Paul Mulders

Paul Mulders

260px Paul Mulders playing for ADO Den Haag
Personal information
Full name	Paul de la Cruz Mulders
Date of birth	(1981-01-16) 16 January 1981
Place of birth	Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height
Position(s)	Attacking Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Ceres
Number	22
Youth career
1985–1989	A.V.V. Zeeburgia
1989–1997	Ajax
1997–2000	Haarlem
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2000–2005	Haarlem	114	(20)
2005–2007	SC Cambuur	60	(5)
2007–2009	FC Omniworld	60	(11)
2009–2011	AGOVV Apeldoorn	58	(9)
2011–2013	ADO Den Haag	13	(0)
2013	Global FC	3	(0)
2014	SC Cambuur	12	(0)
2014–	Ceres	5	(0)
International career‡
2011–2015	Philippines	36	(2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 04 September 2015 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:20, 04 September 2015 (UTC)

Paul dela Cruz Mulders (born 16 January 1981) is a Dutch–Filipino professional footballer who plays as an Attacking Midfielder. He is currently signed by Ceres F.C.. Mulders is also a member of the Philippines national team. He previously played for HFC Haarlem, FC Omniworld, AGOVV Apeldoorn, ADO Den Haag, Global FC and SC Cambuur.

Club career

Early years

Born in Amsterdam, he is the youngest son of Dutchman Leo Mulders and Filipina mother Ofelia de la Cruz from Isabela, Ilagan. Mulders started youth football at A.V.V. Zeeburgia at the age of four until he was scouted by Ajax Amsterdam at the age of eight and trained at the Ajax Academy until he was 16.

HFC Haarlem

Mulders continued on to HFC Haarlem in 1997 where many of former Ajax youth players have gone to continue their football pursuits. He made his professional debut in the Dutch Eerste Divisie at the age of 19 on 14 October 2000 against BV Veendam. Notably on 6 August 2003, Mulders netted a goal against the opposition team consisting of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wamberto during a friendly match against Ajax in Amsterdam Arena. He won 114 appearances and scored 20 goals for Haarlem as a winger from 2000–2005 and impressed upon head trainer, Roy Wesseling.

Cambuur Leeuwarden

As a free agent after the 2005 season, Wesseling brought Mulders and co-Haarlem teammate Rick Hooijboer with him to Cambuur Leeuwarden. The then 24-year-old Mulders signed a two-year contract with the Frisian club. He would make sixty appearances for the Leeuwarders and score five goals as a forward. Cambuur bogged by financial problems had failed expectations to climb the Jupiler League rankings in Mulders' second season with the club. As a result, he and six other players' contracts were not renewed.

FC Omniworld

Before the 2007–08 season got underway, Mulders had a brief failed pro-adventure in Austria during the summer break before finally signing with FC Omniworld in his backyard of Almere for two seasons. Poised to play his naturally preferred position as an attacking midfielder or as a shadow striker, he scored eleven goals in sixty appearances. In Omniworld, he met and clicked with assistant trainer Peter van Vossen who he would later meet again at AGOVV.

AGOVV Apeldoorn

On 3 February 2009, it was announced that Mulders had signed with AGOVV in Apeldoorn for two seasons and began his training in earnest in the summer of that same year with coaches John van den Brom and Peter van Vossen. It was while under the tutelage of van den Brom that Mulders flourished with the team and in tandem played his best season yet in 2009-10 with the likes of teammates Nacer Chadli, Ramon Leeuwin, Chiró N'Toko, Jeremy Bokila, where AGOVV reached the promotion play-offs. In late April 2011, it was announced that he signed a two-year deal with an option for another year with ADO Den Haag.

ADO Den Haag

It was widely reported in August 2010, that Mulders' former coach at AGOVV Apeldoorn, John van den Brom, wanted to bring him to his new club ADO Den Haag, but talks for a transfer fell through. During the end of the winter transfer window in January 2011, Zwolle was reportedly pursuing Mulders for a last minute mid-season transfer. In late April 2011, it was announced that he signed a two-year deal with an option for another year with ADO Den Haag.

He made his UEFA Europa League debut for Den Haag on 4 August 2011 coming on as a substitute for Ahmed Ammi in the 32nd minute against AC Omonia in the third qualifying round. Den Haag won 1–0 but lost 3–1 on aggregate.

After eleven seasons in the Eerste Divisie, Mulders made his debut in the Eredivisie on 7 August 2011 against Vitesse Arnhem.

Chiangrai United

In January 2013, it has been reported that Mulders had received an offer from Chiangrai United F.C. in the Thai Premier League but both parties did not reach a final agreement before the winter transfer window closed.

Prior to the end of Mulders' contract with ADO Den Haag and with the support of former teammate Adnan Barakat from Cambuur Leeuwarden, Mulders travelled to Thailand in July 2013 to play a test match for Chiangrai United. Ultimately, Chiangrai's new head coach did not extend him an offer to join the team.

Global FC

As a free agent in July 2013, Mulders lent his services to the Global FC team to beef their campaign for the Singapore Cup.

SC Cambuur

On 20 January 2014, Mulders signed an amateur deal with Dutch Eredivisie side SC Cambuur until the end of the season.

International career

Shortly after the announcement of Mulders' transfer to ADO Den Haag, his friends and a cousin set up a Facebook fanpage for him. The page was then forwarded to the Philippine Football Federation and within a week he was invited to come to Manila to join the national team. Mulders cited that based on his football résumé, video compilations, and the fact that he had signed with ADO that he made the selection.

In early June 2011, he arrived in Manila and obtained his Philippine passport. He was named into the final squad for their 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification first round match against Sri Lanka. On 29 June 2011, Mulders made his debut for the Philippines in Colombo, as they drew 1–1 with Sri Lanka. Philippines wins the return match in Manila at 4–0 and advances to the second round qualifiers against Kuwait . He would miss the Kuwait matches due to a leg wound infection incurred from a sliding tackle in Colombo.

On 7 October 2011, Mulders would again reprise his role in a friendly match against Singapore with a 2–0 loss for the Philippines. Following a friendly match against Nepal on 11 October 2011, the Philippines win 4–0 where Mulders played an instrumental role providing an assist to Phil Younghusband's goal in the 17th minute.

Retirement

On 16 March 2016, Azkals team manager Dan Palami confirmed that Mulders has retired from playing at international level.

International goals

Scores and results list the Philippines' goal tally first.

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	24 November 2012	Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok	Thailand	1–2	1–2	2012 AFF Suzuki Cup
2.	28 November 2014	Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi	Vietnam	1–3	1–3	2014 AFF Suzuki Cup

External links

• Paul Mulders career stats at Voetbal International
• Paul Mulders at National-Football-Teams.com
• Paul Mulders profile at UEFA Europa League
• Paul Mulders – FIFA competition record
• Paul Mulders career statistics at Soccerbase