Ruud van Nistelrooy facts for kids

In this article, the family name is van Nistelrooy, not Nistelrooy.

Quick facts for kids
Ruud van Nistelrooy
Personal information
Van Nistelrooy in 2017
Full name	Rutgerus Johannes Martinus van Nistelrooij
Date of birth	(1976-07-01) 1 July 1976 (age 49)
Place of birth	Oss, Netherlands
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Striker
Youth career
1981–1990	Nooit Gedacht
1990–1991	RKSV Margriet
1991–1993	Den Bosch
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1993–1997	Den Bosch	69	(17)
1997–1998	Heerenveen	31	(13)
1998–2001	PSV Eindhoven	67	(62)
2001–2006	Manchester United	150	(95)
2006–2010	Real Madrid	68	(46)
2010–2011	Hamburger SV	36	(12)
2011–2012	Málaga	28	(4)
Total		449	(249)
International career
1997–1998	Netherlands U21	4	(0)
1998–2011	Netherlands	70	(35)
Managerial career
2021–2022	Jong PSV
2022–2023	PSV
2024	Manchester United (caretaker)
2024–2025	Leicester City
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Rutgerus Johannes Martinus van Nistelrooij (born 1 July 1976), known as Ruud van Nistelrooy, is a Dutch football manager and former player. He was most recently the manager of Premier League club Leicester City. Many people think he was one of the best strikers of his time.

Van Nistelrooy was the top scorer in the UEFA Champions League three times. He is also the sixth-highest goalscorer in the history of that competition with 56 goals. He was also the top scorer in three different European leagues. In 2004, he was named one of the world's greatest living players in the FIFA 100 list.

He started his career at Den Bosch and then played for Heerenveen. He became famous at PSV Eindhoven, where he won two league titles. His amazing goal-scoring at PSV caught the eye of Manchester United. He joined them in 2001 for a record fee of £19 million. At United, he won the Premier League, FA Cup, Football League Cup, and FA Community Shield. He scored 150 goals in 219 games for United.

In 2006, he moved to Real Madrid. He won La Liga twice and the Supercopa de España there. After that, he played for Hamburger SV and Málaga. He stopped playing football in 2012. For the Netherlands, Van Nistelrooy played 70 times and scored 35 goals. He played in Euro 2004, the 2006 World Cup, and Euro 2008.

Playing Career Highlights

Starting Out in Dutch Football

Ruud van Nistelrooy was born in Oss, North Brabant, Netherlands. He began his football journey in 1993 when he was 17. He joined Den Bosch, a Dutch team, where he changed from a central midfielder to a centre-forward. Before that, he played for local clubs like Nooit Gedacht and RKSV Margriet.

After scoring 12 goals in 31 games in the 1996–97 season, he moved to Heerenveen. He scored 13 goals in 31 matches in his only season there.

Success at PSV Eindhoven

In 1998, PSV Eindhoven signed Van Nistelrooy for €6.3 million. This was a record transfer fee between two Dutch teams at the time. His manager, Bobby Robson, first used him as a substitute. However, Van Nistelrooy quickly showed his talent, scoring 31 goals in 34 matches in his first season. This was the highest number of goals in the Eredivisie that year. He even scored all three of PSV's goals in a UEFA Champions League match against HJK Helsinki. He was named the Dutch Footballer of the Year for his great performance. The next season, he won his second Eredivisie scoring title with 29 goals.

In 2000, Van Nistelrooy was almost transferred to Manchester United. However, the move was delayed because of a knee injury. The transfer was then cancelled when he tore a knee ligament during training, which kept him out of the game for a year.

Joining Manchester United

A year later, in 2001, Van Nistelrooy finally joined Manchester United. He signed a five-year contract after passing his medical tests. The transfer cost £19 million. He told reporters that the high price made him feel confident because it showed United believed in him.

First Season at United (2001–02)

Van Nistelrooy played his first game for United in the Charity Shield against Liverpool, where he scored a goal. On 19 August, he scored two goals in his Premier League debut against Fulham, helping United win 3–2. He scored his first Champions League goals on 17 October.

He scored his first Premier League hat-trick on 22 December in a 6–1 win against Southampton. In the FA Cup, he came on as a substitute against Aston Villa and scored two quick goals to help United win 3–2. In his first season, Van Nistelrooy scored 23 goals in 32 league games. He also scored ten Champions League goals and was named the PFA Players' Player of the Year.

Leading the Attack (2002–03)

The next season, Van Nistelrooy was the top scorer in the Premier League with 25 goals in 34 games. He won the Golden Boot award. He scored three hat-tricks that season. He also scored in the last eight games of the season, helping United win the league title. He was named the Premier League Player of the Season in 2003. He scored 12 Champions League goals in nine games in a row, and UEFA named him the best striker in Europe.

More Goals and Challenges (2003–04)

Van Nistelrooy (left) playing for Manchester United versus Tottenham Hotspur in 2004

Van Nistelrooy started the 2003–04 season by scoring in his first two league matches. This meant he had scored in 10 league games in a row, which was a Premier League record at the time. On 21 September 2003, in a famous match against Arsenal, he missed a penalty kick. This led to a big argument between players from both teams.

On 27 September, he scored a hat-trick against Leicester City. He scored his 100th goal for Manchester United on 7 February 2004, in a thrilling 4–3 win over Everton. In the FA Cup, he scored two goals in the Manchester derby against Manchester City, helping United win 4–2. He also scored two goals in the quarter-final against Fulham. He scored two more goals, including a penalty, in United's win over Millwall in the 2004 FA Cup Final.

Injuries and European Records (2004–05)

Van Nistelrooy missed a lot of the 2004–05 season because of injuries. However, he still scored eight goals in the Champions League, making him the top scorer in that competition. One of his goals was his 30th in European competitions, breaking Denis Law's club record of 28 goals.

On 24 October, Arsenal came to Old Trafford. Arsenal had not lost in 49 games, but United won 2–0. Van Nistelrooy scored the first goal from a penalty kick. He was later banned for three games for a foul that the referee missed. On 3 November, he scored all four goals in a 4–1 win against Sparta Prague.

Final Season at United (2005–06)

Van Nistelrooy in United colours against Chelsea

At the start of the 2005–06 season, Van Nistelrooy scored in United's first four Premier League games. He finished as the second-highest league scorer with 21 goals. However, he was left out of the League Cup Final squad, which made people wonder if he had problems with manager Alex Ferguson. He was benched for six league matches in a row.

There were reports of an argument between Van Nistelrooy and teammate Cristiano Ronaldo during a training session. Van Nistelrooy later apologized to Ferguson for his behavior. On 28 July 2006, Van Nistelrooy left Manchester United after five seasons. He scored 150 goals in 219 games for the club.

Moving to Real Madrid

On 15 July 2006, Alex Ferguson confirmed that Van Nistelrooy wanted to leave Manchester United. Two weeks later, Real Madrid announced they had signed him for €14 million on a three-year contract.

Van Nistelrooy played his first game for Real Madrid in a friendly match on 4 August 2006. He scored a hat-trick in his second league match against Levante. On 12 November 2006, he scored all four of Real Madrid's goals in a 4–1 win over Osasuna. He played alongside Ronaldo, whom he considered the best player he ever played with. Van Nistelrooy won the league's Pichichi award for being the top scorer with 25 goals. Real Madrid won the 2006–07 title. He also matched a record by scoring in seven straight league matches.

Van Nistelrooy signing autographs in 2007

In January 2008, Van Nistelrooy signed a new contract with Madrid until 2010. He had ankle surgery in March but returned for the El Clásico derby against Barcelona on 7 May, scoring a penalty. He finished the season with 20 goals in 33 games.

In November 2008, Real Madrid announced that Van Nistelrooy would miss the rest of the 2008–09 season due to a knee injury. He had surgery and was out for six to nine months. He returned to play in August 2009, assisting a goal and scoring one himself. However, he got another thigh injury soon after.

Time in Germany with Hamburger SV

On 23 January 2010, Van Nistelrooy signed an 18-month contract with the German club Hamburger SV. He made his first appearance for the club on 6 February. He scored his first two goals for Hamburg on 13 February 2010 against VfB Stuttgart. On 11 March 2010, he scored his first UEFA Europa League goal.

Van Nistelrooy scored his only hat-trick for Hamburg on 15 August 2010. He scored two goals in Hamburg's season opener against Schalke 04. In January 2011, there were talks about him returning to Real Madrid, but Hamburg decided to keep him. He scored seven goals and made two assists in 25 games in his only full season with Hamburg.

Final Stop at Málaga

Van Nistelrooy being introduced as a Málaga player

On 1 June 2011, Van Nistelrooy returned to Spain, joining Málaga on a free transfer. He was welcomed by 15,000 Málaga fans at his presentation. He played his first game for Málaga in a 2–1 loss against Sevilla.

He scored his first goal for Málaga on 1 October 2011 against Getafe. He scored two more goals in the league that season, with the last one being the final goal of his career. On 14 May 2012, Ruud van Nistelrooy announced he was retiring from football at the age of 35.

International Career for the Netherlands

Van Nistelrooy with the Netherlands during the 2006 World Cup

Van Nistelrooy played 70 games and scored 35 goals for the Netherlands. He made his debut on 18 November 1998, in a friendly match against Germany. However, his knee injury meant he missed Euro 2000.

The Dutch team did not qualify for the 2002 World Cup. On 19 November 2003, Van Nistelrooy scored a hat-trick in a 6–0 win over Scotland, helping the Netherlands qualify for UEFA Euro 2004. At Euro 2004, he scored in games against Germany, the Czech Republic, and twice against Latvia.

During a 2006 World Cup qualifying match, he scored in a 4–0 win over Andorra. He was part of the squad for the 2006 World Cup finals. He scored one goal in the tournament against the Ivory Coast. He was later benched by coach Marco van Basten without explanation.

Van Nistelrooy (front) with Robin van Persie in 2008

After some disagreements with Van Basten, Van Nistelrooy announced his retirement from international football on 23 January 2007. However, after talking with veteran goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, he decided to return to the national team. On 8 September, he scored in a 2–0 victory against Bulgaria. Four days later, he scored the winning goal against Albania.

At Euro 2008, Van Nistelrooy scored in the Netherlands' 3–0 win over Italy. He also scored the equalizer in their 3–1 loss to Russia in the quarter-finals. On 4 August, he announced his retirement from international football again.

Before the 2010 World Cup, Van Nistelrooy said he was available to play, but the new coach, Bert van Marwijk, did not pick him. After main striker Robin van Persie got injured, Van Marwijk called Van Nistelrooy back to the squad for two Euro 2012 qualifying matches. He scored in a 5–0 win against San Marino on 3 September 2010. In March 2011, he was called up again and scored his 35th international goal against Hungary.

How Ruud Played Football

Ruud van Nistelrooy was known for being a fantastic goalscorer. He was very good at scoring goals and taking chances in front of the net. He was great at shooting with both feet and also with his head. This made him one of the best strikers of his time.

He had a great sense of where to be on the field, reacted quickly, and moved smartly to find open space in the penalty area. He was also good at timing his runs to get past defenders and receive passes from his teammates. Because he was often in the right place at the right time, some people called him a "poacher."

Besides his goal-scoring, Van Nistelrooy was fast, strong, and had good technical skills. He could also hold the ball up with his back to the goal and pass to his teammates. He was also very accurate at taking penalty kicks.

Coaching Career

Starting as a Coach

After retiring as a player, Van Nistelrooy started coaching. On 22 June 2013, he joined PSV as a coaching intern, working with their under-17 team. In February 2016, he became the striker coach for PSV's under-17s, under-19s, and reserve team.

In March 2014, it was announced that Van Nistelrooy would help Guus Hiddink coach the Netherlands national team after the 2014 World Cup.

Managing Youth Teams

On 25 June 2018, Van Nistelrooy became the new manager of the PSV under-19s. In December 2019, he also joined Ronald Koeman's staff as an assistant manager for the Netherlands national team, helping out for Euro 2020.

Leading PSV's Senior Team

In March 2022, Van Nistelrooy was chosen to be the head coach for PSV's main team. He signed a three-year contract starting with the 2022–23 season. He led PSV to win the 2022 Johan Cruyff Shield and the 2022–23 KNVB Cup. However, he resigned before the end of the 2022–23 league season, saying he didn't feel enough support.

Short Stint at Manchester United

On 11 July 2024, Van Nistelrooy was appointed as an assistant coach for Manchester United. He was supposed to work with Erik ten Hag. However, after Ten Hag was sacked on 28 October, Van Nistelrooy became the interim head coach. In his first game, he led Manchester United to a 5–2 win over Leicester City in the EFL Cup. He also led his club to their first European win in 13 months. He left the club when a new head coach arrived. He managed three wins and one draw in his four games as interim manager.

Managing Leicester City

On 29 November 2024, Van Nistelrooy was appointed manager of Premier League club Leicester City. He signed a two-and-a-half-year deal. On 3 December 2024, he got his first Premier League win as a manager, beating West Ham United 3–1 at home. Leicester then drew 2–2 with Brighton.

After that draw, Leicester had a very tough time, winning only one game out of 17. They lost 4–0 to Newcastle United and 3–0 at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers. This started a record-breaking run of eight home losses in a row without scoring for Leicester in English football. On 26 January 2025, he won his first away game at Tottenham Hotspur 2–1, ending their winless streak.

On 20 April 2025, Leicester was relegated to the Championship after losing 1–0 at home to Liverpool. This meant they were 18 points away from safety with five games left. This loss also extended their home losing streak without scoring to nine games, making them the first top-flight team to do so. On 27 June 2025, Ruud van Nistelrooy left Leicester by agreement.

Life Outside Football

Personal Life

Ruud van Nistelrooy married his girlfriend, Leontien Slaats, in July 2004. She was a professional cyclist. They have a daughter and a son. Van Nistelrooy is a Roman Catholic.

Charity Work

Van Nistelrooy and his wife are very involved with the charity SOS Children's Villages. This organization helps protect the rights and interests of children. On 1 September 2001, Van Nistelrooy became an official ambassador for "FIFA for SOS Children's Villages" in the Netherlands.

In November 2009, Van Nistelrooy and his wife hosted an event for SOS Children's Villages at Real Madrid's training ground. The event helped create a calendar to raise money for the charity.

Endorsements

Van Nistelrooy was sponsored by the sportswear company Nike. He appeared in Nike commercials, including a famous "Secret Tournament" ad before the 2002 World Cup. In this ad, he played football with other famous players like Thierry Henry and Ronaldo.

Media Work

During the 2014 World Cup, Van Nistelrooy worked as a studio analyst for ESPN, sharing his football knowledge.

Achievements

Here are some of the awards and titles Ruud van Nistelrooy won during his career:

As a Player

PSV

Eredivisie: 1999–2000, 2000–01
Johan Cruyff Shield: 1998

Manchester United

Premier League: 2002–03
FA Cup: 2003–04
Football League Cup: 2005–06
FA Community Shield: 2003

Real Madrid

La Liga: 2006–07, 2007–08
Supercopa de España: 2008

As a Manager