 loss against Belgium in a friendly match. Van der Vaart was used to wear the number 23 or 10 jersey while playing for his country. Euro 2004 A sub-par performance by the Dutch during their opening game of Euro 2004 persuaded then manager Dick Advocaat to change the side's formation into one which he felt the talented Van der Vaart did not fit into. With Advocaat's new system seemingly working, Van der Vaart would be reduced to play a bit-part role at Euro 2004, as Oranje reached the semi-finals. 2006 World Cup Despite that setback, Van der