Posts Tagged Koeman
1988 Euro Semi-Final ~ West-Germany vs Holland (10 min. HL)
Posted by 4Dfoot in Highlights on May 13, 2012
On paper, it was just a semi-final. In practise, it was much more than that. As Holland coach Rinus Michels would later declare: “it was the real final”.
Michels’ statement reflects the hatred that the Dutch felt for the Germans at the time. The memory of the Second World War still loomed over Dutch society, and the trauma of the 1974 World Cup final had never healed. Since that epic defeat the Dutch had played against the Germans again and again, always insisting that this time, revenge would be exacted. But they just could not beat those Germans. Those diving, cheating, defensive and lucky Germans, as they saw it.
But maybe this time would be different. After the generation of the 70′s, Holland had fallen from grace as a power in international football. They’d missed the 1982 and 1986 World Cup. But with a new generation of great footballers – Rijkaard, Gullit, Koeman, Van Basten – they’d made their way into Euro 1988. A tournament held in Germany. And after stumbling through the group phase, they were now faced with West-Germany itself. The time to finally settle the score had arrived.
But they’d have to defeat an excellent opponent. The Germany of the mid 80′s had been average at best, despite excellent results, but a new crop of world class players was emerging: Matthaus, Voller, Brehme, Klinsmann. Coached by Franz Beckenbauer – captain of 1974, they’d do anything in their power to once again destroy the Dutch on German soil.
1994 World Cup Group F ~ Holland vs Belgium (11 min. Highlights)
Posted by 4Dfoot in Highlights on March 9, 2012
The Derby of the Low Countries was once the most exciting game imaginable for people in Holland and Belgium. The long-standing rivalry between these two nations has produced a plethora of great games. Incredibly, although they had played each other on countless occassions, it was only in 1994 that they first met in a World Cup.
Holland, based on their reputation, went into the match as favourites. And with Rijkaard, Koeman and Bergkamp on the pitch, it was easy to see why. Ruud Gullit had left the squad after a row with coach Dick Advocaat, but there was plenty of ability left in the team.
Belgium, however, were a class side as well, featuring the brilliant playmaker Enzo Scifo, and the best goalkeeper in the world: Michel Preud’homme.
1988 Euro Final ~ Holland vs USSR (Full Classic Match)
Posted by 4Dfoot in Full Classic Matches on March 1, 2012
A mere thirteen days before this final, Holland and the USSR had clashed in a group match. Holland had been the favourites, but it were the Soviets who triumphed: 1-0.
Even on that day, there was little to seperate the two sides, though. In a sense they were evenly matched on various levels.
Where the USSR were coached by the masterful Valeriy Lobanovskiy, the Dutch had the equally genius Rinus Michels.
Where the USSR had 1986 European Footballer of the Year Igor Belanov, the Dutch had the 1987 European Footballer of the Year Ruud Gullit.
But in that group match, one player in particular was missing. The player who had subsequently shot Holland past England and Germany.
Marco van Basten.
Could he tip the balance in Holland’s favour?
1994 Champions League Final ~ AC Milan vs Barcelona (49 min HL)
Posted by 4Dfoot in Full Classic Matches, Highlights on February 8, 2012
The wait had been long. The two dominant sides of the early 90′s had evaded each other for far too long.
Sure, AC Milan had triumphed over Barcelona in 1989 UEFA Super Cup, but Cruyff’s Dream Team was still in its infancy then.
Five years onward, AC Milan and Barcelona finally clashed, in the most suitable of occassions: The Champions League final.
Milan, however, was no longer the side it had been. The three Dutch stars – Rijkaard, Van Basten, Gullit – were gone. Captain Baresi and the new talent Lentini were injured. And under Capello, Milan’s play wasn’t as impressive as it had been under Arrigo Sacchi.
Barcelona on the other hand looked better than ever. They had just won La Liga for the fourth time in succession. And in Romário, the Catalans had the world’s greatest goalscorer.
It was with casual self-confidence therefore that Cruyff declared that Milan were a shadow of their former self and that Barcelona would easily win…
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1992 European Cup Final ~ FC Barcelona vs Sampdoria (Full Classic Match)
Posted by 4Dfoot in Full Classic Matches on January 24, 2012
The 1991/1992 season brought us the last official ‘European Cup’ campaign. From September 1992 onward, Europe’s prime tournament would be known as the Champions League. Suitably, the last European Cup final was hosted in Wembley – Europe’s most prestigious stadium – and featured two sides who had never won the European Cup before. Sampdoria and Barcelona.
1992 Intercontinental Cup ~ Barcelona vs São Paulo FC (Full Classic Match)
Posted by 4Dfoot in Full Classic Matches on December 17, 2011
This game is unique in that it’s the only official clash between the two greatest prophets of attacking football.
Johan Cruyff and Telê Santana. Two men who will be remembered forever for failing to win a World Cup with their country. Cruyff as a player in 1974. Santana in 1982 as coach.
But now, in 1992, one of them is about to win the World Cup for clubs.
Both teams deserve it. Cruyff’s Barcelona and Santana’s Sao Paulo play football with an ambition beyond merely winning. They aspire to play beautifully. To score more than the other team, rather than concede less.
Inevitably, the result is a classy game. One-touch football, great demonstrations of skills, and consistent fair play. This is clearly one of the finest Intercontinental cup games in history.
The stars of Barcelona are the genius Laudrup, the hot-tempered Stoichkov and the midfield master Guardiola. Playing an early version of the possession and one-touch football that Barcelona today has become synonymous with, Cruyff’s Dream Team was years ahead of its time.
Sao Paulo was equally strong, however. Their excellent striker Muller was provided with balls from the masterful Raí – Socrates’s younger brother. A young Cafu was marauding along the right flank, while the midfield was guarded over by the 38-year-old Toninho Cerezo. Seven months earlier, the same Cerezo had played for Sampdoria in the Champions League final with Barcelona. He had lost that game. Could he now take revenge?
1988 Euro Semi-Final ~ West-Germany vs Holland (Full Classic Match)
Posted by 4Dfoot in Full Classic Matches on November 14, 2011
On paper, it was just a semi-final. In practise, it was much more than that. As Holland coach Rinus Michels would later declare: “it was the real final”.
Michels’ statement reflects the hatred that the Dutch felt for the Germans at the time. The memory of the Second World War still loomed over Dutch society, and the trauma of the 1974 World Cup final had never healed. Since that epic defeat the Dutch had played against the Germans again and again, always insisting that this time, revenge would be exacted. But they just could not beat those Germans. Those diving, cheating, defensive and lucky Germans, as they saw it.
But maybe this time would be different. After the generation of the 70′s, Holland had fallen from grace as a power in international football. They’d missed the 1982 and 1986 World Cup. But with a new generation of great footballers – Rijkaard, Gullit, Koeman, Van Basten – they’d made their way into Euro 1988. A tournament held in Germany. And after stumbling through the group phase, they were now faced with West-Germany itself. The time to finally settle the score had arrived.
But they’d have to defeat an excellent opponent. The Germany of the mid 80′s had been average at best, despite excellent results, but a new crop of world class players was emerging: Matthaus, Voller, Brehme, Klinsmann. Coached by Franz Beckenbauer – captain of 1974, they’d do anything in their power to once again destroy the Dutch on German soil.
1990 World Cup Round of 16 ~ Germany vs Holland (Full Classic Match)
Posted by 4Dfoot in Full Classic Matches on October 18, 2011
The 1990 World Cup may be the worst one of all time, but this game is a true classic, played when the rivalry between the Dutch and Germans was at its height. Only two years before, the Dutch had finally gotten their revenge for the lost final in the 1974 World Cup, by beating Germany in the semi-final of Euro 1988, in the very same stadium where Cruyff & Co had lost fourteen years earlier. Now it was time for the Germans to restore their lost pride. The Dutch had played miserable in the groups, but the sight of their great rival would bring out the best in them – and the worst.
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