Under bond coach Koeman
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Ruud van Nistelrooy will assist Netherlands national coach Ronald Koeman at this year’s World Cup. The former 70-time national player will be part of the coaching staff on February 1st. With the 49-year-old’s arrival, the team will have three assistants alongside Erwin Koeman and Wim Jonk.
Van Nistelrooy is returning to Oranje for the third time after his active career. He was assistant coach under Guus Hiddink and Danny Blind between 2014 and 2016, as well as under Frank de Boer and Dwight Lodeweges from 2020 to 2021. Most recently he was on the sidelines at Leicester City, but had to leave in June after 27 games and a points average of 0.67.
“Returning to Oranje in this role and representing the Netherlands with this coaching staff and this talented group of players is a great honor and a wonderful challenge for me. The fact that this is happening on the stage of a World Cup makes it very special. Based on my experience in various roles, including as an assistant coach, I know that this role is a good fit for me. I look forward to fulfilling it meaningfully and contributing to a successful tournament,” said van Nistelrooy.
Bonds coach Koeman explained: “Ruud has shown that he can really contribute something to our team with his own style and his vision of football. He knows the laws of football at the highest level and brings valuable tournament experience, both as a player and as a coach. Furthermore, his personality and his approach fit well with the rest of the coaching staff and the players. His background as a striker means he can also provide additional individual support to our attackers. So there are several reasons why he is a very valuable addition to us.” The Netherlands will face Japan, Tunisia and a UEFA playoff opponent in Group F at the World Cup.
