At 82 years
©IMAGO
Former real Madrid coach Leo Beenhakker is dead. The family of the long-time chief coach confirmed the death of the 82-year-old to the Dutch broadcaster “NOS”. In his time, Beenhakker trained the two large Dutch football clubs and archrival Ajax Amsterdam and Feyenoord Rotterdam and celebrated national success in both clubs, including four times the championship in the Eredivisie.
From 1986 to 1989 and later from November 1991 to summer 1992, Beenhakker supervised the royal from Madrid for almost four seasons, who also published a statement in the evening. “Real Madrid wants to express his condolences and compassion to his family, his clubs and all his relatives,” said the record winner of the Champions League. With Real, he became a champion three times, once a cup and twice super cup winner in Spain. In addition, he worked at Clublevel at the Grasshopper Club Zurich and at the CF América in Mexico.
Compatriot Ronald Koeman described the death via X as a “great loss of Dutch football”. Beenhakker was a trainer with “an unprecedented passion and vision”. Top scorer Robert Lewandowski, who worked with Beenhakker in Poland’s national team between 2008 and 2009, also recalled: “Quiet in peace, coach. Thank you for the chance to fulfill my dream in the national team.”
Leo Beenhakker without a win at seven World Cup games
Beenhakker was less successful in his appearances as a national coach. At the 1990 World Cup in Italy, the Dutch looked after its home country and at the 2006 World Cup in Germany outsiders Trinidad & Tobago. Beenhakker remained without a win in all of his seven World Cup games. In 1990 there were three draws in the preliminary round and a round of 16 defeat against the later world champion Germany. With the Caribbean debutant, the goalless draw against Sweden felt like a success at the World Cup premiere. Also at the European Championship 2008 with Poland, he retired after two defeats, including a 0: 2 against the DFB team, and a draw after the group phase.
