Frank Rijkaard facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Frank Rijkaard

Rijkaard in 2006
Personal information
Date of birth	(1962-09-30) 30 September 1962 (age 62)
Place of birth	Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height	1.90 m
Playing position	Central midfielder, central defender
Youth career
0000–1973	SC Buitenveldert
1973–1976	Blauw-Wit Amsterdam
1976–1979	DWS
1979–1980	Ajax
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1980–1987	Ajax	205	(47)
1987–1988	Sporting CP	0	(0)
1987–1988	→ Real Zaragoza (loan)	11	(0)
1988–1993	AC Milan	142	(16)
1993–1995	Ajax	56	(12)
Total		414	(75)
National team
1981–1994	Netherlands	73	(10)
Teams managed
1998	Netherlands (assistant)
1998–2000	Netherlands
2001–2002	Sparta Rotterdam
2003–2008	Barcelona
2009–2010	Galatasaray
2011–2013	Saudi Arabia
Honours Men's football Representing  Netherlands UEFA European Championship Winner 1988 Third 1992
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Frank Rijkaard (born 30 September 1962) is a famous Dutch former footballer and manager. He played as a defensive midfielder, known for his style and skill. Many people think he is one of the best midfielders in football history.

Rijkaard played for top clubs like Ajax, Real Zaragoza, and AC Milan. With Ajax, he won five Eredivisie titles and the 1994–1995 Champions League. At AC Milan, he won Serie A titles and the 1988–89 and 1989–90 European Cup (now known as the Champions League).

He played 73 games for the Netherlands national team. He helped his team win the 1988 European Championship. He also played in the 1990 and 1994 World Cups.

As a manager, Rijkaard is best known for his five years at Barcelona. There, he won the 2004–05 and 2005–06 La Liga titles. He also led them to win the 2005–06 Champions League. He also managed the Netherlands national team, Sparta Rotterdam, Galatasaray, and the Saudi Arabia national team.

Playing Career Highlights

Rijkaard with Ajax in July 1981

Starting at Ajax

Frank Rijkaard was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands. His father, Herman, was also a footballer. Frank grew up playing football with Ruud Gullit, who would become another famous Dutch player.

Rijkaard was only 17 when he made his first team debut for Ajax on 23 August 1980. He scored a goal in his very first game, helping Ajax win 4–2. In his first season, he played 24 games and scored four goals. He quickly became a key player.

Winning Titles with Ajax

Rijkaard stayed at Ajax for over seven seasons. During this time, he won the Dutch league championship three times. He also won the Dutch Cup three times. In the 1986–87 season, he won the Cup Winners' Cup with Ajax. This was a big European trophy.

In 1987, Rijkaard left Ajax after a disagreement with coach Johan Cruyff. He then moved to Sporting CP in Portugal, but couldn't play there. He was loaned to Real Zaragoza in Spain for a short time.

Success at AC Milan

Rijkaard then joined AC Milan in Italy, where he played for five seasons. He played alongside other Dutch stars, Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit. This trio became very famous.

With Milan, Rijkaard won the European Cup twice in a row (1989 and 1990). He also won the Italian Serie A championship twice. In the 1990 European Cup Final, he scored the only goal to win the cup for Milan.

Returning to Ajax and European Glory

After his time in Italy, Rijkaard returned to Ajax in 1993. Under coach Louis van Gaal, Rijkaard and Danny Blind became the strong leaders of Ajax's defense.

Ajax had an amazing 1994–95 season, winning the Dutch championship without losing a single game. They also had great success in Europe. In his final game as a player, Rijkaard won the Champions League again. Ajax beat his old club AC Milan 1–0 in the 1995 final. This was a perfect way to end his playing career.

International Career with Netherlands

Frank Rijkaard and Carmen Sandries getting married on 10 October 1985

Rijkaard first played for the Netherlands national football team in 1981. He was a key player in the Dutch team that won UEFA Euro 1988. They beat the Soviet Union 2–0 in the final. He played as a central defender in that tournament.

At UEFA Euro 1992, Rijkaard scored an important goal against Germany, helping the Netherlands win their group. In the semi-final against Denmark, he scored a late goal to make it 2–2. However, the Netherlands lost the game in a penalty shootout.

His last game for the Netherlands was in the quarter-finals of the 1994 FIFA World Cup. They lost 3–2 to Brazil, who went on to win the tournament.

A Memorable Incident

From left: Rijkaard with Ronald Koeman, Erwin Koeman and Ruud Gullit in the Dutch national team in 1983

During the 1990 FIFA World Cup, Rijkaard was involved in a famous incident with German player Rudi Völler. Both players were sent off during the match. Rijkaard later apologized to Völler for his actions, and Völler accepted the apology.

Managerial Career Journey

Coaching the Netherlands Team

After retiring as a player, Rijkaard became an assistant coach for the Netherlands national football team at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. The Netherlands reached the semi-finals but lost on penalties.

After the World Cup, Rijkaard became the head coach of the national team. As the Netherlands were co-hosts of UEFA Euro 2000, they didn't play in qualifying games. At Euro 2000, the Dutch team played very well, winning all their group matches. They also won their quarter-final game 6–1 against Yugoslavia, setting a record for the biggest win at a European Championship. However, they lost their semi-final match to Italy on penalties, and Rijkaard resigned afterwards.

Managing Sparta Rotterdam

In the 2001–02 season, Rijkaard became the manager of Sparta Rotterdam. This was the oldest professional team in the Netherlands. The club faced financial difficulties and struggled that season. Under his leadership, Sparta Rotterdam was relegated to the second division for the first time in its history. Rijkaard resigned after this.

Leading FC Barcelona to Glory

Starting at Barcelona

Less than a year after leaving Sparta, Rijkaard was appointed manager of Barcelona in 2003. This was a challenging time for the club. Fans were not happy, and the team hadn't won a major trophy since 1999.

Rijkaard had a tough start, and some fans wanted him to leave. However, he showed great strength and turned things around. He brought in new star players like Ronaldinho, Deco, and Samuel Eto'o. He also helped young talents from the club's youth teams, like Lionel Messi, Víctor Valdés, and Andrés Iniesta, become part of the main team.

Winning La Liga and Champions League

With Rijkaard's guidance, Barcelona became a very strong team. They finished second in La Liga in 2003–04. Then, they won the La Liga title two seasons in a row, in 2004–05 and 2005–06.

Rijkaard (second from left) with Xavi, Ronaldinho and Puyol at NASA in 2006

Rijkaard also led Barcelona to win the 2005–06 Champions League. They beat Arsenal 2–1 in the final. His smart changes during the game, like bringing on Henrik Larsson, helped Barcelona score their winning goals. This win made him one of only a few people to have won the European Cup both as a player and as a manager.

After two seasons without winning a major trophy, Rijkaard left Barcelona in May 2008. The club president, Joan Laporta, praised Rijkaard for his great achievements and for making "history" at the club.

Managing Galatasaray and Saudi Arabia

Rijkaard coaching Galatasaray in 2009

In June 2009, Rijkaard signed a two-year contract to manage the Turkish team Galatasaray. He stayed there until October 2010.

Then, in June 2011, he became the head coach of the Saudi Arabia national team. Saudi Arabia did not qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. They also left the 21st Arabian Gulf Cup at the group stage. Rijkaard was dismissed from his role in January 2013.

Later Career and Retirement

In 2013, Rijkaard worked as an advisor for player development at Montverde Academy in Florida. In December 2016, Frank Rijkaard announced that he would no longer seek a position as a manager.

Coaching Style and Ideas

As a coach, Rijkaard believed in playing attacking football. He wanted his teams to play together as one unit. He thought this would help them win games and make the audience enjoy watching. His ideas were similar to those of famous Dutch coaches like Rinus Michels and Johan Cruyff.

Rijkaard was known for being calm and steady, even during tough games. He didn't often get into arguments with the media. He preferred to create a positive environment and let his team's play do the talking.

At Barcelona, he often used a 4–3–3 formation. This system encouraged players to be creative and attack. The defenders also played high up the field to support the midfield and attack. His teams focused on keeping possession of the ball in the opponent's half. They would put pressure on the other team to force mistakes and then counter-attack.

Personal Life

Frank Rijkaard comes from a family that loves football. His father, Herman Rijkaard, was also a footballer. His older brother, Herman Rijkaard Jr., is a FIFA-certified players' agent. Frank Rijkaard is married to Stephanie and has four children.

Media Appearances

Rijkaard is featured in the EA Sports' FIFA video game series. He has appeared as a "Legend" or "ICON" player in FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) in many versions of the game.

Career Statistics

Club Playing Record

International Playing Record

Scores and results list the Netherlands' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Rijkaard goal.

List of international goals scored by Frank Rijkaard

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	17 December 1983	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Malta	3–0	5–0	UEFA Euro 1984 qualifier
2				5–0
3	3 June 1990	Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb, Yugoslavia	Yugoslavia	1–0	2–0	Friendly
4	27 May 1992	De Baandert, Sittard, Netherlands	Austria	1–0	3–2	Friendly
5	18 June 1992	Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden	Germany	1–0	3–1	UEFA Euro 1992
6	22 June 1992	Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden	Denmark	2–2	2–2	UEFA Euro 1992
7	19 January 1994	Stade El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia	Tunisia	1–1	2–2	Friendly
8	1 June 1994	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Hungary	5–1	7–1	Friendly
9				6–1
10	12 June 1994	Varsity Stadium, Toronto, Canada	Canada	3–0	3–0	Friendly

Managerial Statistics

Honours and Awards

Player Achievements

Source:

Ajax

Rijkaard with Van Basten and Cruyff with Ajax in 1986.

• Eredivisie (Dutch League): 1981–82, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1993–94, 1994–95
• KNVB Cup (Dutch Cup): 1982–83, 1985–86, 1986–87
• Dutch Supercup: 1993, 1994
• UEFA Champions League: 1994–95
• European Cup Winners' Cup: 1986–87

AC Milan

• Serie A (Italian League): 1991–92, 1992–93
• Supercoppa Italiana (Italian Super Cup): 1988
• European Cup: 1988–89, 1989–90
• European Super Cup: 1989, 1990
• Intercontinental Cup: 1989, 1990

Netherlands National Team

Rijkaard, Van Basten, Gullit and Michels with Queen Beatrix in 1988.

• UEFA European Championship: 1988

Individual Awards as a Player

• Dutch Golden Shoe: 1985, 1987
• UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 1988
• Ballon d'Or – Third place: 1988, 1989
• Intercontinental Cup Most Valuable Player: 1990
• Serie A Footballer of the Year: 1992
• FIFA 100 (list of greatest living footballers)
• UEFA President's Award: 2005
• AC Milan Hall of Fame

Manager Achievements

Barcelona

• La Liga (Spanish League): 2004–05, 2005–06
• Supercopa de España (Spanish Super Cup): 2005, 2006
• UEFA Champions League: 2005–06

Individual Awards as a Manager

• Don Balón Coach of the Year: 2004–05, 2005–06
• UEFA Manager of the Year: 2005–06
• IFFHS World's Best Club Coach: 2006

See also

In Spanish: Frank Rijkaard para niños