Frank Rijkaard is a retired Dutch footballer who is widely regarded as one of the game’s greatest defensive midfielders. Following his successful playing career, he established himself as a successful manager. Frank developed an early interest in the game. He began his career with Ajax Amsterdam and made his national team debut at the age of 17, but quickly established himself as a regular. He helped the team win several trophies before joining AC Milan on loan from Real Zaragoza in Spain. It was at Milan that he established himself as a world beater with his authoritative style of play, which set the standard for modern defensive midfielders. Rijkaard returned to Ajax and played as a central defender in his final professional season, helping the club win the UEFA Champions League. He was also a member of the Dutch team that won the European Championship. He began his managerial career coaching the Dutch national team before moving on to manage Barcelona, which also achieved great success under his guidance.
Childhood & Adolescence
Frank Edmundo Rijkaard, a.k.a. Frank Rijkaard, was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands on 30 September 1962 to Dutch Surinamese immigrant Herman Rijkaard and his Dutch wife. His father was a professional footballer who played for SV Robinhood in Suriname and FC Bauw-Wit in the Dutch first division.
There is no information available about his early education or schooling. Additionally, it is unknown whether he played street football, as many successful footballers do, but it is widely believed that he did, as most footballers of his generation did.
Ajax manager Leo Beenhakker recognized his potential as a defensive midfielder early on, and he was drafted into the senior team at the age of 17. He made his Ajax debut in the season opener against Go Ahead Eagles on 23 August 1980, scoring his first goal as Ajax won 4-2. He would eventually establish himself as a regular in the starting eleven during his rookie season.
Career of Frank
He began his career with Ajax as a central defender in his second season, and at the end of the 1982 season, Ajax were crowned Dutch first division champions. He had also made his international debut for the Netherlands a year earlier. He contributed to the club winning the league and Dutch Cup the following season, continuing to excel in his role as central defender.
Rijkaard began the 1985 season in the midfield, alternating between right wing and central midfield, and helped Ajax win the Dutch Cup at the season’s conclusion. He helped the club win three league titles, four Dutch cups, and a Cup Winners Cup during his seven and a half years at the club. However, his time at the club came to an end due to disagreements with manager Johann Cryuff.
Rijkaard was signed by Portuguese club Sporting CP following his abrupt departure from Ajax in 1987, but by the time he signed, the deadline had passed and he was rendered ineligible. Rather than that, he was loaned to Spanish side Real Zaragoza, where he spent a season. He later joined Italian club AC Milan.
He developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in the game after joining AC Milan in the summer of 1988, and his tough tackling style combined with an eye for a pass helped the club win the European Cup at the end of the season. He was also a key member of the Dutch national team that won the European Championships that year, and his partnership with Ronald Koeman as a central defender made the Dutch an extremely difficult side to score against.
He was a member of the Dutch team at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, but was sent off in a knockout round match against Germany for spitting at German player Rudi Voller. He later represented the Netherlands at the European Championships two years later and the World Cup two years later, but the Dutch team failed to win either tournament. He made 73 appearances for the Netherlands, scoring ten goals.
He formed the midfield backbone of AC Milan, widely regarded as one of the greatest football teams ever assembled, and he helped the club win two league titles and two European Cups during his five-year tenure. In 1993, he left the club and returned to his former club Ajax. He spent two seasons with Ajax, helping the club win both the league and the European Cup in his second season.
Following the conclusion of his playing career, Rijkaard served as an assistant coach to Guus Hiddink for the Dutch national team before being appointed manager in 1998. Two years later, he led the national team to the European Championships semi-finals, but the Dutch were defeated by Italy. He resigned following the tournament and took over as manager of Dutch league club Sparta Rotterdam. He was dismissed following the club’s relegation.
He was appointed manager of Barcelona in 2003, during a period of sporting and administrative crisis for the club. His first season saw the club finish second, and he brought in a new crop of players as Barcelona won the league twice in a row. He also led the club to a UEFA Champions League title in his third season.
After three seasons of success, he had little success with Barcelona, failing to win the league or the UEFA Champions League. He was fired on 8 May 2008 following a humiliating defeat to Real Madrid. He was appointed manager of Turkish club Galatasaray the following year but was fired after only 16 months in the job.
He was appointed manager of the Saudi Arabian national football team on 28th June 2011, but his team failed to qualify for the World Cup and was eliminated from the Gulf Cup of Nations. After 18 months in charge, he was fired following the team’s elimination from the Gulf Cup of Nations. He was later appointed Advisor of Player Development at Montverde Academy, a prep school in the United States of America.
Awards and Accomplishments
Rijkaard was named to Pele’s ‘FIFA 100,’ a list of the world’s 100 greatest living players. Additionally, he was inducted into AC Milan’s illustrious Hall of Fame. For the 2005-06 season, he was named UEFA Manager of the Year.
Personal History and Legacies
Rijkaard married Carmen Sanders in 1985, but the marriage was short-lived. Lindsay was their daughter. In 1989, he married Monique Olgers, but the marriage also failed. Their divorce date is unknown. Mitchel was the couple’s son.
He had an affair with Stefanie Rucker, the household nanny. Santi and Ceejay are the couple’s two sons.
Estimated Net Worth
One of the wealthiest and most well-liked soccer players is Frank Rijkaard. Our research of Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider revealed that Frank Rijkaard has a net worth of $5 million.