Fernando Ricksen facts for kids
Ricksen playing for Zenit Saint Petersburg in 2007
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Fernando Jacob Hubertina Henrika Ricksen | ||
| Date of birth | 27 July 1976 | ||
| Place of birth | Hoensbroek, Netherlands | ||
| Date of death | 18 September 2019 (aged 43) | ||
| Place of death | Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland | ||
| Height | 1.75 m | ||
| Playing position | Central midfielder, right-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1980–1986 | EHC | ||
| 1986–1988 | RKONS | ||
| 1988–1992 | Roda JC | ||
| 1992–1994 | Fortuna Sittard | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1994–1997 | Fortuna Sittard | 94 | (5) |
| 1997–2000 | AZ | 92 | (12) |
| 2000–2006 | Rangers | 182 | (13) |
| 2006 | → Zenit Saint Petersburg (loan) | 14 | (2) |
| 2007–2009 | Zenit Saint Petersburg | 22 | (0) |
| 2010–2013 | Fortuna Sittard | 48 | (1) |
| Total | 452 | (33) | |
| National team | |||
| 2000–2003 | Netherlands | 12 | (0) |
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Fernando Jacob Hubertina Henrika Ricksen (born 27 July 1976 – died 18 September 2019) was a Dutch professional footballer. He played as a right back and central midfielder.
Ricksen won titles with Fortuna Sittard and AZ in the Eerste Divisie. In 2000, he joined Rangers for £3.75 million. During his six years with the club in Glasgow, he achieved great success. He won two Scottish Premier League titles, two Scottish Cups, and three Scottish League Cups.
In 2006, he moved to Zenit Saint Petersburg, first on loan. There, he helped his team win the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup in 2008. He later returned to Fortuna Sittard for the final years of his career. Ricksen also played for the Netherlands, earning 12 caps between 2000 and 2003.
In 2014, Fernando Ricksen was honored by being added to the Rangers Hall of Fame. Sadly, he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease. He passed away from the illness on 18 September 2019, at the age of 43.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Playing for Rangers
Fernando Ricksen joined Rangers in 2000 from the Dutch team AZ Alkmaar. The transfer fee was £3.75 million. His start at Rangers was quite challenging. In one early match against Celtic, he was substituted very early.
Ricksen faced some disciplinary issues during his time. In November 2000, he received a five-game ban. This was after a challenge on Darren Young that the referee missed but was caught on camera. In March 2004, he was again banned by the Scottish Football Association. This was for a foul on Derek Riordan, leading to a four-game ban and a fine from his club.
The best part of Ricksen's career at Rangers was during the 2004–05 season. He won the SPFA Player of the Year award. He scored nine goals from midfield in 40 games. His efforts helped Rangers win both the league title and the league cup that season.
On 30 March 2014, Ricksen was honored. He was inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame. This is a special recognition for players who have made a big impact on the club.
Time at Zenit Saint Petersburg
Ricksen moved to Zenit Saint Petersburg on loan in August 2006. The manager there was Dick Advocaat, who had also signed Ricksen for Rangers. Two weeks later, Ricksen played against Rangers in a friendly match. He was booed by some fans after a strong tackle on Chris Burke.
In November 2006, Zenit Saint Petersburg decided to buy Ricksen's transfer from Rangers. He stayed with the club for two and a half years. In January 2009, he was moved to Zenit's reserve team. His contract with Zenit was ended in August 2009.
Returning to Fortuna Sittard
After being without a club for over a year, Ricksen decided to rejoin his first team, Fortuna Sittard. This happened on 2 December 2010. He signed a contract until the end of the season. He helped the team in their fight to avoid relegation from the Eerste Divisie.
International Career
Ricksen played for the Netherlands 12 times. His first game was on 15 November 2000. He came on as a substitute in a friendly match against Spain. His last game for the national team was on 30 April 2003. This was a friendly match against Portugal.
Personal Life
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Fernando Ricksen had a daughter named Isabella, who was born in 2011. In 2014, he married Veronika, who is from Russia. A documentary about his life, called Fernando Ricksen: Hard Times, was shown on Sky Sports 1 in May 2015. Ricksen was raised Catholic. He also wrote an autobiography titled Fighting Spirit, which was published in 2014.
Illness and Death
On 30 October 2013, Fernando Ricksen shared sad news. He announced that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neurone disease. This is a serious illness that affects the brain and nerves. He created a charity to help raise money for research into this condition. His charity raised over £1 million.
Fernando Ricksen passed away on 18 September 2019. He was 43 years old and died at St Andrew's Hospice in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. His funeral was held in Glasgow on 25 September. Many people from both Celtic and Rangers football clubs attended to pay their respects. After the service, he was cremated in a private ceremony.
Honours
Fortuna Sitaard
- Eerste Divisie: 1994–95
AZ
- Eerste Divisie: 1997–98
Rangers
- Scottish Premier League: 2002–03, 2004–05
- Scottish Cup: 2001–02, 2002–03
- Scottish League Cup: 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05
Zenit Saint Petersburg
- Russian Premier League: 2007
- Russian Cup: 2008
- UEFA Cup: 2007–08
- UEFA Super Cup: 2008
Individual
- PFA Scotland Players' Player of the Year: 2004–05
- Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame: inducted in 2014
See also
In Spanish: Fernando Ricksen para niños
