Giovanni van Bronckhorst
Encyclopedia
Giovanni Christiaan van Bronckhorst OON
(dʒijoːˈvɑni vɑn ˈbrɔŋkɦɔrst; born 5 February 1975 in Rotterdam
), known as Gio in Spain, is a retired Dutch
footballer of Moluccan (Indonesia
) descent who served as the captain of the Dutch national team
from August 2008 until his retirement.
During his club career, Van Bronckhorst played for RKC Waalwijk
(1993–94), Feyenoord (1994–98), Rangers
(1998–2001), Arsenal
(2001–03), FC Barcelona
(2003–07), and again Feyenoord (2007–10). He was an instrumental player in Barcelona's 2005–06 UEFA Champions League victory, being in the starting line-up of the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League against his old club Arsenal F.C.
, having played every Champions League match for Barcelona that season.
He has earned over 100 caps
for the Dutch national team
, and played for his country in three World Cups
(1998
, 2006
and 2010
), as well as three European Championships
(2000, 2004, and 2008). After the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final
, he was elected into the Order of Orange-Nassau
.
mother. He began playing for a local amateur youth team in Rotterdam, Linker Maas Oever from the age of 6, joining the youth academy at Feyenoord the following year. In 1990, aged 15, the club offered him a professional contract, which he accepted. He won the Dutch Youth League with Feyenoord in 1991, but struggled to break into the first team. He was loaned out to RKC Waalwijk
, making his league
debut in 1993. He returned to Feyenoord for the 1994–95 season, but was used as a fringe player, making only ten appearances for the club. 1995–96 was his breakthrough season, as he started almost every game for Feyenoord, playing alongside the likes of Regi Blinker
and Henrik Larsson
.
He also made his debut for the national Olympic team in 1996, although they failed to qualify for the 1996 Olympic Games
in Atlanta. He was given his first full international cap in August 1996, being given a starting place by Guus Hiddink
in the Oranje's lineup to face Brazil
in a friendly at the Amsterdam Arena
. He was part of the Holland squad for the 1998 World Cup
, but did not play during the tournament.
Domestically, with Feyenoord failing to break the PSV-Ajax strangehold on the Eredivise for the fourth year in a row, and major players such as Larsson
leaving the team, van Bronckhorst began to search for a new club. He chose to join up with Dick Advocaat
(his former manager at international U-16 and U-18 level) at Rangers
, joining the club in 1998 for a fee of £5.5 million. He cites Larsson, who had joined Rangers' Glasgow rivals Celtic
, as a major factor in persuading him to move to Scotland. Fellow Feyenoord teammates Regi Blinker
and Bobby Petta
had also joined Celtic.
, the Scottish club's new manager. In his first competitive game for Rangers, a remarkable UEFA Cup
tie away to League of Ireland side Shelbourne (although played at Tranmere Rovers
' Prenton Park
), van Bronckhorst marked his debut with a finely-struck goal as Rangers came back from 3–0 down to win the match 5–3. Van Bronckhorst went on to score 22 goals for Rangers (13 in the league, three in the Scottish Cup
, one in the Scottish League Cup
, three in the Champions League
and two in the UEFA Cup), mostly as a play-making midfielder of notable skill and subtlety, before an £8.5 million transfer to Arsenal in the summer of 2001.
signed van Bronckhorst to replace the midfield void left by the departure of Emmanuel Petit
from Arsenal and he was expected to partner Patrick Vieira
in the centre. However, his period at Arsenal was marked by a cruciate knee ligament
injury which saw him sidelined after only a few months at the club. When he returned, his role was increasingly minimal and he found himself behind Vieira, Edu and shortly before his departure to Barcelona, Gilberto Silva
in the pecking order. He did not leave Arsenal without any silverware, however, as he collected two FA Cup
winners' medals (despite not playing in either final) and a Premier League winners medal in 2002. His final appearance for Arsenal came in the 2003 FA Community Shield
, coming on as a substitute but missing his penalty in the shootout. Days later he would join Barcelona. He scored two league goals in his time at Arsenal, one against Leicester City
in January 2002 and one against Chelsea
in January 2003.
As the 2003–04 season approached, van Bronckhorst had the opportunity to move to Barcelona
and works with new boss Frank Rijkaard
on a one-year loan, with a view to a permanent transfer. After adapting to his new role as a left back, he helped Barça to a revival in the second half of the season. In May 2004, van Bronckhorst completed his move from Arsenal to Barcelona for a fee of €2 million, signing a three-year deal. He won the La Liga
title with Barça in the 2004–05 season after some of his finest displays together with 4 goals to his credit. In 2005–06, he helped his club repeat as Liga champions while winning the 2006 Champions League as well (he was the only player who participated in all Champions League matches that season). In Spain, he used 'Gio' as the name on his shirt, as opposed to 'Bronckhorst' from his time at Arsenal. He said on Dutch Football program Studio Voetbal, that he could return to Feyenoord due to a contract clause that allows him to sign immediately with the club he supported as a boy.
made van Bronckhorst captain.
(now known as Soccer City) in a match against South Africa
and has since gone on to earn over 100 caps, including three World Cup
and three Euro
campaigns. He did not appear in the 1998 World Cup
and only saw limited action in Euro 2000 as cover for leftback Arthur Numan
.
who played him for the Netherlands in the Euro 2004 competition in Portugal
. The Dutch team reached the semi-finals of the tournament when the host team, Portugal
, eliminated them.
In his international careers he began and finished it in the same stadium.
qualification campaign. However, in the Round of 16 match against Portugal (see Battle of Nuremberg
), he received a red card
in a match that saw four red cards given, a World Cup record. There was an unusual scene in which van Bronckhorst was sitting in the stands next to his FC Barcelona teammate at the time, Deco of Portugal who had also been sent off.
on 28 March 2007. The Netherlands won the match 1–0.
On 9 June 2008, while playing in a 3–0 victory over Italy
in UEFA Euro 2008, he assisted in the second goal scored by the Netherlands and also scored the third goal, after running all the way from the back. For the second goal, he first cleared the ball off his own line and ran deep into the Italian half, then received the ball and crossed it to Dirk Kuyt
who headed it down to Wesley Sneijder
to slot between the post and the advancing Gianluigi Buffon
. He later even scored another one himself to condemn the world champions to an embarrassing defeat. Prior to Euro 2008, captain Edwin Van der Sar
had announced his intention to retire from international football after the tournament and played his last game as captain in the 3-1 quarter-final loss to Russia
, Van Bronckhorst was selected to succeed the goalkeeper as captain of the national team.
announced that he would be part of the final squad of 23, and would serve as the team captain. Van Bronckhorst earned his 100th cap in the opening group match versus Denmark
. In the semi-final against Uruguay
he scored the opening goal of the match, which the Netherlands won 3–2. The powerful long range strike, which rose into Fernando Muslera
's top left-hand corner, is widely considered to be one of the finest goals of the tournament. Van Bronckhorst's final game for the Netherlands and as a professional footballer came in the World Cup Final
against Spain
, he was replaced in the 105th minute by Edson Braafheid
with the score 0-0, only for Andrés Iniesta
to condemn the Dutch to a defeat, scoring the only goal of the game in the 116th minute. Despite ending the tournament as runners-up, Van Bronckhorst stated that he was proud of what the team had achieved.
|1993–94||rowspan="1"|RKC Waalwijk
||rowspan="5"|Eredivisie
||12||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1994–95||rowspan="4"|Feyenoord||10||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1995–96||27||9||||||||||||||||
|-
|1996–97||34||4||||||||||||||||
|-
|1997–98||32||8||||||||||||||||
|-
|1998–99||rowspan="3"|Rangers
||rowspan="3"|Scottish Premier League
||35||7||||||||||||||||
|-
|1999–2000||27||4||||||||||||||||
|-
||2000–01||11||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|2001–02
||rowspan="2"|Arsenal
||rowspan="2"|FA Premier League||21||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2002–03||20||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2003–04||rowspan="4"|Barcelona
||rowspan="4"|La Liga
||34||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2004–05||29||4||||||||||||||||
|-
|2005–06|||19||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2006–07||23||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2007–08||rowspan="3"|Feyenoord||rowspan="3"|Eredivisie
||32||7||||||||||||||||
|-
|2008–09||27||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2009–10||29||0||||||||||||||||
203||32||||||||||||||||
73||13||||||||||||||||
41||2||||||||||||||||
105||5||||||||||||||||
422||52||||||||||||||||
|}
|-
|1996||3||0
|-
|1997||4||1
|-
|1998||1||0
|-
|1999||6||0
|-
|2000||7||1
|-
|2001||4||0
|-
|2002||1||0
|-
|2003||6||1
|-
|2004||13||0
|-
|2005||9||0
|-
|2006||9||0
|-
|2007||10||1
|-
|2008||14||1
|-
|2009||9||0
|-
|2010||10||1
|-
!Total||106||6
|}
Arsenal
Barcelona
Feyenoord
Order of Orange-Nassau
The Order of Orange-Nassau is a military and civil order of the Netherlands which was created on 4 April 1892 by the Queen regent Emma of the Netherlands, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina. The Order is a chivalry order open to "everyone who have earned special merits for...
(dʒijoːˈvɑni vɑn ˈbrɔŋkɦɔrst; born 5 February 1975 in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
), known as Gio in Spain, 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...
footballer of Moluccan (Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
) descent who served as the captain of 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...
from August 2008 until his retirement.
During his club career, Van Bronckhorst played for RKC Waalwijk
RKC Waalwijk
RKC Waalwijk is a football club currently playing in the Eredivisie. Its name is derived from 'Rooms Katholieke Combinatie' and was a fusion club of HEC, WVB and Hercules.-History:...
(1993–94), Feyenoord (1994–98), Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
(1998–2001), Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
(2001–03), FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
(2003–07), and again Feyenoord (2007–10). He was an instrumental player in Barcelona's 2005–06 UEFA Champions League victory, being in the starting line-up of the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League against his old club Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, having played every Champions League match for Barcelona that season.
He has earned over 100 caps
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...
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...
, and played for his country in three World Cups
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
(1998
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...
, 2006
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
and 2010
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
), as well as three European Championships
UEFA European Football Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
(2000, 2004, and 2008). After the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final
2010 FIFA World Cup Final
The 2010 FIFA World Cup Final was a football match that took place on 11 July 2010 at Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa, to determine the winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Spain defeated the Netherlands 1–0 with a goal from Andrés Iniesta four minutes from the end of extra time...
, he was elected into the Order of Orange-Nassau
Order of Orange-Nassau
The Order of Orange-Nassau is a military and civil order of the Netherlands which was created on 4 April 1892 by the Queen regent Emma of the Netherlands, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina. The Order is a chivalry order open to "everyone who have earned special merits for...
.
Childhood and early career
Van Bronckhorst was born in Rotterdam to Victor van Bronckhorst, an Indonesian-Dutch and Fransien Sapulette, a MoluccanMaluku Islands
The Maluku Islands are an archipelago that is part of Indonesia, and part of the larger Maritime Southeast Asia region. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone...
mother. He began playing for a local amateur youth team in Rotterdam, Linker Maas Oever from the age of 6, joining the youth academy at Feyenoord the following year. In 1990, aged 15, the club offered him a professional contract, which he accepted. He won the Dutch Youth League with Feyenoord in 1991, but struggled to break into the first team. He was loaned out to RKC Waalwijk
RKC Waalwijk
RKC Waalwijk is a football club currently playing in the Eredivisie. Its name is derived from 'Rooms Katholieke Combinatie' and was a fusion club of HEC, WVB and Hercules.-History:...
, making his league
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....
debut in 1993. He returned to Feyenoord for the 1994–95 season, but was used as a fringe player, making only ten appearances for the club. 1995–96 was his breakthrough season, as he started almost every game for Feyenoord, playing alongside the likes of Regi Blinker
Regi Blinker
Reginald "Regi" Waldi Blinker is a former Dutch footballer of Surinamese extraction, who played as a left winger....
and Henrik Larsson
Henrik Larsson
Henrik Edward Larsson MBE is a retired Swedish footballer and current manager of Landskrona BoIS.Larsson began his career with Högaborgs BK. He moved to Helsingborg, where he was one of the key players when they qualified to Allsvenskan 1993. Larsson then moved to Feyenoord for four years before...
.
He also made his debut for the national Olympic team in 1996, although they failed to qualify for the 1996 Olympic Games
Football at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The association football competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics was held in Birmingham, Alabama; Washington, D.C; Orlando, Florida; Miami, Florida; and Athens, Georgia....
in Atlanta. He was given his first full international cap in August 1996, being given a starting place by Guus Hiddink
Guus Hiddink
Guus Hiddink is a Dutch football manager and former player. He was the most recently manager of the Turkish national football team. He is considered to be one of the best managers of his generation and was the best-paid coach in international football in 2009...
in the Oranje's lineup to face 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 a friendly at the Amsterdam Arena
Amsterdam ArenA
Amsterdam Arena is a stadium in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is the largest stadium in the nation and it was built from 1993 to 1996 at a cost of €140 million, and was officially opened on 14 August 1996. It has been used for association football, American football, concerts, and other events...
. He was part of the Holland squad for the 1998 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...
, but did not play during the tournament.
Domestically, with Feyenoord failing to break the PSV-Ajax strangehold on the Eredivise for the fourth year in a row, and major players such as Larsson
Henrik Larsson
Henrik Edward Larsson MBE is a retired Swedish footballer and current manager of Landskrona BoIS.Larsson began his career with Högaborgs BK. He moved to Helsingborg, where he was one of the key players when they qualified to Allsvenskan 1993. Larsson then moved to Feyenoord for four years before...
leaving the team, van Bronckhorst began to search for a new club. He chose to join up with Dick Advocaat
Dick Advocaat
Dirk Nicolaas "Dick" Advocaat is a Dutch football manager and former player currently the manager of the Russia national football team.He has been moderately successful as a football player and as a coach, which included two stints with the Dutch national football team...
(his former manager at international U-16 and U-18 level) at Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
, joining the club in 1998 for a fee of £5.5 million. He cites Larsson, who had joined Rangers' Glasgow rivals Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
, as a major factor in persuading him to move to Scotland. Fellow Feyenoord teammates Regi Blinker
Regi Blinker
Reginald "Regi" Waldi Blinker is a former Dutch footballer of Surinamese extraction, who played as a left winger....
and Bobby Petta
Bobby Petta
Alfred Manuel "Bobby" Petta is a retired Dutch professional footballer and is currently a personal trainer based in Glasgow...
had also joined Celtic.
Rangers
Van Bronckhorst was already a regular international when he signed for Rangers in 1998, joining up with compatriot Dick AdvocaatDick Advocaat
Dirk Nicolaas "Dick" Advocaat is a Dutch football manager and former player currently the manager of the Russia national football team.He has been moderately successful as a football player and as a coach, which included two stints with the Dutch national football team...
, the Scottish club's new manager. In his first competitive game for Rangers, a remarkable UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The 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...
tie away to League of Ireland side Shelbourne (although played at Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
' Prenton Park
Prenton Park
Prenton Park is an association football stadium in Birkenhead, England. It is the home ground of Tranmere Rovers F.C. The club moved to the current Prenton Park in 1912. The ground has had several rebuilds, with the most recent occurring in 1995 in response to the requirement of the Taylor Report...
), van Bronckhorst marked his debut with a finely-struck goal as Rangers came back from 3–0 down to win the match 5–3. Van Bronckhorst went on to score 22 goals for Rangers (13 in the league, three in the Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
, one in the Scottish League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
, three in the Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
and two in the UEFA Cup), mostly as a play-making midfielder of notable skill and subtlety, before an £8.5 million transfer to Arsenal in the summer of 2001.
Arsenal
Arsène WengerArsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
signed van Bronckhorst to replace the midfield void left by the departure of Emmanuel Petit
Emmanuel Petit
Emmanuel "Manu" Laurent Petit is a retired French footballer, who played his club football for Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Chelsea...
from Arsenal and he was expected to partner Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira is a retired French footballer of Senegalese descent who is the Football Development Executive at Manchester City....
in the centre. However, his period at Arsenal was marked by a cruciate knee ligament
Cruciate ligament
Cruciate ligaments are pairs of ligaments arranged like a letter X. They occur in several joints of the body, such as the knee...
injury which saw him sidelined after only a few months at the club. When he returned, his role was increasingly minimal and he found himself behind Vieira, Edu and shortly before his departure to Barcelona, Gilberto Silva
Gilberto Silva
Gilberto Aparecido da Silva, commonly known as Gilberto Silva, is a Brazilian footballer. He currently plays for Grêmio.Gilberto was raised in a poor family and as a child he balanced playing football with various labour jobs. He began his football career in 1997 with América Mineiro, where good...
in the pecking order. He did not leave Arsenal without any silverware, however, as he collected two FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
winners' medals (despite not playing in either final) and a Premier League winners medal in 2002. His final appearance for Arsenal came in the 2003 FA Community Shield
2003 FA Community Shield
The 2003 FA Community Shield was the 81st FA Community Shield, a football match played between the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup competitions...
, coming on as a substitute but missing his penalty in the shootout. Days later he would join Barcelona. He scored two league goals in his time at Arsenal, one against Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
in January 2002 and one against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
in January 2003.
Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
and works with new boss Frank Rijkaard
Frank Rijkaard
Franklin Edmundo Rijkaard is a Dutch football manager of Dutch and Surinamese descent and former player. Rijkaard has played for Ajax, Real Zaragoza and Milan, and represented his national side 73 times, scoring 10 goals. In his coaching career, he has been at the helm of the Dutch national side,...
on a one-year loan, with a view to a permanent transfer. After adapting to his new role as a left back, he helped Barça to a revival in the second half of the season. In May 2004, van Bronckhorst completed his move from Arsenal to Barcelona for a fee of €2 million, signing a three-year deal. He won the La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
title with Barça in the 2004–05 season after some of his finest displays together with 4 goals to his credit. In 2005–06, he helped his club repeat as Liga champions while winning the 2006 Champions League as well (he was the only player who participated in all Champions League matches that season). In Spain, he used 'Gio' as the name on his shirt, as opposed to 'Bronckhorst' from his time at Arsenal. He said on Dutch Football program Studio Voetbal, that he could return to Feyenoord due to a contract clause that allows him to sign immediately with the club he supported as a boy.
Feyenoord
On 21 August 2007, van Bronckhorst's contract with Barça ended and he subsequently joined up with Feyenoord for the second time in his career. Since joining, van Bronckhorst has become a pivotal member of the Eredivisie team's squad, most recently proving to be something of a rock in an injury-hit side. At the beginning of his first season in Rotterdam, coach Bert van MarwijkBert van Marwijk
Bert van Marwijk OON is the coach of the Netherlands national football team. He also played for Go Ahead Eagles, AZ, MVV, Fortuna Sittard, and other clubs, as well as for the Dutch national team. In 1982, he began his transition into coaching, retiring as a player in 1988 and becoming a full time...
made van Bronckhorst captain.
International career
Giovanni van Bronckhorst made his national team debut in August 1996 at the FNB StadiumFNB Stadium
Soccer City, known as FNB Stadium for commercial purposes, is a stadium located in Nasrec, the Soweto area of Johannesburg, South Africa. It is located next to the South African Football Association headquarters where both the FIFA offices and the Local Organising Committee for the 2010 FIFA World...
(now known as Soccer City) in a match against South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and has since gone on to earn over 100 caps, including three World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
and three Euro
UEFA European Football Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
campaigns. He did not appear in the 1998 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...
and only saw limited action in Euro 2000 as cover for leftback Arthur Numan
Arthur Numan
Arthur Numan is a retired Dutch footballer. He played as a left back and was a regular fixture in Netherlands national football team...
.
Euro 2004
However later national team coaches appreciated van Bronckhorst's leftback capabilities, most notably Dick AdvocaatDick Advocaat
Dirk Nicolaas "Dick" Advocaat is a Dutch football manager and former player currently the manager of the Russia national football team.He has been moderately successful as a football player and as a coach, which included two stints with the Dutch national football team...
who played him for the Netherlands in the Euro 2004 competition in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. The Dutch team reached the semi-finals of the tournament when the host team, Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
, eliminated them.
2006 World Cup
He was a regular in the national team for the 2006 World Cup2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
qualification campaign. However, in the Round of 16 match against Portugal (see Battle of Nuremberg
Battle of Nuremberg
The Battle of Nuremberg is the nickname of a football match played in Round 2 of the 2006 FIFA World Cup between Portugal and the Netherlands at the Frankenstadion in Nuremberg on 25 June 2006...
), he received a red card
Misconduct (football)
Misconduct in association football is any conduct by a player that is deemed by the referee to warrant a disciplinary sanction in accordance with Law 12 of the Laws of the Game. Misconduct may occur at any time, including when the ball is out of play, during half-time and before and after the...
in a match that saw four red cards given, a World Cup record. There was an unusual scene in which van Bronckhorst was sitting in the stands next to his FC Barcelona teammate at the time, Deco of Portugal who had also been sent off.
Euro 2008
Giovanni van Bronckhorst scored the winning goal in a Euro 2008 qualifying match against SloveniaSlovenia national football team
The Slovenia national football team is the national football team of Slovenia and is controlled by the Football Association of Slovenia. The team played their first match in 1992 after the split of Yugoslavia in 1991....
on 28 March 2007. The Netherlands won the match 1–0.
On 9 June 2008, while playing in a 3–0 victory over Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
in UEFA Euro 2008, he assisted in the second goal scored by the Netherlands and also scored the third goal, after running all the way from the back. For the second goal, he first cleared the ball off his own line and ran deep into the Italian half, then received the ball and crossed it to Dirk Kuyt
Dirk Kuyt
Dirk Kuyt is a Dutch footballer who plays for English club Liverpool. He started his career as a striker, but he has been converted into a winger and plays the position for both Liverpool and the Netherlands national team....
who headed it down to Wesley Sneijder
Wesley Sneijder
Wesley Sneijder is a Dutch footballer playing as an attacking midfielder for Internazionale. He was named UEFA midfielder of the season as well as one of the three best midfielders in the world for 2010 by FIFA....
to slot between the post and the advancing Gianluigi Buffon
Gianluigi Buffon
Gianluigi "Gigi" Buffon, Ufficiale OMRI , is an Italian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Serie A club Juventus and the Italian national team. He has won the FIFA World Cup and is widely considered by fans and experts to be one of most dominant and successful goalkeepers in history...
. He later even scored another one himself to condemn the world champions to an embarrassing defeat. Prior to Euro 2008, captain Edwin Van der Sar
Edwin van der Sar
Edwin van der Sar OON is a former footballer who played as a goalkeeper for AFC Ajax, Juventus, Fulham and Manchester United. He is the most capped player in the Netherlands national football team's history...
had announced his intention to retire from international football after the tournament and played his last game as captain in the 3-1 quarter-final loss to Russia
Russia national football team
The Russia national football team represents Russia in association football and is controlled by the Russian Football Union , the governing body for football in Russia. Russia's home grounds are Luzhniki Stadium, Lokomotiv Stadium , and Petrovsky Stadium in St.Petersburg and their head coach is...
, Van Bronckhorst was selected to succeed the goalkeeper as captain of the national team.
2010 World Cup
He was included in the preliminary squad for the tournament, and on 27 May 2010, Netherlands manager Bert van MarwijkBert van Marwijk
Bert van Marwijk OON is the coach of the Netherlands national football team. He also played for Go Ahead Eagles, AZ, MVV, Fortuna Sittard, and other clubs, as well as for the Dutch national team. In 1982, he began his transition into coaching, retiring as a player in 1988 and becoming a full time...
announced that he would be part of the final squad of 23, and would serve as the team captain. Van Bronckhorst earned his 100th cap in the opening group match versus Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
. In the semi-final against Uruguay
Uruguay national football team
The Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
he scored the opening goal of the match, which the Netherlands won 3–2. The powerful long range strike, which rose into Fernando Muslera
Fernando Muslera
Néstor Fernando Muslera Micol is an Uruguayan footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Galatasaray and is first-choice keeper for the Uruguayan national team.-Uruguay:...
's top left-hand corner, is widely considered to be one of the finest goals of the tournament. Van Bronckhorst's final game for the Netherlands and as a professional footballer came in the World Cup Final
2010 FIFA World Cup Final
The 2010 FIFA World Cup Final was a football match that took place on 11 July 2010 at Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa, to determine the winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Spain defeated the Netherlands 1–0 with a goal from Andrés Iniesta four minutes from the end of extra time...
against Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
, he was replaced in the 105th minute by Edson Braafheid
Edson Braafheid
Edson René Braafheid is a Surinamese-born Dutch footballer who currently plays as a left back for German Bundesliga club 1899 Hoffenheim.- Utrecht :Braafheid began his professional career at FC Utrecht in 2003 and made 81 appearances for the side....
with the score 0-0, only for Andrés Iniesta
Andrés Iniesta
Andrés Iniesta Luján is a Spanish football player. He currently plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona, and the Spanish national team....
to condemn the Dutch to a defeat, scoring the only goal of the game in the 116th minute. Despite ending the tournament as runners-up, Van Bronckhorst stated that he was proud of what the team had achieved.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 4 June 1997 | Johannesburg Johannesburg Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa... , South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... |
0–1 | 0–2 | Friendly match | |
| 2. | 2 September 2000 | Amsterdam Amsterdam Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population... , Netherlands 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... |
2–2 | 2–2 | World Cup 2002 qualifier 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification A total of 199 teams entered the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, competing for a total of 32 spots in the final tournament. and , as the co-hosts, and , as the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 29 spots open for competition.... |
|
| 3. | 12 February 2003 | Amsterdam Amsterdam Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population... , Netherlands 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... |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly match | |
| 4. | 28 March 2007 | Celje Celje Celje is a typical Central European town and the third largest town in Slovenia. It is a regional center of Lower Styria and the administrative seat of the Urban Municipality of Celje . The town of Celje is located under Upper Celje Castle at the confluence of the Savinja, Ložnica, and Voglajna... , Slovenia Slovenia Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of... |
0–1 | 0–1 | Euro 2008 qualifier | |
| 5. | 9 June 2008 | Bern, Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... |
3–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Euro 2008 | |
| 6. | 6 July 2010 | Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality... , South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... |
1–0 | 3–2 | 2010 FIFA World Cup 2010 FIFA World Cup The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010... |
|
Managerial career
Having retired at the end of the 2009/2010 season prior to the 2010 World Cup, it was announced on 21 July 2011 that Van Bronckhorst would assist newly appointed Feyenoord manager Ronald Koeman, alongside fellow ex-Feyenoord player Jean-Paul van Gastel.Career statistics
|-|1993–94||rowspan="1"|RKC Waalwijk
RKC Waalwijk
RKC Waalwijk is a football club currently playing in the Eredivisie. Its name is derived from 'Rooms Katholieke Combinatie' and was a fusion club of HEC, WVB and Hercules.-History:...
||rowspan="5"|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....
||12||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1994–95||rowspan="4"|Feyenoord||10||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1995–96||27||9||||||||||||||||
|-
|1996–97||34||4||||||||||||||||
|-
|1997–98||32||8||||||||||||||||
|-
|1998–99||rowspan="3"|Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
||rowspan="3"|Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
||35||7||||||||||||||||
|-
|1999–2000||27||4||||||||||||||||
|-
||2000–01||11||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|2001–02
2001–02 Arsenal F.C. season
During the 2001–02 English football season, Arsenal competed in the FA Premier League...
||rowspan="2"|Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
||rowspan="2"|FA Premier League||21||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2002–03||20||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2003–04||rowspan="4"|Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
||rowspan="4"|La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
||34||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2004–05||29||4||||||||||||||||
|-
|2005–06|||19||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2006–07||23||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2007–08||rowspan="3"|Feyenoord||rowspan="3"|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....
||32||7||||||||||||||||
|-
|2008–09||27||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2009–10||29||0||||||||||||||||
203||32||||||||||||||||
73||13||||||||||||||||
41||2||||||||||||||||
105||5||||||||||||||||
422||52||||||||||||||||
|}
|-
|1996||3||0
|-
|1997||4||1
|-
|1998||1||0
|-
|1999||6||0
|-
|2000||7||1
|-
|2001||4||0
|-
|2002||1||0
|-
|2003||6||1
|-
|2004||13||0
|-
|2005||9||0
|-
|2006||9||0
|-
|2007||10||1
|-
|2008||14||1
|-
|2009||9||0
|-
|2010||10||1
|-
!Total||106||6
|}
Awards and honours
Club
RangersRangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
- Scottish Premier LeagueScottish Premier LeagueThe Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
: 1998-99, 1999-2000 - Scottish CupScottish CupThe Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
: 19991999 Scottish Cup FinalThe 1999 Scottish Cup Final was played on May 29, 1999 at Hampden Park in Glasgow and was the final of the 114th Scottish Cup. Celtic and Rangers contested the match, Rangers won the match 1–0, thanks to Rod Wallace's 48th minute goal. This was the first match at Hampden Park since the stadium was...
, 20002000 Scottish Cup FinalThe 2000 Scottish Cup Final was played on 27 May 2000 at Hampden Park in Glasgow and was the final of the 115th Scottish Cup. The final was contested by Aberdeen and Rangers. Rangers won the match 4–0. The match was the last in the long career of Aberdeen goalkeeper Jim Leighton. His big day was... - League CupLeague CupIn association football, a League Cup or Secondary Cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament to be called "League Cup" was held in Scotland in 1946/47 and was entitled the Scottish...
: 19981998 Scottish League Cup FinalThe 1998 Scottish League Cup Final was played on 29 November 1998 at Celtic Park in Glasgow and was the final of the 52nd Scottish League Cup. The final was contested by Rangers and St. Johnstone. Rangers won the match 2–1, thanks to goals from Stéphane Guivarc'h and Jörg Albertz.-Match...
Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
- Premier League: 2001-02
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
: 20022002 FA Cup FinalThe 2002 FA Cup Final was the final match of the 2001–02 FA Cup competition. It was an all-London affair between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Millennium Stadium on 4 May 2002...
, 2003
Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
- La LigaLa LigaThe Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
: 2004–052004–05 La Liga2004–05 season was composed of the following clubs:* Albacete Balompié* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Real Betis* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Levante UD* Málaga CF* Real Mallorca* CD Numancia* CA Osasuna...
, 2005–062005–06 La Liga* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Betis* Cádiz CF* Celta de Vigo* Deportivo Alaves* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Málaga CF* RCD Mallorca* CA Osasuna* Racing de Santander* Real Madrid* Real Sociedad* Sevilla FC... - Supercopa de EspañaSupercopa de EspañaThe Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey...
: 20052005 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2005 Supercopa de España was a two-leg Spanish football match played on 13 and 20 August 2005.It contested by league champions FC Barcelona and cup-winners Real Betis. FC Barcelona won 4–2 on aggregate.-First leg:-Second leg:-References:...
, 20062006 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2006 Supercopa de España was a two-leg Spanish football match played on 17 and 20 August 2006.It was contested by league champions FC Barcelona and cup-winners RCD Espanyol . FC Barcelona won 4–0 on aggregate.-First leg:... - UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
: 20062006 UEFA Champions League FinalThe 2006 UEFA Champions League Final was the final match of the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League, Europe's primary club football competition. The showpiece event was contested between Barcelona of Spain and Arsenal of England at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Paris, France, on Wednesday, 17...
Feyenoord
- 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...
: 1994–95, 2007–08
National team
- FIFA World Cup2010 FIFA World CupThe 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
Runner-up: 2010 - EURO Semi Final : 2000, 2004