Aron Winter
Encyclopedia
Aron Mohamed Winter [VIN-ter] (born 1 March 1967 in Paramaribo
, Suriname
) is a retired Dutch
football midfielder
and current head coach of Toronto FC
. He has played for Ajax and Sparta Rotterdam
in the Netherlands, for Italian
sides Lazio
and Internazionale
, and for the Dutch national team
.
s (1987 and 1988), the Eredivisie
title (1990), the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
(1987) and the UEFA Cup
(1992) with the club before moving on to Italy
, where he played for Lazio
in 1992.
, and he played the defensive midfield position for many years in the Serie A
.
which won the UEFA Cup
in 1998. He had also played in the previous year's final
, with the game going to penalties. However, Winter missed his penalty as Inter lost to Schalke.
. He played 32 games for Sparta Rotterdam and scored one goal before finishing his career at Ajax, where he chose to retire.
on January 6, 2011. Winter brought former colleague Bob de Klerk
from Ajax to be his assistant coach, while Paul Mariner
was also brought in the same day being named Director of Player Development at the club. After a disappointing season opener against Vancouver Whitecaps that ended in a 4–2 away defeat on March 19, Winter won his first game as Toronto's head coach the following week against Portland Timbers
in a 2–0 home victory. Winter won his first trophy with Toronto in early July with a 3–2 win on aggregate over Vancouver, helping Toronto win its third consecutive Canadian Championship
earning them a berth in the 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League
.
that won the 1988 European Football Championship.
In the 1994 FIFA World Cup
, he scored a goal against Brazil
in the quarter-finals.
He was also selected for the Dutch national team for Euro 96
, as well as the 1998 FIFA World Cup
in France
.
He left Inter for his former club Ajax in 1999. Winter placed in Rijkaard's Euro 2000
squad.
Having represented his national team 84 times, scoring six goals, Winter is currently the eighth most capped
player for the Dutch national team.
Internazionale
Netherlands
Paramaribo
Paramaribo is the capital and largest city of Suriname, located on banks of the Suriname River in the Paramaribo District. Paramaribo has a population of roughly 250,000 people, more than half of Suriname's population...
, Suriname
Suriname
Suriname , officially the Republic of Suriname , is a country in northern South America. It borders French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, Brazil to the south, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean. Suriname was a former colony of the British and of the Dutch, and was previously known as...
) is a retired Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
football midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
and current head coach of Toronto FC
Toronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
. He has played for Ajax and Sparta Rotterdam
Sparta Rotterdam
Sparta Rotterdam is the oldest professional football team in the Netherlands, established on April 1, 1888. Sparta is one of three professional football clubs from Rotterdam, the others being Excelsior and Feyenoord , the latter playing in the Eredivisie.-History:Sparta was first founded in 1887....
in the Netherlands, for Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
sides Lazio
S.S. Lazio
Società Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
and Internazionale
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
, and for the Dutch national team
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
.
AFC Ajax
He began his career with amateur club Unicum, he also played for SV Lelystad, before joining AFC Ajax when he was 19 years old. His first game for Ajax was a match against FC Utrecht on 6 April 1986, which Ajax won 3–0. Winter won two KNVB CupKNVB Cup
The KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...
s (1987 and 1988), the Eredivisie
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
title (1990), the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1986-87
The season 1986-87 of the European Cup Winners' Cup was won by Ajax Amsterdam in the final against 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig. It was their only title in the competition, and was added to a hat-trick of European Cup wins from 1971 to 1973...
(1987) and the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup 1991-92
The UEFA Cup 1991–92 was won by Ajax on away goals over Torino.Although this was the second season since the ban on English clubs in European competitions was lifted, only one English club was entered into the 1991–92 UEFA Cup...
(1992) with the club before moving on to Italy
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
, where he played for Lazio
S.S. Lazio
Società Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
in 1992.
Lazio
His role during his time at Lazio was to replace Paul GascoignePaul Gascoigne
Paul John Gascoigne , commonly referred to as Gazza, is a retired English professional footballer.Playing in the position of midfield, Gascoigne's career included spells at Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough, Everton and Gansu Tianma, where he scored at least a goal...
, and he played the defensive midfield position for many years in the Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
.
Inter Milan
In 1996, Winter joined Inter MilanF.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
which won the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup 1997-98
The UEFA Cup 1997–98 was won by Internazionale comfortably in an all-Italian final against Lazio. It was their third title in eight years in the competition....
in 1998. He had also played in the previous year's final
1997 UEFA Cup Final
The 1997 UEFA Cup Final was contested between Schalke 04 of Germany and Internazionale of Italy. The tie was a tight affair, with each leg being won 1–0 by the home-team. After 210 minutes of football, the tie was eventually settled on penalties, with Schalke winning 4–1 at the Stadio...
, with the game going to penalties. However, Winter missed his penalty as Inter lost to Schalke.
Sparta Rotterdam
In 2001, he was loaned out to Sparta RotterdamSparta Rotterdam
Sparta Rotterdam is the oldest professional football team in the Netherlands, established on April 1, 1888. Sparta is one of three professional football clubs from Rotterdam, the others being Excelsior and Feyenoord , the latter playing in the Eredivisie.-History:Sparta was first founded in 1887....
. He played 32 games for Sparta Rotterdam and scored one goal before finishing his career at Ajax, where he chose to retire.
Manager career
After a 3 year Assistant coaching career with the Ajax first academy team, Winter signed a 3 year contract with Canadian side Toronto FCToronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
on January 6, 2011. Winter brought former colleague Bob de Klerk
Bob de Klerk
Bob de Klerk is a former Dutch footballer and current First assistant coach of Toronto FC.-Playing career:De Klerk played for KSV Waregem in Belgium and De Graafschap in the Dutch Eredivise...
from Ajax to be his assistant coach, while Paul Mariner
Paul Mariner
Paul Mariner is an English football coach, manager, and retired player, who is currently with Toronto FC.A striker during his playing days, Mariner began his career with Chorley. He became a professional player in 1973 with Plymouth Argyle, where he scored 61 goals in 155 appearances and is...
was also brought in the same day being named Director of Player Development at the club. After a disappointing season opener against Vancouver Whitecaps that ended in a 4–2 away defeat on March 19, Winter won his first game as Toronto's head coach the following week against Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers may refer to any of four distinct professional soccer teams:*Portland Timbers, a Major League Soccer expansion team that began playing in 2011....
in a 2–0 home victory. Winter won his first trophy with Toronto in early July with a 3–2 win on aggregate over Vancouver, helping Toronto win its third consecutive Canadian Championship
Canadian Championship
The Canadian Championship—known as the Nutrilite Canadian Championship for sponsorship reasons—is an annual soccer tournament contested by premier Canadian professional teams...
earning them a berth in the 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League
2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League
The 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League is the 4th edition of the CONCACAF Champions League under its current format. The tournament began on July 26, 2011 and will finish with the second leg of the final April 24–26, 2012. Monterrey is the defending champion...
.
International
He was a member of the Dutch national teamNetherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
that won the 1988 European Football Championship.
In the 1994 FIFA World Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
, he scored a goal against Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
in the quarter-finals.
He was also selected for the Dutch national team for Euro 96
1996 UEFA European Football Championship
The 1996 UEFA European Football Championship was hosted by England, who won the right to host the tournament ahead of bids from Austria, Portugal and the Netherlands. It was the tenth European Football Championship, which is held every four years and endorsed by UEFA. It was the first to use the...
, as well as the 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
He left Inter for his former club Ajax in 1999. Winter placed in Rijkaard's Euro 2000
2000 UEFA European Football Championship
The 2000 UEFA European Football Championship, or Euro 2000, was the 11th UEFA European Football Championship, which is held every four years and organized by UEFA, association football's governing body in Europe....
squad.
Having represented his national team 84 times, scoring six goals, Winter is currently the eighth most capped
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
player for the Dutch national team.
Managerial stats
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Toronto FC Toronto FC Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada.... |
 |
6 January 2011 | present | 45 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 31.11 |
| |
45 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 31.11 | |||
Player
Ajax- EredivisieEredivisieThe Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
: 1989–90, 2001–02 - KNVB CupKNVB CupThe KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...
: 1986–87, 2001–02 - UEFA Cup Winners Cup: 1986–87
- UEFA Cup: 1991–92
Internazionale
- UEFA CupUEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
: 1997-98
Netherlands
- UEFA European Championship: 1988