| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 21 March 1963 | ||
| Place of birth | Zaandam, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Playing position | Defender (1985–1997) Midfielder (1980–1985) | ||
Besides being a defender at the centre back position, Koeman was also known for his powerful right-footed free kicks and dead ball ability where he scored many vital goals for the team, and it was from a free-kick that he scored FC Barcelona’s winning goal in the 1992 European Cup final. Ronald Koeman scored 193 league goals in 503 matches (ahead of Daniel Passarella who netted 182 goals in 556 matches) during his career, more than any other defender in the history of football.
Club career:
In 1980 Koeman started his professional career at Groningen. After playing for Ajax, PSV and FC Barcelona, he finished his career in Feyenoord. During his career he won two UEFA European Cup titles, five Dutch championships, three Dutch Cups, four Spanish championships, one Spanish Cup and he was also in the winning Dutch national team at the UEFA Euro 1988.
Besides being a defender at the centreback position, Koeman was also known for his powerful right-footed freekicks and deadball ability where he scored many vital goals for the team, and it was from a free kick that he scored Barcelona's winning goal in the 1992 European Cup final.[4] His nickname while playing for Barcelona was Floquet de Neu, after the famous albino gorilla in the Barcelona Zoo.
International career:
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He represented his nation in the 1990 World Cup and World Cup 1994 and picked up a total of 78 caps for The Netherlands, scoring 14 goals. During the 1988 European Championship, after the semi-final against Germany 2–1 in Hamburg, he, in front of German supporters, provocatively pretended to wipe his backside with the shirt of Olaf Thon, an action Koeman later regretted.
After scoring the winning free kick goal in the 1992 European Cup final, he became the first player to score a goal in two consecutive Cup Finals of different European competitions, having earlier scored Barcelona's consolation goal against Manchester United in the 1991 European Cup Winners' Cup Final.
Koeman scored 193 league goals in 533 matches (ahead of Daniel Passarella, who netted 182 goals in 556 matches) during his career, more than any other defender in the history of football.
