Frank Rijkaard - Biography

Last Editor: makarizo79				Frank Rijkaard Biography -   Name : Frank Rijkaard Date of birth : September 30, 1962 Place of birth : Amsterdam

Frank Rijkaard Trivia -

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Frank Rijkaard Detailed Biography -

Franklin Edmundo Rijkaard (born September 30, 1962 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football manager and former player. Rijkaard has played for Ajax Amsterdam, Real Zaragoza and AC Milan, and represented his national side 73 times, scoring 10 goals. He has been the manager of FC Barcelona since 2003. Rijkaard was just 17 when Ajax coach Leo Beenhakker gave him his senior squad debut in 1980. He made an immediate impact, scoring for his team in the 4-2 victory over Go Ahead Eagles. He would play another 23 games for Ajax in his first season, netting a total of 4 goals. In 1982 he won his first National Championship with Ajax, and went on to defend that title a year later. In 1987, what would have been Rijkaard's fourth year under Dutch football legend Johan Cruijff as head coach, Rijkaard stormed off the training field and vowed never to play under him again. He was signed by Sporting Lisbon, but too late to be eligible to play in any competition. He was immediately loaned out to Spanish team Real Zaragoza, but upon completing his first season at Zaragoza, was signed by Italian side AC Milan. His five seasons at Milan made him a legend. It was coach Arrigo Sacchi who saw Rijkaard as playing a pivotal role at Milan and transformed the central defender into a world class holding midfielder, where the Dutchman's agressive style would go on to influence the likes of Patrick Vieira to replicate in future years. Playing alongside fellow country-men Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit, Rijkaard won the European Cup twice and the scudetto twice with the Italian side. He was also believed to have apologized to Cruijff while at Milan. Rijkaard's temperament though, was still in question, as became evident when he spat on Rudi Völler during the 1990 World Cup, which Holland entered as favourites. Holland went on to lose the match, fitting for a tournament that was marred by a pre-tournament coach change and an underperforming squad. After five seasons in Italy, Rijkaard returned to Ajax in 1993. With Louis van Gaal at the helm, Rijkaard and Danny Blind formed the experienced defensive core of the Ajax team that won the first two of three consecutive Dutch Championships. Ajax were the unbeaten champions of the Netherlands in 1994/95 season and carried that succes into Europe. In his final game, Rijkaard won the European Cup (which had been renamed as the Champions League) again, with a 1-0 victory over AC Milan in the final at the Ernst Happelstadium, Vienna. On the international stage, Rijkaard made his debut for the Netherlands in 1981. He was part of the Dutch side that won Euro 88 with a 2-0 win in the final over the Soviet Union, playing at center-back alongside Ronald Koeman. He won a total of 73 caps and scored 10 goals. Rijkaard also played for the Netherlands during the 1990 and 1994 World Cups and at Euro 92. He made his final appearance for the Netherlands in the 3-2 defeat against eventual winners Brazil in the quarter-finals of the 1994 World Cup. Rijkaard's coaching career began when he was appointed manager of the Netherlands national football team in 1998. Even from within the Netherlands, he was not taken seriously as a manager, because of his inexperience, but managed to take his national side to the Euro 2000 semi-finals. The Netherlands played some of the best football of the tournament but lost their semi-final match to Italy on penalties, and Rijkaard resigned immediately. Two years later, he became manager of Sparta Rotterdam. Under his leadership the club was relegated for for the first time in its history. He had not had a very comfortable relationship with the club's directors, and by with the relegation, Rijkaard was given a firm push. However, he landed on his feet, being appointed manager of FC Barcelona soon afterwards. After a disappointing start, Rijkaard succeeded in turning around the fortunes of the famous club, which won La Liga 2004/05 season. He is the only Barcelona coach to have won twice at the Bernabéu, an achievement which even legends like Johan Cruyff, Louis Van Gaal and Luis Aragones were unable to do. His no nonsense policy on and off the field and the sparkling football played by his team have won him many plaudits and Rijkaard has been named among five coaches as part of the nominations for UEFA's Team of the Year 2005.