Educated at the Ajax school of Total Football Pienaar has become an integral part of the Toffees’ midfield
Nippy wideman Pienaar came to prominence as a teenager with Ajax after he was spotted in his native Johannesburg.
Having completed a century of appearances for the Dutch giants, winning the Eredivisie twice, he made the switch to the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund in January 2006.
After finding it hard to settle in Germany, he joined the Toffees on a season-long loan for 2007/08, where his bustling, combative performances – he missed just three games – convinced David Moyes to snap him up on a permanent basis for £2m in April.
Though he has only scored twice so far, there are surely more goals in him.