Jaap Stam facts for kids
Stam in 2006
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jakob Stam | ||
| Date of birth | 17 July 1972 | ||
| Place of birth | Kampen, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 1.91 m | ||
| Playing position | Centre-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1988–1992 | DOS Kampen | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1992–1993 | FC Zwolle | 32 | (1) |
| 1993–1995 | SC Cambuur | 66 | (3) |
| 1995–1996 | Willem II | 19 | (1) |
| 1996–1998 | PSV Eindhoven | 76 | (12) |
| 1998–2001 | Manchester United | 79 | (1) |
| 2001–2004 | Lazio | 70 | (3) |
| 2004–2006 | Milan | 42 | (1) |
| 2006–2007 | Ajax | 31 | (1) |
| Total | 415 | (23) | |
| National team | |||
| 1996–2004 | Netherlands | 67 | (3) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2009 | PEC Zwolle (caretaker) | ||
| 2014–2016 | Jong Ajax | ||
| 2016–2018 | Reading | ||
| 2018–2019 | PEC Zwolle | ||
| 2019 | Feyenoord | ||
| 2020–2021 | FC Cincinnati | ||
| 2024– | DOS Kampen | ||
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Jakob "Jaap" Stam (born 17 July 1972) is a Dutch football coach and former player. He played as a centre-back. Many people think he is one of the best defenders ever.
Stam was a key player for Manchester United when they won the amazing Treble in 1999. This meant they won the Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League all in one season!
He played for several big European clubs. These included PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Lazio, Milan, and Ajax. He stopped playing in October 2007.
Jaap won many trophies with his clubs. These include the Eredivisie (Dutch league), the Coppa Italia (Italian cup), and three Premier League titles. He also won personal awards. He was named the best defender in the UEFA Champions League twice. He was also in the PFA Team of the Year three times in a row.
Stam played 67 games for the Netherlands. He scored three goals for his country. He played in three UEFA European Championship tournaments and one 1998 FIFA World Cup. After he stopped playing, Stam became a coach. He managed teams like Feyenoord and FC Cincinnati.
Contents
Club career
Starting his journey
Jaap Stam was born in Kampen, Netherlands. He began his football journey at his local amateur club, DOS Kampen. On 15 August 1992, he played his first professional game for FC Zwolle. It was a 1–1 draw against SC Heracles.
The next season, he moved to Eredivisie club Cambuur Leeuwarden. After two seasons there, he transferred to Willem II. He quickly showed how good he was in the Eredivisie. This helped him become a well-known player.
Stam then joined PSV Eindhoven. There, he won his first professional trophy, the KNVB Cup, in 1996. He also won the 1996–97 Eredivisie league title. He also won the Johan Cruyff Shield. Jaap was also named the VVCS Footballer of the Year.
Time at Manchester United
In April 1998, Jaap Stam made history. He became the most expensive defender ever at that time. Manchester United bought him for £10.6 million. He signed a five-year contract with the club.
Stam played for Manchester United for three seasons. During this time, the team won many important trophies. They won three Premier League titles. They also won one FA Cup. In 1999, they won the Intercontinental Cup. Most famously, they won the UEFA Champions League in 1999.
He scored only one goal for Manchester United. This goal came in a big 6–2 win against Leicester City. In the 1999 UEFA Champions League final, Manchester United played against Bayern Munich. Bayern scored early, but United scored two goals in the final minutes to win the trophy.
In 2001, Stam was sold to Lazio in Italy. This was a surprise move. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was reportedly unhappy with some things Stam had written in his autobiography. Later, Sir Alex Ferguson said that selling Stam was a mistake. He said Stam was still playing very well.
Playing in Italy
After leaving Manchester United, Stam joined Lazio. He played there for three seasons. In his last season with Lazio, he helped the team win the Coppa Italia.
Stam then moved to Milan after UEFA Euro 2004. He reached his second Champions League final with Milan in 2005. However, his team lost to Liverpool in a penalty shoot-out.
Return to the Netherlands
On 30 January 2006, Jaap Stam returned to the Netherlands. He signed a two-year contract with Ajax. He became the team captain when he arrived. In his first season, he won the Johan Cruyff Shield and the KNVB Cup. He won another Johan Cruyff Shield at the start of the 2007–08 season.
On 29 October 2007, Stam announced he was stopping his professional football career. He had played six league games for Ajax that season. His last game was a 0–0 draw against NEC.
International career
Stam played his first game for the Netherlands on 24 April 1996. It was a friendly match against Germany. He was added to the squad for UEFA Euro 1996 due to an injury to another player. However, he did not play in that tournament.
He scored his first goal for the Netherlands on 6 September 1997. It was in a World Cup qualification game against Belgium. He was also a very important player for the Dutch team that finished fourth in the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
During UEFA Euro 2000, he again reached the semi-finals with the Dutch team. The tournament was held in his home country and Belgium. In the semi-finals, the Netherlands lost to Italy in a penalty shoot-out. Stam missed his penalty kick.
Stam reached his third semi-final in an international competition at UEFA Euro 2004 in Portugal. He decided to stop playing for the national team after this tournament. He wanted to focus on his new club, Milan, and his family. In total, he played 67 matches for the Netherlands and scored three goals.
Playing style
Many football experts believe Jaap Stam was one of the best defenders of his time. He is also considered one of the greatest Dutch and Premier League defenders ever. He mainly played as a centre-back.
Stam was known for being fast, strong, and good with the ball. He also had a great sense of where to be on the field. He could even play as a full-back on the right side.
Life after playing football
In October 2008, Stam returned to Manchester United. He worked as a scout for the club, mainly looking for players in South America.
Soccer Aid
Stam has also been involved with Soccer Aid. This is a charity event where celebrities and football legends play a game. It raises money for UNICEF. Stam has played in five Soccer Aid matches between 2008 and 2018.
Coaching and managing teams
In 2009, Stam became an assistant coach for PEC Zwolle. He was also a caretaker manager for a short time. In 2013, Stam signed a three-year contract with Ajax as an assistant coach. He also coached their defenders.
From 2014 to 2016, Stam was one of the managers for Jong Ajax. This is the reserve team for Ajax.
Reading
On 13 June 2016, Stam became the manager of Reading. This is an English club in the Championship. He had a good first season, leading them to the play-offs. In July 2017, he signed a new contract. However, on 21 March 2018, Reading announced that Stam had left the club. This was after a difficult period where the team won only one game in 18 matches.
PEC Zwolle
On 28 December 2018, Stam was appointed as the new manager of PEC Zwolle. He signed a contract for a year and a half.
Feyenoord
On 6 March 2019, Feyenoord announced that Stam would be their new manager. He signed a two-year contract. However, after a 0–4 loss to Ajax, Stam resigned on 28 October 2019. He said it was better for the club, players, and himself if he stepped aside.
FC Cincinnati
On 21 May 2020, Major League Soccer club FC Cincinnati announced Stam as their new head coach. He signed a contract for a year and a half. On 15 July, he won his first game as manager. His team beat Atlanta United FC 1–0.
Stam was dismissed on 27 September 2021. At that time, Cincinnati was near the bottom of the Eastern Conference. They had won only four of 25 games.
DOS Kampen
In February 2024, Stam was named manager at DOS Kampen. This is his hometown amateur club. It is where he started playing football more than 30 years ago. He agreed to take charge in the summer for one year.
Personal life
Jaap Stam is a Protestant. He met his wife, Ellis, when he was 16 years old. They have two daughters and twin sons. When he played for Manchester United, he lived in Wilmslow in Cheshire. His cousin, Maurice van Ham, was also a professional footballer.
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Zwolle | 1992–93 | Eerste Divisie | 32 | 1 | — | — | — | 32 | 1 | |||||
| Cambuur | 1993–94 | Eredivisie | 33 | 1 | — | — | — | 33 | 1 | |||||
| 1994–95 | Eerste Divisie | 33 | 2 | — | — | — | 33 | 2 | ||||||
| Total | 66 | 3 | — | — | — | 66 | 3 | |||||||
| Willem II | 1995–96 | Eredivisie | 19 | 1 | — | — | — | 19 | 1 | |||||
| PSV Eindhoven | 1995–96 | Eredivisie | 14 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 18 | 1 | |||
| 1996–97 | Eredivisie | 33 | 7 | 2 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 7 | ||
| 1997–98 | Eredivisie | 29 | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 4 | ||
| Total | 76 | 12 | 11 | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 98 | 12 | |||
| Manchester United | 1998–99 | Premier League | 30 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 1 |
| 1999–2000 | Premier League | 33 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 51 | 0 | ||
| 2000–01 | Premier League | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 0 | |
| 2001–02 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 79 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 127 | 1 | ||
| Lazio | 2001–02 | Serie A | 13 | 1 | — | — | 5 | 0 | — | 18 | 1 | |||
| 2002–03 | Serie A | 28 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | — | 34 | 0 | |||
| 2003–04 | Serie A | 29 | 2 | 6 | 0 | — | 7 | 1 | — | 42 | 3 | |||
| Total | 70 | 3 | 8 | 0 | — | 16 | 1 | — | 94 | 4 | ||||
| Milan | 2004–05 | Serie A | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 1 | |
| 2005–06 | Serie A | 25 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | — | 37 | 1 | |||
| Total | 42 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 65 | 2 | |||
| Ajax | 2006–07 | Eredivisie | 25 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 2 | |
| 2007–08 | Eredivisie | 6 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |||
| Total | 31 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | 15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 52 | 2 | |||
| Career total | 415 | 23 | 36 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 89 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 553 | 26 | ||
International
Appearances and goals by national team and year
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 1996 | 4 | 0 |
| 1997 | 6 | 1 | |
| 1998 | 14 | 1 | |
| 1999 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2000 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2001 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 10 | 0 | |
| Total | 67 | 3 | |
International goals
(Source)
- Scores and results list Netherlands' goal tally first.
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 6 September 1997 | De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands |  Belgium |
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1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2. | 10 October 1998 | Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands |  Peru |
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Friendly |
| 3. | 13 November 1999 | Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands |  Czech Republic |
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Friendly |
Managerial record
| Team | From | To | Record | Ref | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Reading | 13 June 2016 | 21 March 2018 | 98 | 40 | 23 | 35 | 40.8 | |
| PEC Zwolle | 28 December 2018 | 31 May 2019 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 41.2 | |
| Feyenoord | 1 June 2019 | 28 October 2019 | 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 38.9 | |
| FC Cincinnati | 21 May 2020 | 27 September 2021 | 47 | 8 | 13 | 26 | 17.0 | |
| Total | 180 | 62 | 45 | 73 | 34.4 | |||
*Some of Stam's record comes from the MLS is Back tournament. However, the tournament is essentially the MLS 2020 season.
Honours
PSV
- Eredivisie: 1996–97
- KNVB Cup: 1995–96
- Johan Cruyff Shield: 1996, 1997
Manchester United
- Premier League: 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01
- FA Cup: 1998–99
- UEFA Champions League: 1998–99
- Intercontinental Cup: 1999
Lazio
- Coppa Italia: 2003–04
Milan
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2004
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2004–05
Ajax
- KNVB Cup: 2006–07
- Johan Cruyff Shield: 2006, 2007
Individual
- Dutch Footballer of the Year: 1997
- Dutch Golden Boot: 1997
- UEFA Club Best Defender of the Year: 1998–99, 1999–2000
- PFA Team of the Year: 1998–99 Premier League, 1999–2000 Premier League, 2000–01 Premier League
- ESM Team of the Year: 1998–99
- Overseas Team of the Decade – Premier League 10 Seasons Awards (1992–93 – 2001–02)
- FIFPro World XI Nominee 2005
Books
- Stam, J., with Butler, J. (contrib.) (2002), Head to Head, Willow Publishing, ISBN: 978-0-00-711709-3
See also
In Spanish: Jaap Stam para niños
