Van der Leegte was born on 27 March 1977 in Bergeijk, North Brabant, Netherlands,[2] and later moved with his family to Nuenen, where he grew up just 300 meters from the local football club RKVV EMK.

Under his father's influence, Van der Leegte developed a passion for football, beginning to train unofficially at the age of five and joining RKVV EMK's youth teams soon after.

[3] He made his first-team debut for PSV on 26 November 1994, at the age of 17, playing the full match in a 0–0 draw against FC Volendam under interim manager Kees Rijvers.

[4] In his early seasons with PSV, Van der Leegte trained and played alongside established players such as Luc Nilis, Arthur Numan, and Ronaldo.

Van der Leegte primarily featured as a substitute under managers Kees Rijvers and Dick Advocaat, who had also previously named him captain of the Netherlands U18 team.

[3] Injury to Arthur Numan briefly forced Van der Leegte into the unfamiliar role of left-back, a position he found challenging.

[3] At RKC, Van der Leegte transitioned into a defensive midfield role under coach Martin Jol, who was instrumental in shaping his playing style.

[3] During his four seasons with RKC, Van der Leegte played alongside notable teammates, including Marcel Brands and Dennis Rommedahl, and described the club as a close-knit and welcoming environment.

Midway through the 2005–06 season, Van der Leegte moved to VfL Wolfsburg, where he teamed up with fellow Dutch players Kevin Hofland and Rick Hoogendorp.