The UEFA European Championships, or Euros for short, has seen some of the greatest players in the game return as managers having already run the length of the pitch as players before. There are several players who have played at (and won) the Euros only to return to the tournaments, this time as Head Coaches of their National Team.
Here, we take a look at the five legends of the game who have not only played and but also managed at the Euros over the years.
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#1 Marco Van Basten
As a player
There are few players who’ve ever reached the dizzying heights of success in their careers as footballers as Marco Van Basten did, considering he had to end it all before his ‘peak years’. Van Basten was a complete striker who featured and scored for the Netherlands with aplomb. Part of a trinity that ruled European football at Milan in Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit and Van Basten himself, the Netherlands’ striker went into Euro 1988 at the peak of his powers.
He ran away, that year, with the tag of the top scorer in the Euros, with three of his total five goals coming against England in a group stage crunch game where he turned English defender Tony Adams for fun, scoring past Peter Shilton for the opening goal. The Dutch forward turned Adams again in the game to give Netherlands the lead for a second time before clinching the game with a third from close range.
The Dutchman scored again in the Semi-Finals to hand the Dutch their first victory against a German side as they knocked West Germany out of the tournament to reach the final for the first time. In the final, Van Basten scored what is described often as the greatest goal ever in the European Championships to power his team to a 2-0 victory to seal a remarkable tournament for the Dutch.
Van Basten also featured for the Netherlands in the 1992 European Championships as a player but failed to score at all in the group stages before missing a crucial penalty in the shootout against Denmark which eventually cost the Dutch the chance of appearing for a second successive final.
As Manager
Van Basten also managed the Dutch side into the 2008 UEFA European Championship but after a strong performance in the group stage, where they beat World Champions Italy and World Cup Runners-Up France comprehensively and a Romanian side using a second string Dutch line-up, the Oranje lost to the Russians, who were coached by Dutchman Guus Hiddink 3-1 after Extra Time. Marco Van Basten left his position as National Team coach shortly afterwards.
#2 Frank Rijkaard
As player:
Frank Rijkaard at the peak of his power, was one of the most complete midfielders of his generations, often regarded in fact, as the best defensive midfielder around. His European Championship legacy, however, saw him eke out a niche for himself as a central defender.
For Netherlands in the dream run of 1988, Frank Rijkaard played partner to Ronald Koeman in defense as the Oranje fought their way into the semi-finals where the Dutch defeated the West Germans for the first time in competitive football. In the final, Rijkaard along with Koeman kept the Soviet Union from scoring as Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit powered them to the coveted trophy.
Frank Rijkaard returned to the Euros in 1992, during which the Dutch conceded only once in the group stages with Rijkaard scoring against the Germans. Rijkaard would score again in the semi-final with his late strike taking the Danish team into extra time. Rijkaard would score again in the penalty shootout to follow but the Dutch were eliminated after the Danes converted all their penalties and Van Basten missed his.
As Manager
Under Frank Rijkaard, the Oranje were lauded for playing some fine football. The beauty of their game was brought to the European Championships in the year 2000 when Frank Rijkaard’s charges won all three of their group stage games beating the French 3-2, Czech Republic 1-0 and the Danish side 3-0 to move into the quarter-finals.
The Quarter Finals saw the team play some exquisite football as they dispatched Yugoslavia 6-1, the tournament's biggest win. In the Semi Finals, however, Rijkaard and his men met with heartbreak with Dino Zoff’s Italy inspired by Francesco Toldo in goal beating the Netherlands 3-1 on penalties after holding them to a goalless draw after extra time. The Dutch loss was even more excruciation as it was their home tournament and had missed two penalties in regulation time.
#3 Dino Zoff
As Player
As a player, Dino Zoff held esteemed records as a goalkeeper in the international scene with an equally decorated club background. Named the third best keeper of the 20th Century behind Lev Yashin and Gordon Banks, Zoff also holds the distinction of being the oldest player to win a World Cup and that too being named the best goalkeeper of that very tournament which he won at age 40 in 1982.
Zoff won the 1968 European Championships with Italy taking home a winners medal having only made his international debut in the semi-finals. In only two appearances, he was named the best Goalkeeper of the tournament.
Italy next returned to the UEFA European Championships late in 1980, a tournament which saw the Italians finish fourth having lost the Bronze medal match which was also the only game in the tournament that Dino Zoff actually conceded a goal, keeping 3 clean sheets in the other games. He was again elected Goalkeeper of the tournament for his brilliance.
As Manager
As Manager, Zoff did the unthinkable when he decided to stray from the tested defensive methods of his predecessors as he took a youthful Italy team into Euro 2000. The best part was that it seemed to work too as his team stormed into the final beating Turkey, Belgium and Sweden in the group stages to top their group and beating co-hosts Netherlands on penalties, having held them to a goalless draw in extra time. In the final, Zoff felt heartbreak like no other as his team came from being 60 seconds away from winning the final to losing it in extra time via David Trezeguet’s golden goal. A loss that would eventually see him resign in spite of being named World Soccer Manager of the Year, 2000.
#4 Michel Platini
As Player
The man who would go on to be President of UEFA, once played in the premier UEFA competition as one of the best players in Europe. Between him, Jean Tigana, Alain Giresse and Luis Fernandez they formed the backbone of the French National side through the end of the 70’s and beginning of the 80’s (together they were dubbed “Le Carre Magique” which meant “The Magic Square” in French)
In 1984, Michel Platini captained the French national side to the European Championships on home soil. He scored an astounding 9 goals (out of the 14 the French team scored as a whole) in the 5 games he played in the tournament and was declared the player of the tournament whilst also being the top scorer.
He scored a ‘perfect hat-trick’ against Belgium in the group stage as well as another against Denmark. He scored the winner against Portugal in their semi-final and finally scored the opener in the final from a fine free kick to cap a brilliant tournament overall.
As Manager
As manager, Platini led his France into a 19 match unbeaten run before the 1992 European Championships in Sweden. However, his campaign as manager was a far cry from his campaign as a player in this tournament. The French drew their games to England and Sweden before eventually being beaten by Denmark in the group stage causing the team to crash out of the tournament rather unceremoniously.
#5 Franz Beckenbauer
As Player
As a player, Franz Beckenbauer or ‘Der Kaiser’ as he is more fondly known, did his nickname every last bit of justice possible. He was imperious over the years for his club and country as he soon garnered the reputation as one of the finest players to have ever graced the game.
The Belgians saw the German lead his national team to the winners’ medal as captain in the 1972 UEFA European Championships. West Germany beat the hosts, Belgium in the Semi Final and went on to overpower the Soviet Union by a score of 3-0 in the final to lift the trophy. Beckenbauer went on to be named in the team of the tournament that time.
In 1976, only an inspired performance from Czechoslovakia saw the West Germans thwarted as they lost the final on penalties after Czechoslovakia forced West German to a 2-2 draw after extra time. West Germany had beaten a strong Yugoslavia side 4-2 in the semi-final earlier. Der Kaiser was again named in the team of the tournament.
As Manager
When Beckenbauer led West Germany into the 1988 UEFA European Championships, many expected the West Germans to pick up the trophy. After a draw against Italy and wins against Denmark and Spain, they seemed well on their way. However, Beckenbauer was to be thwarted in the Semi Final, by the inspired Dutch side that went on to life the trophy.
The West Germans fell to goals from Van Basten and Koeman in a heated encounter that resulted in delirious celebrations from the Dutch who had managed to beat West Germany in competitive football for the very first time. Franz Beckenbauer went on to win the World Cup two years later but could’ve ended his career as a manager having won both the Euros and World Cup as manager and player. Alas! It was not meant to be.
