The Dutch footballer Marco van Basten is one of the finest footballers to have ever played the game. During his relatively brief career, he lit up the world of football with outrageous goals and a level of consistency rarely seen among other footballers. Van Basten was a striker who possessed all the qualities one seeks in an attacker, including finishing, passing, and dribbling, and he did so for Ajax, AC Milan, and the Dutch national team year after year. Van Basten began his career as a minor player for his hometown club UVV Utrecht, but it was at AFC Ajax that he truly ignited the world. Subsequently, he was purchased by AC Milan, where he helped the club win numerous trophies during his eight-year tenure. During his prime years from the late 1980s to the early 1990s, he was the greatest player in the world. A career-ending knee injury ended his playing days, and he went on to become a football manager. During his managerial career, Van Basten oversaw Ajax, Heerenveen, and the Netherlands national team.
Youth and Early Life
Marco van Basten was born on 31, October 1964 in Utrecht, Netherlands to Joop van Basten and his wife Leny van Basten. His father Joop was only a semi-professional football player. When he was only six years old, he joined EDO, a Utrecht-based club, because he showed early footballing promise.
At the age of seven, he joined UVV Utrecht, the largest club in the city, and spent nine years in the club’s junior divisions. AFC Ajax brought him to Amsterdam in 1981, and the following April, he made his debut for the club and announced himself on the world stage with a goal.
Marco Basten’s Career
In the 1982 season, Marco van Basten came into his own for AFC Ajax, scoring nine league goals and beginning to compete for the forward position. In the succeeding four seasons, he topped the scoring charts in the Dutch league and emerged as Europe’s best striker.
He scored 36 league goals for Ajax during the 1986 season, which earned him the European Golden Boot. In his six years with the club, he scored 128 goals in 133 matches and departed the following year. In addition, he helped them win three league titles and one UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
In 1988, he tallied five goals and led his country to victory at the European Championships. During the World Cup in Germany, he was unable to score, but four years later he helped the Netherlands reach the semifinals of the European Championships. In 58 games, he tallied 24 goals for his country.
Van Basten moved to AC Milan in 1987 and, despite not playing much due to injury, won the league championship at the conclusion of his first season. The following year, he tallied 19 league goals, helping AC Milan win the league and the European Cup. The following season, he assisted the club in retaining its European Cup title.
In 1991-92, he contributed to AC Milan’s undefeated season by scoring 25 goals as they won the league title. The following year, he played intermittently for the club due to injury. After eight productive years and 147 league appearances for AC Milan, he was forced to leave due to a knee injury. During that time, he scored 90 goals. After that, he retired from professional football.
After retiring, he trained as a coach and served as Ajax’s assistant manager for a year. In 2004, he was designated manager of the Dutch national team. Two years later, in 2006, at the World Cup in Germany, the team went undefeated through the group stages before being eliminated by Portugal in the Round of 16. In the group stage of the European Championships, two years after the World Cup, the Netherlands began on the right foot by winning all of their games but was eliminated by Russia in the quarterfinals.
In 2008, he returned to Ajax as manager but resigned the following year when the club failed to qualify for the Champions League. Three years later, in 2012, he became the manager of Heerenveen, guiding the club to eighth and fifth-place finishes in his two seasons in charge. In 2014, he was designated manager of the Dutch club AZ, but stress-related issues led to frequent absences, and he was ultimately promoted to assistant coach. He became the assistant coach of the Dutch national team the following year.
Awards & Achievements
He was awarded the Ballon d’Or in 1988 and again the following year. In 1992, he received the FIFA World Player of the Year Award and the Ballon d’Or. In 2004, Brazilian legend Pele included Van Basten on the FIFA 100 list of the greatest surviving footballers.
His most notable accomplishment was netting five goals at the 1988 European Championships, which helped his team win the championship. He was also the tournament’s leading goal scorer.
Personal History and Legacy
Marco van Basten got married to Liesbeth van Cappelleveen in 1993. The couple has three children: Rebecca, Deborah, and Alexander.
Estimated Net Worth
Marco van Basten is one of the wealthiest and most renowned soccer players in the world. Marco van Basten has a net worth of $5 million, according to our analysis of Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.