Marco van Basten

Marcel "Marco" van Basten, born 31 October 1964, is a Dutch former footballer and manager. He played as a striker for Ajax, AC Milan, and the Netherlands national team. Widely considered one of the finest attackers ever, he netted more than 300 goals at top club and international levels. However, a persistent ankle injury and over two years of failed treatment forced him to play his final match at 28 and retire at just 30. He later managed both Ajax and the Dutch national team.

Van Basten was known for his tight ball control, sharp attacking instincts, superb heading, and spectacular strikes and volleys. He was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1992 and won the Ballon d'Or three times (1988, 1989, 1992). With Ajax, he won three Eredivisie titles and the Cup Winners' Cup. At Milan, he claimed four Serie A titles and two European Cups. For the Netherlands, he won UEFA Euro 1988, earning the Golden Boot with five goals, including a famous volley in the final against the Soviet Union—often called one of the best goals ever.

In 1998, he ranked sixth in the FIFA Player of the Century internet poll, tenth in the IFFHS European Player of the Century election, and 12th in the IFFHS World Player of the Century election. France Football's Ballon d'Or winners voted him eighth in their Football Player of the Century poll. In 2004, Pelé included him in the FIFA 100 list of the greatest living players. That same year, a Dutch poll for the 100 greatest Dutch people placed him 25th, the second-highest footballer after Johan Cruyff. In 2007, Sky Sports ranked him first on its list of great athletes whose careers were cut short.

Van Basten was born in Utrecht and grew up in the Oog In Al neighborhood. He started playing at age six for local side EDO, moved to UVV Utrecht a year later, and after nine years there, briefly played for another Utrecht club, Elinkwijk.

Ajax signed him at 16 for the 1981–82 season. He debuted on 3 April 1982 as a substitute for Johan Cruyff, scoring in a 5–0 win over NEC. In 1982–83, he competed with top scorer Wim Kieft for the centre-forward role, scoring nine goals in 20 league matches. Ajax sold Kieft to Pisa the next season, and the 18-year-old Van Basten became the main striker for both club and country. He led the league in scoring for four straight seasons (1983–84 to 1986–87), with 118 goals in 112 matches. In 1985–86, he scored 37 goals in 26 league games, including six against Sparta Rotterdam and five against Heracles Almelo, winning the European Golden Boot. He also scored the winner in the 1987 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final against Lokomotive Leipzig. In total, he scored 128 goals in 133 league matches for Ajax. In November 1986, he scored a famous overhead kick against FC Den Bosch.

In 1987, Milan president Silvio Berlusconi signed Van Basten and fellow Dutchman Ruud Gullit. Frank Rijkaard joined in 1988, completing the Dutch trio. In his first season, Milan won their first Scudetto in eight years, but Van Basten played only 11 matches due to an ankle injury. In 1988–89, he won the Ballon d'Or, scoring 19 Serie A goals and 32 in all competitions, including two in the European Cup final as Milan beat Steaua București.

In 1989–90, he was Serie A's top scorer again, and Milan defended the European Cup with a 1–0 win over Benfica, where Van Basten assisted Rijkaard's goal. Milan struggled in 1990–91, and after a falling-out with coach Arrigo Sacchi, Berlusconi sacked him. Fabio Capello took over, and Milan went undefeated in the league to win the Scudetto in 1991–92. Van Basten scored 25 league goals, again leading the league—the highest single-season tally in Serie A since Luís Vinício in 1965–66.

In November 1992, he became the first player to score four goals in a Champions League match, against IFK Göteborg, including a bicycle kick. That December, he was named FIFA World Player of the Year. Milan's unbeaten run stretched to 58 matches over two seasons before a loss. Van Basten was exceptional early in 1992–93 and won his third Ballon d'Or, joining Johan Cruyff and Michel Platini as three-time winners. His ankle injury flared up again in a game against Ancona, leading to a six-month layoff and multiple surgeries.