RONALD KOEMAN

(Born in 1963)

Played in the Dutch club, FC Groningen, Ajax, PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord, the Spanish "Barcelona". In the years 1983-1994 has 78 matches for the Dutch team.

Ronald Koeman was born in the Dutch town of Zaandam, the most famous one historical sight - the little house where he lived the young Russian Tsar Peter the Great during his famous "Great Embassy" in Western Europe. But just a few months after the birth of Ronald family moved to the town of Groningen in the north-east of Holland. The reason was simple - the head of the family, Martin Koeman signed a contract with the football club FC Groningen, acting in the strongest national league. So the Dutchman Ronald Koeman, like the Italian Paolo Maldini, also the representative of an entire football dynasty.

It is clear that football has become the leading early childhood play a little Ronald, as his older brother Erwin. Ronaldo was only five years, and Erwin seven years old when they started to play in the youth team club "Helpman", and play well: it seems, in fact, there are "soccer genes" are inherited. And when players Kumano grown, lay them straight path in Groningen, the more so because their father after the playing career began working in the club one of the coaches.

Surprisingly, the younger brother quickly overtook the older in the physical condition, and becoming stronger, and taller. And the game is markedly different brothers: the elder was more technical, he loved to hold the ball, only to acute Paz in a good position to bring a partner.

Photo — «Ronald Koeman»

Junior also acted straight, but he could not pass any forward opponent. Not surprisingly, the powerful Ronald Koeman at the outset of his professional football career began to act in defense.

However, he was granted one more football talent: characterized by extremely powerful and at the same time, the exact impact. Therefore, it is a defender Koeman has shoots attacked, and soon became a storm goalkeepers. He could hammer the ball into the goal and with 20, and 30 meters.

But the two brothers Kumans immediately after the arrival in Groningen "began to disperse. Erwin has already played for the major command, and Koeman has for youth. Also soon Erwin invited more famous Dutch club PSV Eindhoven. Later, the brothers happened to play against each other. The first such meeting occurred at the end of the season 1980-1981, for the debut of Ronald in the main team "Groningen". "PSV Eindhoven" has arrived in Groningen, while in the standings a lot higher, but still lost his elder brother club junior club - 0:2.

Early as next season nineteen Ronald Koeman stunned the entire football Holland absolutely incredible advocate for the number of goals scored, which would make the honor another attacker - 15. But this was only the beginning of a career most effective defender in the history of world football.

Interestingly, in the national team of Holland Kumano brothers made their debut in one day - April 27, 1983.

Photo — «Ronald Koeman»

Ronald played at its usual place in the protection, performing duties cleaner, Erwin worked on the site of a left midfielder. Calling debut can not be successful, because the Dutch national team lost to Sweden with a score of 0:3, but both Cumana continued to play in the national team and more. Ronald besides noticed Ajax, and twenty-defender, leaving the lowly "Groningen", moved to Amsterdam.

In the first season, Ronald was the third scorer for Ajax, scoring 9 goals. This, of course, did not go in, compared with the Amsterdam club′s top scorer - 23 goals. But Koeman was a defender, and best scorer "Ajax" was none other than Marco van Basten.

But even more impressive results, Ronald Koeman has made in the "PSV Eindhoven, where he held since 1986, three seasons. At that time the club Eindhoven coach Guus Hiddink, who every encouragement to connect to the attack, Ronald and his cannon shot on goal from long positions of rivals. As a result, these three seasons Koeman scored . . . 51 goal, and "PSV Eindhoven" twice in a row and won the championship and Cup of the Netherlands. Also in 1988, and the club won the European Cup, winning in the final match in a penalty shootout at Benfica.

In that year, football met again brothers Kumans as adversaries. Erwin played for the Belgian "Mechelen", which is the same in 1988 won the Cup Winners′ Cup, and won the final match is not someone, and Ajax Amsterdam - 1:0.

Photo — «Ronald Koeman»

Therefore, the brothers had to play different teams for the European Super Cup. In aggregate won "Mechelen" Erwin Koeman - 3:2.

But of course, the brothers continued to play together - in the national team. 1988 has brought them, as the entire Dutch team, a huge success - a victory at the European Championships, held in West Germany. In the final match, held in Munich, the Dutch defeated the USSR national team - 2:0.

Longest period in a brilliant football career was Ronald Koeman Barcelona. In the Catalan club in 1989, he invited Johan Cruijff. In the Barcelona Kumani assigned the usual role of free counsel, but he certainly continued to make their raids to other people′s penalty area, hit the gate with long distances in the game and consistently carry out punitive strikes.

In his first season for Barcelona Koeman scored 14 goals, just one goal less than the first result showed Julio Salinas. Following four consecutive seasons Barcelona became the champion of Spain. A May 20, 1992 Ronald Koeman scored his most memorable goal. On that day at the London Wembley Stadium in the final match at the European Cup in Barcelona, met with the Italian UC Sampdoria. The only goal, which proved victorious, even in extra time write to your account Ronald Koeman, cannon blow hammer the ball into the goal with a free kick.

In the same year, Barcelona won the European Super Cup, having won the German Werder Bremen.

Photo — «Ronald Koeman»

But knew Koeman and big defeat - two years later, in the final of the European Cup in Barcelona, was crushed by the Italian "Milan", omitting the four "dry" ball.

Career player Ronald Koeman was completing at home in Holland, spent two seasons in Rotterdam Feyenoord. During this time he became the author of another 19 balls. A total of championships in the Netherlands and Spain, he scored 193 ball, ahead of this indicator of many, many attackers.

Another 14 goals he scored in the Dutch team, which included spent 78 matches, with 34 as captain. If we add the rest Cumana goals in European competition and other official games, you get 252 balls. This is an absolute record for a defender in the history of football.

Was also successful coaching career and Ronald Koeman. First, he helped coach the Netherlands Guus Hiddink at the World Cup in France in 1998. Then he was assistant to Van Gala in Barcelona. "

Since 1999, Koeman himself head football clubs. Coaching his debut was a modest club Vitesse of Arnhem. In 2001, Koeman joined Ajax, and he immediately regained the championship by selecting it from the club PSV Eindhoven. Prior to that, "Ajax" was a champion only in the season 1997-1998 years.