Guus Hiddink

Lore & Background

Hiddink was born in Varsseveld and started his career as a player in the youth side of amateur club SC Varsseveld. He turned professional after signing for Dutch club De Graafschap in 1967. He spent most of his playing career at De Graafschap, including three years under manager Piet de Visser, and remains a fan of the club. He joined PSV in 1970, but after failing to win a permanent position in the team, rejoined De Graafschap after just one year and remained there until 1977. In 1981, he rejoined De Graafschap again and retired a year later. Generally he played as a midfielder. Hiddink honed his coaching skills as assistant manager at PSV Eindhoven from 1983 until he was appointed manager there in March 1987. He led PSV to its first ever European Cup triumph in 1988 (and The Treble), winning three Eredivisie titles with the club between 1987 and 1990. He also had a coaching stint at Turkish club Fenerbahçe in 1990, but was dismissed after one year, later joining Spanish giants Valencia. He took over the Netherlands national team on 1 January 1995, reaching the quarter-finals of UEFA Euro 1996 and the semi-finals of the 1998 FIFA World Cup, where they finished fourth. He then managed Real Madrid in 1998–99 and Real Betis in 2000. He became manager of South Korea in January 2001, leading them to fourth place at the 2002 World Cup after a 3–2 defeat to Turkey in the consolation game. He returned to PSV in 2002, winning three Dutch league titles, the 2005 Dutch Cup and the 2003 Dutch Super Cup, and leading PSV to the Champions League semi-final in 2004–05. He left PSV in June 2006. On 22 July 2005, he became manager of the Australia national team, managing both PSV and Australia simultaneously. Australia qualified for the 2006 World Cup by defeating Uruguay 4–2 on penalties in a play-off.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights at the Busan World Cup Stadium hummed like a living thing. Hiddink stood at the edge of the technical area, hands clasped behind his back, watching his players jog back from the half-time tunnel. One-oh. Italy. The scoreboard glowed red in the Korean night. He did not shout. He did not pace. He simply turned to his assistant, said four words in Dutch, and pointed at the whiteboard where the second-half shape was already drawn. Around him, the roar of fifty thousand voices pressed against the stadium walls like a tide. He straightened his tie, exhaled, and walked back toward the touchline as if he were about to check the weather. The second half belonged to them.

Reader's Guide

Hiddink's managerial career includes leading PSV Eindhoven to a European Cup and domestic treble in 1988, guiding the Netherlands to the 1998 World Cup semi-finals, and taking South Korea to fourth place in the 2002 World Cup. He also managed Real Madrid, Real Betis, and Australia. His playing career was primarily as a midfielder for De Graafschap and PSV.

Did You Know?

• Hiddink became the first-ever person to be given honorary South Korean citizenship after the 2002 World Cup.
• The Gwangju World Cup Stadium was renamed Guus Hiddink Stadium in his honor after South Korea reached the semi-finals in 2002.
• Hiddink's hometown of Varsseveld has a 'Guuseum' set up by his relatives, popular with South Korean visitors.