Giovanni van Bronckhorst facts for kids
Van Bronckhorst celebrating the Turkish Super Cup as manager of Beşiktaş in 2024
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Giovanni Christiaan van Bronckhorst | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 5 February 1975 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Rotterdam, Netherlands | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder, left-back | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Liverpool (assistant coach) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1981–1982 | RVV LMO | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1982–1993 | Feyenoord | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1998 | Feyenoord | 103 | (22) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1994 | → RKC Waalwijk (loan) | 12 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2001 | Rangers | 73 | (13) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2004 | Arsenal | 41 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | → Barcelona (loan) | 34 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2007 | Barcelona | 71 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2010 | Feyenoord | 88 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 422 | (52) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2010 | Netherlands | 106 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2019 | Feyenoord | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | Guangzhou R&F | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Rangers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Beşiktaş | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Giovanni Christiaan "Gio" van Bronckhorst (born 5 February 1975) is a Dutch football manager and former player. He used to play as a midfielder but later became a left-back. He was most recently the manager of Süper Lig club Beşiktaş. Currently, he is an assistant coach for Liverpool.
During his playing career, Van Bronckhorst played for several famous clubs. These included RKC Waalwijk, Feyenoord, Rangers, Arsenal, and Barcelona. He was a very important player when Barcelona won the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League (a big European club competition). He played in every Champions League match that season, including the final.
Van Bronckhorst also played 106 times for the Netherlands national team. He represented his country in three FIFA World Cups (1998, 2006, and 2010) and three UEFA European Championships (2000, 2004, and 2008). He was the captain of the Dutch team in the 2010 World Cup final. After this tournament, which was his last match as a player, he received a special honor called the Order of Orange-Nassau.
After retiring as a player, Van Bronckhorst became a coach. He started as an assistant for the Dutch under-21 team and then for Feyenoord. In May 2015, he became the manager of Feyenoord. He led them to win the KNVB Cup in his first season. In 2017, he helped Feyenoord win their first Eredivisie (Dutch league title) in 18 years. In November 2021, he returned to Rangers as their manager. He guided them to the Europa League final in 2022 and won the Scottish Cup in his first season there. In June 2024, he joined Beşiktaş and won the 2024 Turkish Super Cup in his very first official match with them. He left Beşiktaş in November 2024.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Starting Out in Football
Giovanni van Bronckhorst started playing football at a young age. He joined a local youth team in Rotterdam called Linker Maas Oever when he was six. The next year, he moved to the youth academy of Feyenoord, a well-known Dutch club.
When he was 15, Feyenoord offered him a professional contract, which he accepted. He won the Dutch Youth League with Feyenoord in 1991. However, it was hard for him to get into the main team right away. He was loaned out to RKC Waalwijk and made his first professional league appearance in 1993. He returned to Feyenoord for the 1994–95 season. The 1995–96 season was his big breakthrough, as he played in almost every match for Feyenoord.
Time at Rangers
In 1998, Van Bronckhorst decided to move to Rangers in Scotland. He joined the club for a transfer fee of about £5 million. In his very first game for Rangers, he scored a goal.
He scored 22 goals for Rangers during his time there, playing mostly in midfield. He helped Rangers win the Scottish Premier League twice (1998–99, 1999–2000), the Scottish Cup twice (1998–99, 1999–2000), and the Scottish League Cup once (1998–99). One of his goals was in the 2000 Scottish Cup Final, which Rangers won 4–0.
Playing for Arsenal
In June 2001, Van Bronckhorst moved to Arsenal in England for £8 million. He was brought in to play in midfield alongside Patrick Vieira. However, soon after joining, he suffered a serious knee injury that kept him out for several months.
Despite his injury, Van Bronckhorst helped Arsenal win the Premier League title in the 2001–02 season. He also won the FA Cup twice with Arsenal, in 2001–02 and 2002–03. He played 64 games for Arsenal and scored two goals.
Success at Barcelona
Before the 2003–04 season, Van Bronckhorst had the chance to join Barcelona in Spain. He moved there on a one-year loan, with the possibility of a permanent transfer later.
At Barcelona, he changed his playing position to a left-back. He quickly became a key player, helping Barça improve a lot in the second half of the season. In May 2004, his move to Barcelona became permanent. He signed a three-year deal.
He helped Barcelona win the Spanish league title in the 2004–05 season, scoring four goals. In the 2005–06 season, he helped his club win the Liga title again. They also won the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League, which is one of the biggest club trophies in football. He was the only player who played in every Champions League match for Barcelona that season. In Spain, he used "Gio" as the name on his shirt.
Coming Back to Feyenoord
In 2007, Van Bronckhorst returned to Feyenoord on a free transfer. His contract with Barcelona allowed him to do this. Soon after, his coach, Bert van Marwijk, made him the team captain. He became a very important player for the team.
At the end of his first season back, he led Feyenoord to win the 2007–08 KNVB Cup (Dutch Cup). They won the final 2–0 against Roda JC.
International Career for the Netherlands
Early Years with the National Team
Van Bronckhorst first played for the Dutch Olympic team in 1996. He got his first full international cap for the Netherlands in August 1996, starting in a friendly match against Brazil. He scored his first goal for the national team in August 1996 against South Africa. He was part of the Netherlands squad for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, but he did not play in any matches during that tournament. He also played a small role in Euro 2000.
Euro 2004 and 2006 World Cup
In Euro 2004, Van Bronckhorst played as a left-back. The Netherlands reached the semi-finals but lost to Portugal.
He was a regular player for the national team during the qualification for the 2006 World Cup. In a match against Portugal, he received a red card in a game that had a record number of red cards.
Euro 2008 Performance
Van Bronckhorst scored a goal in a Euro 2008 qualifying match against Slovenia on 28 March 2007, helping the Netherlands win 1–0.
On 9 June 2008, in a group match against Italy, he made an amazing play. He cleared the ball from his own goal line, ran far into the Italian half, and then crossed the ball to Dirk Kuyt. Kuyt headed it down to Wesley Sneijder, who scored. Van Bronckhorst later scored another goal himself, helping the Netherlands beat the then-World Cup champions 3–0.
After Euro 2008, the captain, Edwin van der Sar, retired from international football. Van Bronckhorst was chosen to replace him as the new captain.
2010 FIFA World Cup Journey
Van Bronckhorst was included in the Netherlands squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. On 27 May 2010, it was announced that he would be the team captain. In the semi-final match against Uruguay, he scored the first goal in a 3–2 win. His powerful long-range shot was considered one of the best goals in World Cup history. In November 2022, FIFA even included this goal in its list of the 22 best goals ever.
Van Bronckhorst's last match as a professional footballer was the World Cup final against Spain. He was substituted in the 105th minute. Spain scored the only goal of the match in the 116th minute, and the Netherlands lost. Even though they were runners-up, Van Bronckhorst said he was very proud of what the team had achieved.
Managerial Career
Leading Feyenoord
After retiring as a player in 2010, Van Bronckhorst became an assistant coach for Feyenoord in July 2011. On 23 March 2015, it was announced that he would become the new manager of Feyenoord.
In his first season as manager (2015–16), Van Bronckhorst led Feyenoord to win the 2015–16 KNVB Cup by beating Utrecht 2–1 in the final. In his second season (2016–17), he guided Feyenoord to win the Eredivisie title. This was a huge achievement, as it was Feyenoord's first league title in 18 years!
In the 2017–18 season, Feyenoord started by winning the 2017 Johan Cruyff Shield (a super cup match) on penalties. They also won the KNVB Cup again, beating AZ Alkmaar 3–0 in the final. On 24 January 2019, Van Bronckhorst announced that he would leave Feyenoord after the 2018–19 season.
Coaching in China
On 4 January 2020, Van Bronckhorst signed a contract to manage Chinese Super League team Guangzhou R&F. He managed the team for one season, finishing 11th. He then left in December to return to his family.
Managing Rangers Again
On 18 November 2021, Van Bronckhorst was appointed manager of Rangers, the club he played for 20 years earlier. He replaced Steven Gerrard.
In his first game as Rangers manager, his team won 2–0 in the UEFA Europa League. He also won his first Scottish Premiership match 3–1. Rangers had a great run of seven league wins in a row under him. They reached their first European final since 2008, beating strong teams like Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig to get to the 2022 Europa League final. They lost the final on penalties to Eintracht Frankfurt. A few days later, Rangers won the Scottish Cup final 2–0 against Hearts, winning their first Scottish Cup since 2009. Rangers also qualified for the 2022–23 UEFA Champions League group stage under his leadership. However, after a tough period, Van Bronckhorst was sacked by Rangers on 21 November 2022.
Time at Beşiktaş
On 5 June 2024, Van Bronckhorst became the head coach of Turkish club Beşiktaş. He signed a two-year deal. He won the 2024 Turkish Super Cup in his first official match with the team. He left Beşiktaş on 30 November 2024.
Assistant Coach at Liverpool
On 2 July 2025, Van Bronckhorst joined Liverpool as an assistant coach.
Personal Life
Giovanni van Bronckhorst was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands. His father, Victor, is Dutch with Indonesian roots, and his mother, Fransien, is Indonesian of Moluccan descent.
Giovanni and his wife, Marieke, have two sons. In 2008, they started the Giovanni van Bronckhorst Foundation (GvB Foundation). This foundation is based in Rotterdam and helps children who are moving from primary to secondary school. It aims to teach them important life skills and help them overcome challenges by encouraging them to participate in sports.
Career Statistics
Club Appearances
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| RKC Waalwijk (loan) | 1993–94 | Eredivisie | 12 | 2 | — | — | — | 12 | 2 | |||||
| Feyenoord | 1994–95 | Eredivisie | 10 | 1 | — | — | — | 10 | 1 | |||||
| 1995–96 | Eredivisie | 27 | 9 | — | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 9 | ||||
| 1996–97 | Eredivisie | 34 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | 6 | 0 | — | 41 | 5 | |||
| 1997–98 | Eredivisie | 32 | 8 | — | 8 | 2 | — | 40 | 10 | |||||
| Total | 103 | 22 | 1 | 1 | — | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 126 | 25 | |||
| Rangers | 1998–99 | Scottish Premier League | 35 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 2 | — | 53 | 10 | |
| 1999–2000 | Scottish Premier League | 27 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | — | 45 | 6 | ||
| 2000–01 | Scottish Premier League | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 3 | — | 19 | 6 | ||
| Total | 73 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 28 | 5 | — | 117 | 22 | |||
| Arsenal | 2001–02 | Premier League | 21 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 33 | 1 | |
| 2002–03 | Premier League | 20 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 30 | 1 | ||
| 2003–04 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 41 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 64 | 2 | ||
| Barcelona (loan) | 2003–04 | La Liga | 34 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | — | 43 | 1 | ||
| Barcelona | 2004–05 | La Liga | 29 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | — | 38 | 4 | ||
| 2005–06 | La Liga | 19 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | 13 | 0 | — | 36 | 1 | |||
| 2006–07 | La Liga | 23 | 0 | 6 | 1 | — | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 38 | 1 | ||
| Total | 105 | 5 | 16 | 2 | — | 31 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 155 | 7 | |||
| Feyenoord | 2007–08 | Eredivisie | 32 | 7 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 38 | 7 | |||
| 2008–09 | Eredivisie | 27 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 40 | 2 | ||
| 2009–10 | Eredivisie | 29 | 0 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | 33 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 88 | 8 | 15 | 2 | — | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 111 | 11 | |||
| Career total | 422 | 52 | 49 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 96 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 585 | 69 | ||
International Appearances and Goals
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 1996 | 3 | 0 |
| 1997 | 4 | 1 | |
| 1998 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2000 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2001 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2004 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2006 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2007 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2008 | 14 | 1 | |
| 2009 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 10 | 1 | |
| Total | 106 | 6 | |
- Scores and results list the Netherlands' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each van Bronckhorst goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 June 1997 | Johannesburg, South Africa |  South Africa |
1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 2 September 2000 | Amsterdam, Netherlands |  Republic of Ireland |
2–2 | 2–2 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 12 February 2003 | Amsterdam, Netherlands |  Argentina |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 4 | 28 March 2007 | Celje, Slovenia |  Slovenia |
1–0 | 1–0 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying |
| 5 | 9 June 2008 | Bern, Switzerland |  Italy |
3–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Euro 2008 |
| 6 | 6 July 2010 | Cape Town, South Africa |  Uruguay |
1–0 | 3–2 | 2010 FIFA World Cup |
Managerial Statistics
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | Ref | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||||
| Feyenoord |  |
18 May 2015 | 19 May 2019 | 176 | 107 | 26 | 43 | 367 | 190 | +177 | 60.80 | |
| Guangzhou R&F |  |
4 January 2020 | 3 December 2020 | 23 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 32 | 41 | −9 | 30.43 | |
| Rangers |  |
18 November 2021 | 21 November 2022 | 68 | 42 | 12 | 14 | 131 | 72 | +59 | 61.76 | |
| Beşiktaş |  |
5 June 2024 | 20 November 2024 | 20 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 39 | 29 | +10 | 50.00 | |
| Career total | 287 | 166 | 48 | 73 | 569 | 332 | +237 | 57.84 | ||||
Honours and Awards
As a Player
Feyenoord
- KNVB Cup: 1994−95, 2007−08
Rangers
- Scottish Premier League: 1998−99, 1999−2000
- Scottish Cup: 1998–99, 1999–2000
- Scottish League Cup: 1998–99
Arsenal
- Premier League: 2001−02
- FA Cup: 2002–03
Barcelona
- La Liga: 2004–05, 2005−06
- Supercopa de España: 2005, 2006
- UEFA Champions League: 2005−06
Netherlands National Team
- FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2010
As a Manager
Feyenoord
- Eredivisie: 2016–17
- KNVB Cup: 2015–16, 2017–18
- Johan Cruyff Shield: 2017, 2018
Rangers
- Scottish Cup: 2021–22
- UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2021–22
Beşiktaş
- Turkish Super Cup: 2024
Individual Awards
- FIFA Puskás Award 3rd place: 2010 (for his amazing goal in the 2010 World Cup)
Special Honours
- Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau: 2010 (a special award from the Netherlands)
See also
In Spanish: Giovanni van Bronckhorst para niños
- List of footballers with 100 or more caps
