34 Facts About Frank Rijkaard

Frank Rijkaard earned 73 caps for the Netherlands national team.

Frank Rijkaard was part of the team that won the 1988 European championship and finished third in the 1992 European championship.

Frank Rijkaard played in the 1990 and 1994 World Cups.

Frank Rijkaard has managed the Netherlands national team, Sparta Rotterdam, Galatasaray and the Saudi Arabia national team.

Frank Rijkaard's father Herman was a Surinamese footballer who arrived in the Netherlands along with the father of Ruud Gullit and his mother Neel is Dutch; the two boys grew up playing football together in the city.

Frank Rijkaard was just 17 when Ajax coach Leo Beenhakker gave him his senior squad debut on 23 August 1980.

Frank Rijkaard was signed by Sporting CP, but he signed too late to be eligible to play in any competition.

Frank Rijkaard was immediately loaned out to Real Zaragoza, but upon completing his first season at Zaragoza was signed by AC Milan.

In 1981, Frank Rijkaard debuted for the Netherlands national football team during a friendly match against Switzerland.

Frank Rijkaard was the cause of an incident with Rudi Voller when West Germany played the Netherlands in the second round of the 1990 FIFA World Cup.

Frank Rijkaard was booked for a tackle on Voller and, as Frank Rijkaard took up position for the free kick, he spat in Voller's hair.

Frank Rijkaard was capable of playing in more advanced roles as an attacking midfielder or second striker.

Frank Rijkaard was described by British broadsheet The Daily Telegraph as having been "a stylish player of faultless pedigree".

In 2004, Frank Rijkaard was named in the FIFA 100, Pele's list of the 125 World's Greatest Living Footballers.

Frank Rijkaard worked as assistant to Guus Hiddink with the Netherlands national team during the 1998 World Cup; this was his first experience of coaching, as he had taken a break from football after retiring as a player.

When Hiddink resigned as manager, Frank Rijkaard was chosen as his replacement, although he was not first choice.

The Netherlands played some of the best football of the tournament, but lost their semi-final match to ten-man Italy on penalties, having missed two penalties in regular time; Frank Rijkaard resigned immediately afterwards.

Frank Rijkaard said that he enjoyed the down-to-earth atmosphere, although the club was not financially strong.

Frank Rijkaard resigned after their relegation, having received a death threat.

Frank Rijkaard arrived at the club as it entered a new phase, having elected a new president in Joan Laporta and a new managerial board, but with fans unhappy that Laporta had let English midfielder David Beckham snub the chance to join the club.

Frank Rijkaard had a disappointing start at Barcelona that saw some sections of the club's fans call for his resignation, and he drew flak from the media when the team lost to Real Madrid in December 2003.

Frank Rijkaard's resilience won through and from 2004 onwards, he achieved a massive turnaround, as the team went from strength to strength.

Frank Rijkaard then took Barcelona to the next level as he phased out the old guard and rebuilt a new-look side around Ronaldinho, with new players like Deco, Samuel Eto'o, Rafael Marquez and Ludovic Giuly, along with the latest promotion of some young players from the previous era trained in the club's youth teams, including Victor Valdes, Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta.

Frank Rijkaard became the first Barcelona coach to have won twice at Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, an achievement which even successful managers like Johan Cruyff, Louis van Gaal and Luis Aragones were unable to accomplish.

Laporta made the announcement after a board meeting, and Frank Rijkaard was succeeded by Pep Guardiola.

Laporta made it clear that Frank Rijkaard's achievements "made history" and praised him for his time at the club.

On 5 June 2009, Frank Rijkaard signed a two-year contract to manage the Turkish Super Lig team Galatasaray, following the resignation of Bulent Korkmaz two days earlier.

Frank Rijkaard was sacked on 19 October 2010 and was replaced with Gheorghe Hagi.

On 28 June 2011, it was announced that Frank Rijkaard would be head coach of the Saudi Arabia national team after a deal was reached with the Saudi Arabia Football Federation.

On 16 January 2013, Frank Rijkaard was dismissed under a confidential contractual termination penalty clause following Saudi Arabia's exit at the tournament.

In December 2016, Frank Rijkaard announced he would no longer pursue a position as manager.

Nonetheless, Frank Rijkaard believes in working within a contemporary football context and is not out to imitate the styles and tactics of past masters.

Frank Rijkaard has evidently learned to curb the quick temper of his playing days and is often a portrait of calm and stability in training and along the touchline.

Frank Rijkaard is the son of Herman Rijkaard, a former footballer who played for Robinhood in the Surinamese Hoofdklasse, before immigrating to the Netherlands, where he played in the Dutch Eredivisie for Blauw-Wit.