Leo Beenhakker, Real Madrid and Netherlands coach, dead
The 82-year-old coach has coached for 44 years including Feyenoord, Poland and Saudi Arabia
1' min read
1' min read
Mourning in the world of football: the legendary Dutch coach Leo Beenhakker, coach of Feyenoord, Ajax and Real Madrid, as well as the national teams of the Netherlands and Poland, has died at the age of 82.
He won the Eredivisie championship title with both Ajax (1979/80 and 1989/90) and Feyenoord (1998/99). With Real Madrid of the 'Quinta del Buitre' he even won La Liga three times (1986/87, 1987/88 and 1988/89). In 2010, Beenhakker received the Rinus Michels Oeuvre Award. In addition to Ajax and Feyenoord, Beenhakker also worked on the pitch for Go Ahead Eagles, SC Cambuur, Fc Volendam, Vitesse and Veendam during his 44-year coaching career.
Beenhakker was also coach of the Dutch national team (for two periods, including the unfortunate experience of Italia '90, with a less than fit Gullit), Saudi Arabia, Trinidad and Tobago and Poland. 'A unique man with a unique coaching career. Conductor at the biggest clubs and in the Orange. There is no one more outstanding than Leo. The man who had more adventures than Tintin. Rest in peace Leo and thank you from the bottom of my heart," said Jan de Jong, director of the Eredivisie.
