Two years ago Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder almost completed the perfect season as his club side Inter Milan won the Champions League as well as a domestic league and Cup double. And he then lined up in the World Cup final for Holland but a goal from Andres Iniesta four minutes from the end of extra-time gave Spain victory and denied Sneijder that perfect season.
The 27-year-old looked tired at times in the World Cup as the rigours of a long, hard campaign caught up with him. This time around, though, he is coming into an international tournament following a poor season on both a personal level and for his club. Sneijder spent much of the last campaign injured, playing only 28 games in all competitions and understandably with such a stop-start year he at times struggled for form. Inter also suffered a terrible season and failed to qualify for the Champions League as they finished down in sixth.
But that is something the former Ajax and Real Madrid star intends to use to good effect. "There's more motivation to win this prize, as a player you want to win prizes and trophies," he said on Tuesday. "With Inter we won everything two years ago and then I (went to the World Cup) and I reached the final. "Now I didn't win any prizes with Inter but I want to win this Euro so it's a big motivation of course."
And having struggled all season, in particular with a hamstring strain, Sneijder says he is now fit and ready, although he stopped short of claiming his disjointed campaign could help him in this tournament as he will be less fatigued than in South Africa. "Probably but I will only be able to say after the tournament if it was an advantage or not," he said.
"I feel good, I feel more than 100 percent, I don't feel any pain any more, I can train, I play my games, I'm fit and ready. "I feel fitter, which is normal, (than) if you play a lot of games during the season. "This last year I didn't play so much, I'm good, I'm not as tired as two years ago." Holland are in the so-called group of death alongside Germany, Portugal and Denmark but Sneijder believes having such a tough group can be a help rather than a hindrance.