Guus Hiddink
Encyclopedia
Guus Hiddink (ˈɣys ˈɦɪdɪŋk; born 8 November 1946) 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. His achievements include winning the European treble (Eredivisie
, Dutch Cup and European Cup) with PSV Eindhoven; managing the Netherlands
and taking them to the semi-finals of the 1998 FIFA World Cup
; leading South Korea
to a fourth place finish in the 2002 FIFA World Cup
; leading Australia to their best ever finish in the 2006 FIFA World Cup
; leading Russia
to the semi-finals of Euro 2008, Russia's best performance since the breakup of the Soviet Union; and leading Chelsea
to an FA Cup
win against Everton in 2009. Hiddink has also previously managed Fenerbahçe
, Valencia
& Real Madrid
.
and started his career as a player in the youth side of amateur club SC Varsseveld. He turned professional after signing on for Dutch club De Graafschap
in 1967. Hiddink played at the Doetinchem
club under manager Piet de Visser
. In 1973, Hiddink and manager de Visser earned promotion to the Eredivisie
, the top league in Dutch football. Ever since, the careers of the two Dutchmen have intersected: de Visser scouted numerous South American players, such as PSV players Ronaldo
, Romário
(who played under Hiddink at PSV from 1988 until 1990) and current Chelsea defender Alex
, for Hiddink's PSV. Also, de Visser, in his role as personal advisor to Roman Abramovich
, was influential in bringing Hiddink to the Russia national football team
and more recently to Chelsea
as caretaker manager following the dismissal of Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari
. It was de Visser who introduced Hiddink to Abramovich during a meeting in Eindhoven in 2004. He spent most of his playing career at De Graafschap, including three years under de Visser, and remains a fan of the club. He joined PSV in 1970, but after failing to win a permanent position in the team, he rejoined De Graafschap after just one year and remained there until 1977. In 1981, he rejoined De Graafschap and retired a year later. He generally played as a midfielder during his playing days.
. It was at PSV where he led the team to its first ever European Cup
triumph in 1988 (and The Treble
) affirming the Eindhoven club's ranking as one of the three giants of Dutch football, alongside rivals Ajax and Feyenoord. He also won three Eredivisie
titles with the club in between 1987 and 1990. "Hiddink will never take all the credit for himself, he will also involve his staff in it. That adds to the strong sense of unity. Hiddink has final responsibility, but always shares it with the team around him. He is a real team player", Van Aerle, who experienced Hiddink in two periods at PSV, told Berend Scholten at UEFA.com
He also had a coaching stint at Turkish
club Fenerbahçe
in 1990 but was dismissed after one year before joining Spanish
giants Valencia
.
on 1 January 1995, where he took charge of a team of talented individuals continually racked by internal arguments and disputes. His usual 4-4-2 tactic of deploying wingers backed-up by central midfielders resulted in goals from defensive midfielders such as Philip Cocu and Edgar Davids
. Hiddink took a firm approach to the team, an example of which was demonstrated at Euro 1996 when Edgar Davids
was sent home after an argument with Hiddink.
He was able to prevent further internal conflict in the 1998 FIFA World Cup
where his team played some of the more entertaining football in that tournament.
The team beat Argentina
in the quarter finals 2–1, then suffered a defeat at the hands of Brazil
on penalties in the semi-final. This loss signalled an end of another era for Hiddink, as he resigned as Dutch national coach soon after.
La Liga
side Real Madrid
in the summer of 1998, replacing Jupp Heynckes
, but bad league form and off pitch remarks about the board and finances of Real Madrid saw him get sacked in February 1999. Hiddink then took over the reins at Spanish club Real Betis
in 2000 for the rest of the season. His time at Real Betis would end badly with Hiddink being sacked by May 2000.
In summer 2000, rumors were rife over his future, with Celtic
among one of the clubs named as a potential destination. The temptation to manage another World Cup-bound international team proved irresistible to him, however, as he agreed to coach the South Korean national football team
on 1 January 2001.
tournament, along with Japan
. There was an expectation that the hosts would progress to the second round of the tournament and it was clearly expressed that Hiddink's team was expected to perform to that standard as well.
His first year in charge was not met with favorable reviews from the Korean press, as he was often spotted together with his girlfriend, when some felt he should instead have been taking charge of the team. After a 2–1 loss to the US Gold Cup
team in January 2002, he was criticized again for not taking his job seriously. Nevertheless, the team he assembled was a cohesive unit.
In the World Cup itself, the South Korean team achieved its first ever victory in the first stage (2–0, against Poland
), and after a 1–1 draw with the USA
and a further 1–0 victory against heavily-favored Portugal
, the South Korean team qualified for the second round.
Their second round opponents were Italy
, who were defeated 2–1 after extra time. The South Korea
public then began to dream of a semi-final berth
, which was attained on defeating Spain
on penalties, thereby surpassing the record of their North Korean counterparts 36 years before.
The South Korean team's run was halted by Germany
in the semi-finals. As with the Netherlands
team four years before in France
, Hiddink led his team into fourth place after a defeat to Turkey
in the third place playoff.
For the South Korean people, Hiddink is considered a national hero
. Prior to the tournament, football pundits and fans alike never expected this level of success. Nearly the entire South Korean population were swept with joy when South Korea reached the semi-finals of the World Cup
.
Hiddink became the first-ever foreigner to be given honorary South Korean citizenship. In addition other rewards soon followed - a private villa in Jeju-do island
; free flights for life with Korean Air
and Asiana Airlines
, free taxi
rides, and so forth. The World Cup stadium in Gwangju
, where South Korea qualified for the semi-finals, was renamed Guus Hiddink Stadium
in his honor shortly after the tournament. His hometown, where a Guuseum was set up, became a popular stopover for South Koreans visiting the Netherlands. The Guuseum is a museum established by his relatives, in Varsseveld
, to honor Hiddink.
(2002–03
, 2004–05
, and 2005–06), the 2005 Dutch Cup
, and the 2003 Dutch Super Cup. In Europe, the 2004–05 Champions League
led to PSV's first ever appearance in the semi-final of the tournament since it adopted its current format in 1992–93 (PSV won the European Cup, the predecessor to the modern Champions League, in 1988, with Hiddink as coach). PSV narrowly lost the semi-final to AC Milan, on away goals
. In the 2005–06 Champions League season, PSV made it through the group stage, but was eliminated in the first knockout round, having lost 5 of its starting 11 members (Park Ji-Sung
to Manchester United
, Lee Young-Pyo
to Tottenham Hotspur
, Mark van Bommel
to Barcelona
, Johann Vogel
to Milan
, and Wilfred Bouma
to Aston Villa
) to transfers. This period at PSV would make Hiddink the most successful Dutch coach in history, with six Dutch League titles and four Dutch Cups, surpassing the record of Rinus Michels
.
In the play-offs held with Uruguay
in Montevideo
on 12 November and in Sydney
on 16 November 2005, both home teams won 1–0. Australia went on to win 4–2 on penalties — the first time Australia had qualified for the finals in 32 years, and the first time that any team had qualified through winning a penalty shoot-out.
Hiddink was an extremely popular figure in Australia and was referred to affectionately as "Aussie Guus". A telling example of the public affection for him was the Socceroo fans chant of "Goooooooooooos!" during moments of play. Slogans for the Socceroos' World Cup campaign were "No Guus, No Glory", "Guus for P.M" and "In Guus We Trust", as well as the play on words of the famous taunt "Guus your Daddy?". During the World Cup, a Sydney newspaper started a humorous campaign to lure him away from Russia by proposing a national "Guus tax" to pay his wages. More seriously, his reputation was enhanced by his transformation of the national side, with many pundits focusing on the immense improvement to Australia's defense. He is credited with turning a team which conceded many goals under Frank Farina
into a solid defensive unit which only conceded one goal away from home to both Uruguay and the Netherlands. Hiddink's assistants at Australia were Dutch legend Johan Neeskens
and former Australian International Graham Arnold
.
The Socceroos defeated the Japanese team 3–1 during their first game in the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals, with Tim Cahill
scoring 2 goals (84', 89') and John Aloisi
scoring 1 (92') all in the last eight minutes to claim their first World Cup goals and victory ever. An early controversial call by the Egyptian referee that awarded a goal to the Japanese team, despite an apparent foul to Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer
, had the Australians playing catch up until the last eight minutes. After scoring the first goal, Cahill was lucky to get away with a potential foul when he tripped Japan's Yuichi Komano who had dribbled into the Australian penalty area. The referee missed the incident, and Cahill then broke to score the second on the counter. FIFA's spokesman for refereeing Anderas Werz said that while Japan's first goal was irregular, Egyptian referee Essam Abdel Fatah should also have given Japan a penalty.
Australia followed the match against Japan with a 2–0 loss to Brazil. This left the Socceroos requiring a draw against Croatia
in their last group match to qualify for the knockout stage of the FIFA world cup for the first time in their history. After a match fraught with controversy and erroneous decisions from the referee, Graham Poll
(including an unprecedented three yellow cards given to the same Croatian player, ironically Australian-born Josip Simunic
), the game ended 2-2, and the Socceroos had their draw thanks to a goal from Harry Kewell to level the game with minutes to spare.
In the second round, the Italian national team beat Australia 1–0. After controversially sending off Italian defender Marco Materazzi
in the 55th minute, Spanish referee Luís Medina Cantalejo
awarded Italy's Fabio Grosso
a controversial penalty kick eight seconds from the end of normal time, which was converted by Francesco Totti
. This put Australia out of the World Cup, marking the official end of Hiddink's tenure as Australia's national coach.
. He signed a 2½-year contract worth US$
2.4 million a year plus bonuses, with an option for another two years, on 14 April 2006. His duties for Russia started after the 2006 World Cup
, and the team's first match with Hiddink as coach was a friendly on 16 August 2006 against Latvia.
Russia's Euro qualification hopes came into question after a 2–1 loss to Israel
. After a win against Andorra
, and England
losing out to Croatia
on the last match day, Russia and Hiddink secured qualification for Euro 2008, where they managed to reach the semi-finals, with victories against the Dutch national team
in the quarter finals, and defending champions Greece
in the group stage.
Piet de Visser
, a former head scout of Hiddink's club PSV and now a personal assistant to Roman Abramovich
at Chelsea
, recommended Hiddink to the Chelsea owner, following the departure of Avram Grant at the end of the 2007–08 Premier League season. However, in March 2008 Hiddink had already chosen to exercise the two year extension with Russia, keeping him in the National Team's head coaching role until 2010.
In November 2009 Russia was defeated by Slovenia
in a 2010 World Cup Qualifying Play Off, casting doubt on future ambitions. On 13 February 2010, it was confirmed that Hiddink would leave the position when his contract expired on 30 June.
former manager, the Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari
during the 2008–09 Premier League season, Chelsea confirmed on 11 February 2009 that Hiddink would become Scolari's replacement until the end of the Premier League season, whilst continuing his duties with Russia. Hiddink's first game in charge was a 1–0 victory against Aston Villa
at Villa Park. His first game in charge at Stamford Bridge
was a 1–0 victory over Juventus
in the Champions League knockout stage. Success continued in the form of a 3–1 away victory against Liverpool—commentators stated that Hiddink had rejuvenated Chelsea following Scolari's departure. After knocking Liverpool out of the competition, Hiddink went on to take Chelsea to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. Chelsea controversially lost out to eventual winners Barcelona in the 93rd minute after 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge after a 0-0 draw in the Camp Nou
, and thus were knocked out on the away goals rule.
Hiddink only lost once during his tenure as Chelsea manager, a 1-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane
, where Luka Modrić
scored the only goal of the match. As it turned out, even winning every league game in charge would not have been enough to see Hiddink secure the Premier League title. In the final home game of the season, in which Chelsea beat Blackburn Rovers 2-0, Chelsea home fans chanted Hiddink's name throughout the match and called for Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich
to 'sign him up' (on a permanent basis). Hiddink's highly positive reception highlighted the Chelsea fans' appreciation of the manager. He marked an end to his Premier League campaign with a thrilling 3-2 away win over Sunderland
.
In his last game as a temporary coach of Chelsea, he won the 2009 FA Cup
by beating Everton
2-1 at Wembley
.
He was visibly pleased at winning the Cup, and in subsequent interviews claimed it was one of his biggest achievements. Even though throughout his tenure at Chelsea various players asked him to stay, including captain John Terry
, Michael Ballack
, and Petr Čech
, Hiddink always stated that he intended to return to his post with Russia. As a parting gift, the Chelsea players gave him an engraved watch and a shirt signed by all of the players.
Two days after his last match, he was replaced by Carlo Ancelotti
. In 2011, following a bad start to the Premier League Campaign of Andre Villas-Boas, Hiddink has been linked with the club.
. Hiddink agreed to coach Turkey after his contract expired on 30 June 2010, with Russia. His contract with Turkey began on 1 August 2010. He works with assistant manager Oğuz Çetin
and goalkeeping coach Engin İpekoğlu
.
On 11 August 2010, Turkey
defeated Romania
, 2-0, in an international friendly played in Istanbul
as Hiddink made the perfect start in his coaching debut for Turkey.
Emre Belözoğlu
gave Turkey the lead in the 82nd minute after converting a spot kick, sending the home crowd into raptures. Turkey doubled the lead minutes later when Arda Turan
unleashed a bullet from 30 yards out. He resigned after Turkey failed to qualify for the UEFA Euro 2012 by losing to Croatia
3-0 aggregate in the playoffs.
San Jose Earthquakes
Club honours
PSV
Real Madrid
Chelsea
International honours
Netherlands
South Korea
Australia
Russia
.
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 manager
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
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. His achievements include winning the European treble (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....
, Dutch Cup and European Cup) with PSV Eindhoven; managing the Netherlands
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 taking them to the semi-finals of 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...
; leading South Korea
Korea Republic national football team
The Korea Republic national football team represents Korea Republic in international football and is controlled by the Korea Football Association. Korea Republic is the most successful Asian football team in the history of the FIFA World Cup having participated in eight World Cup tournaments,...
to a fourth place finish in the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
; leading Australia to their best ever finish in the 2006 FIFA World Cup
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...
; leading 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...
to the semi-finals of Euro 2008, Russia's best performance since the breakup of the Soviet Union; and leading 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...
to an 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...
win against Everton in 2009. Hiddink has also previously managed Fenerbahçe
Fenerbahçe S.K. (football)
Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü is a Turkish professional football club based in the district of Kadıköy, Istanbul, and part of the larger Fenerbahçe multisports club...
, Valencia
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...
& Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
.
Playing career
Hiddink was born in VarsseveldVarsseveld
Varsseveld is a town in the Netherlands, located in the Dutch municipality of Oude IJsselstreek. It is the hometown of football coach Guus Hiddink, and of cyclist Robert Gesink....
and started his career as a player in the youth side of amateur club SC Varsseveld. He turned professional after signing on for Dutch club De Graafschap
De Graafschap
De Graafschap is a professional football club from Doetinchem, Netherlands. It was formed on 1 February 1954 and they play their home games at the "De Vijverberg" stadium. Their current home ground stands on where the old pitch used to be located and was opened on 12 August 2000...
in 1967. Hiddink played at the Doetinchem
Doetinchem
Doetinchem is a city and municipality in the east of the Netherlands. It is situated along the Oude IJssel river in a part of the province of Gelderland called the Achterhoek . The municipality has 56,700 inhabitants and has an area of 79.66 km²...
club under manager Piet de Visser
Piet de Visser
Piet de Visser is a Dutch football manager and scout. He is best known for scouting players like Romário and Ronaldo and successfully bringing them to Europe. He is currently a personal adviser to Roman Abramovich, the owner of the English club Chelsea F.C...
. In 1973, Hiddink and manager de Visser earned promotion to 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....
, the top league in Dutch football. Ever since, the careers of the two Dutchmen have intersected: de Visser scouted numerous South American players, such as PSV players Ronaldo
Ronaldo
Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima , commonly known as Ronaldo, is a retired Brazilian footballer who last played for Corinthians. Ronaldo is widely considered to be the greatest 'pure' striker in the history of the modern game, and by some accounts, in the history of football. Ronaldo was one of the...
, Romário
Romário
Romário de Souza Faria , better known simply as Romário , is a former footballer who played striker,manager and current politician where is currently running for a mayor like position in his hometown...
(who played under Hiddink at PSV from 1988 until 1990) and current Chelsea defender Alex
Alex Rodrigo Dias da Costa
Alex Rodrigo Dias da Costa, better known as Alex , is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Chelsea FC and the Brazil national team. His nickname is "Vinny" amongst fans for his close similarities to actor Vin Diesel....
, for Hiddink's PSV. Also, de Visser, in his role as personal advisor to Roman Abramovich
Roman Abramovich
Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich is a Russian businessman and the main owner of the private investment company Millhouse LLC.In 2003, Abramovich was named Person of the Year by Expert, a Russian business magazine. He shared this title with Mikhail Khodorkovsky...
, was influential in bringing Hiddink to the Russia national football team
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...
and more recently to 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...
as caretaker manager following the dismissal of Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari
Luiz Felipe Scolari
Luiz Felipe Scolari , ComIH , also known as Felipão in Brazil and Phil Scolari in the United Kingdom, is a World Cup-winning Brazilian football manager. He is currently the manager of Palmeiras. He served as the manager of the Portuguese national team from July 12, 2003 to June 30, 2008...
. It was de Visser who introduced Hiddink to Abramovich during a meeting in Eindhoven in 2004. He spent most of his playing career at De Graafschap, including three years under de Visser, and remains a fan of the club. He joined PSV in 1970, but after failing to win a permanent position in the team, he rejoined De Graafschap after just one year and remained there until 1977. In 1981, he rejoined De Graafschap and retired a year later. He generally played as a midfielder during his playing days.
Early club career
Having honed his coaching skills as an assistant manager, he took over the managerial role at PSV Eindhoven in 1987 (after also holding the assistant manager position there from 1983 to March 1987). Hiddink took over at PSV in March 1987, while the team was first in the LeagueEredivisie 1986-87
The Dutch Eredivisie in the 1986/1987 season was contested by 18 teams. PSV Eindhoven won the championship. At the beginning of the season, AZ '67 from Alkmaar changed their name to AZ.-League standings:...
. It was at PSV where he led the team to its first ever European Cup
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...
triumph in 1988 (and The Treble
The Treble
The term treble or Treble is used in association football to refer to a team winning three trophies in a single season. Honours usually considered to contribute to a treble are the top-tier domestic league competition, domestic cup competitions, and continental tournaments; although this depends to...
) affirming the Eindhoven club's ranking as one of the three giants of Dutch football, alongside rivals Ajax and Feyenoord. He also won three 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....
titles with the club in between 1987 and 1990. "Hiddink will never take all the credit for himself, he will also involve his staff in it. That adds to the strong sense of unity. Hiddink has final responsibility, but always shares it with the team around him. He is a real team player", Van Aerle, who experienced Hiddink in two periods at PSV, told Berend Scholten at UEFA.com
He also had a coaching stint at Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
club Fenerbahçe
Fenerbahçe S.K. (football)
Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü is a Turkish professional football club based in the district of Kadıköy, Istanbul, and part of the larger Fenerbahçe multisports club...
in 1990 but was dismissed after one year before joining Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
giants Valencia
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...
.
Dutch national team
Hiddink would face his biggest managerial challenge when he took over the reins 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...
on 1 January 1995, where he took charge of a team of talented individuals continually racked by internal arguments and disputes. His usual 4-4-2 tactic of deploying wingers backed-up by central midfielders resulted in goals from defensive midfielders such as Philip Cocu and Edgar Davids
Edgar Davids
Edgar Steven Davids is a retired Dutch footballer and current member of the supervisory board of Ajax. After beginning his career with the Amsterdam club, he subsequently played in Italy for Milan and Juventus before a loan spell with Barcelona. He went on to play for Internazionale and Tottenham...
. Hiddink took a firm approach to the team, an example of which was demonstrated at Euro 1996 when Edgar Davids
Edgar Davids
Edgar Steven Davids is a retired Dutch footballer and current member of the supervisory board of Ajax. After beginning his career with the Amsterdam club, he subsequently played in Italy for Milan and Juventus before a loan spell with Barcelona. He went on to play for Internazionale and Tottenham...
was sent home after an argument with Hiddink.
He was able to prevent further internal conflict in 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...
where his team played some of the more entertaining football in that tournament.
The team beat Argentina
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
in the quarter finals 2–1, then suffered a defeat at the hands of 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...
on penalties in the semi-final. This loss signalled an end of another era for Hiddink, as he resigned as Dutch national coach soon after.
Return to club football
He became the manager of SpanishSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
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...
side Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
in the summer of 1998, replacing Jupp Heynckes
Jupp Heynckes
Josef "Jupp" Heynckes is a German football coach and former player. As player he belonged to the core of the team of Borussia Mönchengladbach in its golden era of the 1960s and 1970s where he won many national championships and the Cup as well as the UEFA Cup...
, but bad league form and off pitch remarks about the board and finances of Real Madrid saw him get sacked in February 1999. Hiddink then took over the reins at Spanish club Real Betis
Real Betis
Real Betis Balompié S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Seville, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 12 September 1907, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio Benito Villamarín....
in 2000 for the rest of the season. His time at Real Betis would end badly with Hiddink being sacked by May 2000.
In summer 2000, rumors were rife over his future, with 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...
among one of the clubs named as a potential destination. The temptation to manage another World Cup-bound international team proved irresistible to him, however, as he agreed to coach the South Korean national football team
Korea Republic national football team
The Korea Republic national football team represents Korea Republic in international football and is controlled by the Korea Football Association. Korea Republic is the most successful Asian football team in the history of the FIFA World Cup having participated in eight World Cup tournaments,...
on 1 January 2001.
South Korean national team
Success would not come easily with a team that had appeared in five straight World Cups but had yet to win a single match. South Korea was one of the host nations for the 2002 FIFA World Cup2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
tournament, along with Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. There was an expectation that the hosts would progress to the second round of the tournament and it was clearly expressed that Hiddink's team was expected to perform to that standard as well.
CONCACAF Gold Cup
The CONCACAF Gold Cup is the main association football competition of the men's national football teams governed by CONCACAF, determining the regional champion of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.The Gold Cup is held every two years and when it does not fall the same year as an...
team in January 2002, he was criticized again for not taking his job seriously. Nevertheless, the team he assembled was a cohesive unit.
In the World Cup itself, the South Korean team achieved its first ever victory in the first stage (2–0, against Poland
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
), and after a 1–1 draw with the USA
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
and a further 1–0 victory against heavily-favored 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...
, the South Korean team qualified for the second round.
Their second round opponents were 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...
, who were defeated 2–1 after extra time. The South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
public then began to dream of a semi-final berth
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
, which was attained on defeating 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...
on penalties, thereby surpassing the record of their North Korean counterparts 36 years before.
The South Korean team's run was halted by Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
in the semi-finals. As with the Netherlands
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...
team four years before 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...
, Hiddink led his team into fourth place after a defeat to Turkey
Turkey national football team
The Turkey national football team represents Turkey in association football and is controlled by the Turkish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Turkey. They are affiliated with UEFA...
in the third place playoff.
For the South Korean people, Hiddink is considered a national hero
Folk hero
A folk hero is a type of hero, real, fictional, or mythological. The single salient characteristic which makes a character a folk hero is the imprinting of the name, personality and deeds of the character in the popular consciousness. This presence in the popular consciousness is evidenced by...
. Prior to the tournament, football pundits and fans alike never expected this level of success. Nearly the entire South Korean population were swept with joy when South Korea reached the semi-finals of the World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
.
Hiddink became the first-ever foreigner to be given honorary South Korean citizenship. In addition other rewards soon followed - a private villa in Jeju-do island
Jeju-do
Jeju-do is the only special autonomous province of South Korea, situated on and coterminous with the country's largest island. Jeju-do lies in the Korea Strait, southwest of Jeollanam-do Province, of which it was a part before it became a separate province in 1946...
; free flights for life with Korean Air
Korean Air
Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. , operating as Korean Air, is both the flag carrier and the largest airline of South Korea, with global headquarters located in Seoul, South Korea. Korean Air's international passenger division and related subsidiary cargo division together serve 130 cities in 45...
and Asiana Airlines
Asiana Airlines
Asiana Airlines Inc. is one of South Korea's two major airlines, along with Korean Air. Asiana has its headquarters in Asiana Town in Osoe-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul...
, free taxi
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
rides, and so forth. The World Cup stadium in Gwangju
Gwangju
Gwangju is the sixth largest city in South Korea. It is a designated metropolitan city under the direct control of the central government's Home Minister...
, where South Korea qualified for the semi-finals, was renamed Guus Hiddink Stadium
Guus Hiddink Stadium
Gwangju World Cup Stadium is a football stadium in the South Korean city of Gwangju. It is managed by the Sports Support Division of the Culture & Sports Policy Office of the Gwangju Metropolitan city. Initially the stadium was named Gwangju World Cup Stadium to host some matches of the 2002 FIFA...
in his honor shortly after the tournament. His hometown, where a Guuseum was set up, became a popular stopover for South Koreans visiting the Netherlands. The Guuseum is a museum established by his relatives, in Varsseveld
Varsseveld
Varsseveld is a town in the Netherlands, located in the Dutch municipality of Oude IJsselstreek. It is the hometown of football coach Guus Hiddink, and of cyclist Robert Gesink....
, to honor Hiddink.
PSV
Hiddink chose to return to his native country and took over the coaching duties at PSV Eindhoven in 2002. During his second spell with PSV, Hiddink won three Dutch league titlesEredivisie
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....
(2002–03
Eredivisie 2002-03
The Dutch Eredivisie in the 2002/2003 season was contested by 18 teams. PSV won the championship.-League standings:1 Winners KNVB Cup. 2 FC Zwolle remained in the eredivisie after winning their promotion/relegation play-offs...
, 2004–05
Eredivisie 2004-05
The 2004-05 season of the Eredivisie started on August 13, 2004 and ended on May 22, 2005. The title was won by PSV. FC Den Bosch and De Graafschap were relegated to the Eerste Divisie at the end of the season.-Promoted teams:...
, and 2005–06), the 2005 Dutch Cup
KNVB 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...
, and the 2003 Dutch Super Cup. In Europe, the 2004–05 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...
led to PSV's first ever appearance in the semi-final of the tournament since it adopted its current format in 1992–93 (PSV won the European Cup, the predecessor to the modern Champions League, in 1988, with Hiddink as coach). PSV narrowly lost the semi-final to AC Milan, on away goals
Away goals rule
The away goals rule is a method of breaking ties in association football and other sports when teams play each other twice, once at each team's home ground. By the away goals rule, the team that has scored more goals "away from home" will win if scores are otherwise equal...
. In the 2005–06 Champions League season, PSV made it through the group stage, but was eliminated in the first knockout round, having lost 5 of its starting 11 members (Park Ji-Sung
Park Ji-Sung
Park Ji-Sung is a South Korean footballer who plays as a midfielder for English club Manchester United. He was also the captain of the South Korean national team until his retirement from international football...
to Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, Lee Young-Pyo
Lee Young-Pyo
Lee Young-Pyo is a South Korean football player. Lee is recognized for his speed and dribbling skills. His former manager Martin Jol once called him "the best left-back in Holland"....
to Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
, Mark van Bommel
Mark van Bommel
Mark Peter Gertruda Andreas van Bommel is a Dutch footballer who currently plays for Milan and captains the Netherlands national team as a midfielder....
to Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, Johann Vogel
Johann Vogel
Johann Louis François Vogel is a retired Swiss footballer.-Early career:Vogel joined Swiss amateur club Meyrin in his youth, but made the cut into professional football by joining Grasshoppers...
to Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
, and Wilfred Bouma
Wilfred Bouma
Wilfred Bouma is a Dutch footballer who plays for PSV Eindhoven. Bouma is a technically refined left back/centre back who is known for his hard working nature, defensive positioning and tackling ability.-Early career:...
to Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
) to transfers. This period at PSV would make Hiddink the most successful Dutch coach in history, with six Dutch League titles and four Dutch Cups, surpassing the record of Rinus Michels
Rinus Michels
Marinus Jacobus Hendricus Michels OON was a Dutch association football player and coach...
.
Australian national team
On 22 July 2005, Hiddink became manager of the Australian national team. He announced he would manage both PSV and Australia at the same time, fulfilling a clause in his contract that allows him to coach at both club and national level, but would leave both in mid-2006, after the World Cup finals.In the play-offs held with 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...
in Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
on 12 November and in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
on 16 November 2005, both home teams won 1–0. Australia went on to win 4–2 on penalties — the first time Australia had qualified for the finals in 32 years, and the first time that any team had qualified through winning a penalty shoot-out.
Hiddink was an extremely popular figure in Australia and was referred to affectionately as "Aussie Guus". A telling example of the public affection for him was the Socceroo fans chant of "Goooooooooooos!" during moments of play. Slogans for the Socceroos' World Cup campaign were "No Guus, No Glory", "Guus for P.M" and "In Guus We Trust", as well as the play on words of the famous taunt "Guus your Daddy?". During the World Cup, a Sydney newspaper started a humorous campaign to lure him away from Russia by proposing a national "Guus tax" to pay his wages. More seriously, his reputation was enhanced by his transformation of the national side, with many pundits focusing on the immense improvement to Australia's defense. He is credited with turning a team which conceded many goals under Frank Farina
Frank Farina
Frank Farina OAM is a retired Australian football player. He most currently coaches the Papua New Guinea national football team....
into a solid defensive unit which only conceded one goal away from home to both Uruguay and the Netherlands. Hiddink's assistants at Australia were Dutch legend Johan Neeskens
Johan Neeskens
Johannes Jacobus "Johan" Neeskens is a Dutch football manager and former midfielder. As a player, he was an important member of the Dutch national team that finished as runners-up in the 1974 and 1978 FIFA World Cups. Former England manager Alf Ramsey said Neeskens was "as good as any player" in...
and former Australian International Graham Arnold
Graham Arnold
Graham James Arnold is a former coach of the Australian national football team. He was appointed to work as an assistant to Frank Farina in 2000. The two replaced Raul Blanco, who was the interim coach in charge after Terry Venables decided not to renew his contract with Soccer Australia after...
.
The Socceroos defeated the Japanese team 3–1 during their first game in the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals, with Tim Cahill
Tim Cahill
Timothy Filiga "Tim" Cahill is an football player of Australian nationality who plays for Everton and the Australian national football team...
scoring 2 goals (84', 89') and John Aloisi
John Aloisi
John Aloisi is a retired Australian football player who played as a striker, and the current youth team manager at Melbourne Heart....
scoring 1 (92') all in the last eight minutes to claim their first World Cup goals and victory ever. An early controversial call by the Egyptian referee that awarded a goal to the Japanese team, despite an apparent foul to Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer
Mark Schwarzer
Mark Schwarzer OAM is an Australian association football player who plays as a goalkeeper. He currently plays for Premier League club Fulham. He rose to prominence during his time at North-East England football club Middlesbrough...
, had the Australians playing catch up until the last eight minutes. After scoring the first goal, Cahill was lucky to get away with a potential foul when he tripped Japan's Yuichi Komano who had dribbled into the Australian penalty area. The referee missed the incident, and Cahill then broke to score the second on the counter. FIFA's spokesman for refereeing Anderas Werz said that while Japan's first goal was irregular, Egyptian referee Essam Abdel Fatah should also have given Japan a penalty.
Australia followed the match against Japan with a 2–0 loss to Brazil. This left the Socceroos requiring a draw against Croatia
Croatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
in their last group match to qualify for the knockout stage of the FIFA world cup for the first time in their history. After a match fraught with controversy and erroneous decisions from the referee, Graham Poll
Graham Poll
Graham Poll is an English former football referee in the Premier League and is considered the best English referee of the last 25 years in a list maintained by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics...
(including an unprecedented three yellow cards given to the same Croatian player, ironically Australian-born Josip Simunic
Josip Šimunic
Josip Šimunić is a Croatian footballer who plays as a defender for Dinamo Zagreb and the Croatian national team.-Club career:...
), the game ended 2-2, and the Socceroos had their draw thanks to a goal from Harry Kewell to level the game with minutes to spare.
In the second round, the Italian national team beat Australia 1–0. After controversially sending off Italian defender Marco Materazzi
Marco Materazzi
Marco Materazzi , is an Italian footballer who plays as a defender, and is currently a free agent.At the beginning of his career, Materazzi played with various Italian teams in Serie B and Serie C, and with Premier League side Everton. He spent two periods with Perugia and signed for...
in the 55th minute, Spanish referee Luís Medina Cantalejo
Luis Medina Cantalejo
Luis Medina Cantalejo is a retired Spanish football referee.Professionally, Medina Cantalejo is a sports assessor who lives in Tomares, west of Seville. He was one of the few officials allowed to officiate the domestic clashes between Real Madrid and Barcelona...
awarded Italy's Fabio Grosso
Fabio Grosso
Fabio Grosso, Ufficiale OMRI is an Italian World Cup-winning footballer who currently plays for Serie A club Juventus. Grosso is primarily a left wingback, but can also play as left back. He is also a free kick, penalty kick and corner kick specialist...
a controversial penalty kick eight seconds from the end of normal time, which was converted by Francesco Totti
Francesco Totti
Francesco Totti, Ufficiale OMRI, is an Italian footballer who is the captain of Serie A club Roma. His primary position is that of a trequartista, though he has also been successfully utilized as a lone striker. Totti has spent his entire career at Roma, is the number-one goalscorer and the most...
. This put Australia out of the World Cup, marking the official end of Hiddink's tenure as Australia's national coach.
Russian national team
On 10 April 2006 Hiddink announced on Dutch television that he would take over as manager of RussiaRussia 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...
. He signed a 2½-year contract worth US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
2.4 million a year plus bonuses, with an option for another two years, on 14 April 2006. His duties for Russia started after the 2006 World Cup
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 the team's first match with Hiddink as coach was a friendly on 16 August 2006 against Latvia.
Russia's Euro qualification hopes came into question after a 2–1 loss to Israel
Israel national football team
The Israel national football team is the national football team of Israel, controlled by the Israel Football Association .Israel National Football is the direct successor of the Eretz Yisrael National Team during British Mandate...
. After a win against Andorra
Andorra national football team
The Andorra national football team represents Andorra in association football and is controlled by the Andorran Football Federation, the governing body for football in Andorra. The team has enjoyed very little success due to the Principality's tiny population, the fourth smallest of any UEFA...
, and England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
losing out to Croatia
Croatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
on the last match day, Russia and Hiddink secured qualification for Euro 2008, where they managed to reach the semi-finals, with victories against 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...
in the quarter finals, and defending champions Greece
Greece national football team
The Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
in the group stage.
Piet de Visser
Piet de Visser
Piet de Visser is a Dutch football manager and scout. He is best known for scouting players like Romário and Ronaldo and successfully bringing them to Europe. He is currently a personal adviser to Roman Abramovich, the owner of the English club Chelsea F.C...
, a former head scout of Hiddink's club PSV and now a personal assistant to Roman Abramovich
Roman Abramovich
Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich is a Russian businessman and the main owner of the private investment company Millhouse LLC.In 2003, Abramovich was named Person of the Year by Expert, a Russian business magazine. He shared this title with Mikhail Khodorkovsky...
at 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...
, recommended Hiddink to the Chelsea owner, following the departure of Avram Grant at the end of the 2007–08 Premier League season. However, in March 2008 Hiddink had already chosen to exercise the two year extension with Russia, keeping him in the National Team's head coaching role until 2010.
In November 2009 Russia was defeated by Slovenia
Slovenia 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....
in a 2010 World Cup Qualifying Play Off, casting doubt on future ambitions. On 13 February 2010, it was confirmed that Hiddink would leave the position when his contract expired on 30 June.
Chelsea
After the sacking of Chelsea'sChelsea 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...
former manager, the Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari
Luiz Felipe Scolari
Luiz Felipe Scolari , ComIH , also known as Felipão in Brazil and Phil Scolari in the United Kingdom, is a World Cup-winning Brazilian football manager. He is currently the manager of Palmeiras. He served as the manager of the Portuguese national team from July 12, 2003 to June 30, 2008...
during the 2008–09 Premier League season, Chelsea confirmed on 11 February 2009 that Hiddink would become Scolari's replacement until the end of the Premier League season, whilst continuing his duties with Russia. Hiddink's first game in charge was a 1–0 victory against Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
at Villa Park. His first game in charge at Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge (stadium)
Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London, and is the home of Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green and is often referred to as simply The Bridge...
was a 1–0 victory over Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
in the Champions League knockout stage. Success continued in the form of a 3–1 away victory against Liverpool—commentators stated that Hiddink had rejuvenated Chelsea following Scolari's departure. After knocking Liverpool out of the competition, Hiddink went on to take Chelsea to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. Chelsea controversially lost out to eventual winners Barcelona in the 93rd minute after 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge after a 0-0 draw in the Camp Nou
Camp Nou
Camp Nou , sometimes called "the Nou Camp" in English, is a football stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The stadium, located in the west of the city, has been the home of FC Barcelona since its construction in 1957....
, and thus were knocked out on the away goals rule.
Hiddink only lost once during his tenure as Chelsea manager, a 1-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
, where Luka Modrić
Luka Modric
Luka Modrić is a Croatian footballer who plays for Tottenham Hotspur and for the Croatia national football team.Modrić's childhood coincided with the Croatian War of Independence. After showing promise in hometown club Zadar's youth team, he was signed by Dinamo Zagreb as a teenager in 2002. His...
scored the only goal of the match. As it turned out, even winning every league game in charge would not have been enough to see Hiddink secure the Premier League title. In the final home game of the season, in which Chelsea beat Blackburn Rovers 2-0, Chelsea home fans chanted Hiddink's name throughout the match and called for Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich
Roman Abramovich
Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich is a Russian businessman and the main owner of the private investment company Millhouse LLC.In 2003, Abramovich was named Person of the Year by Expert, a Russian business magazine. He shared this title with Mikhail Khodorkovsky...
to 'sign him up' (on a permanent basis). Hiddink's highly positive reception highlighted the Chelsea fans' appreciation of the manager. He marked an end to his Premier League campaign with a thrilling 3-2 away win over Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
.
In his last game as a temporary coach of Chelsea, he won the 2009 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...
by beating Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
2-1 at Wembley
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
.
He was visibly pleased at winning the Cup, and in subsequent interviews claimed it was one of his biggest achievements. Even though throughout his tenure at Chelsea various players asked him to stay, including captain John Terry
John Terry
John George Terry is an English professional footballer. Terry plays in a centre back position and is the captain of Chelsea in the Premier League...
, Michael Ballack
Michael Ballack
Michael Ballack is a German professional footballer, who is currently playing for Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen. He is among the top goal scorers in the history of his international team. Ballack has worn the number 13 shirt for every team he has played for except for Kaiserslautern...
, and Petr Čech
Petr Cech
Petr Čech is a Czech footballer who plays for Chelsea and the Czech Republic as a goalkeeper. Čech previously played for Viktoria Plzeň, Chmel Blšany, Sparta Prague, and Rennes. He was voted into the all-star team of Euro 2004 after helping his country reach the semi-finals...
, Hiddink always stated that he intended to return to his post with Russia. As a parting gift, the Chelsea players gave him an engraved watch and a shirt signed by all of the players.
Two days after his last match, he was replaced by Carlo Ancelotti
Carlo Ancelotti
Carlo Ancelotti is an Italian football manager, Nicknamed Carletto, Ancelotti played as a midfielder and had a successful career with Roma – captaining the team – with whom he won one Scudetto and 4 Coppa Italia and was part of the legendary late 80's Milan team, with whom he won two Scudetti and...
. In 2011, following a bad start to the Premier League Campaign of Andre Villas-Boas, Hiddink has been linked with the club.
Turkish national team
On 16 February 2010, Turkish Football Federation President Mahmut Özgener and Hiddink held talks in AmsterdamAmsterdam
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...
. Hiddink agreed to coach Turkey after his contract expired on 30 June 2010, with Russia. His contract with Turkey began on 1 August 2010. He works with assistant manager Oğuz Çetin
Oguz Çetin
Oğuz Çetin was a well-known football player in the Turkish Premier Super League.-Career:Born in Adapazarı, Çetin began playing football with local side Sakaryaspor. He started to play regularly for Fenerbahçe in 1988. He became one of the franchise players for Fenerbahçe and Turkish football...
and goalkeeping coach Engin İpekoğlu
Engin Ipekoglu
Engin İpekoğlu is a former football goalkeeper. Currently, he is employed as goalkeeper coach to the Turkey national football team....
.
On 11 August 2010, Turkey
Turkey national football team
The Turkey national football team represents Turkey in association football and is controlled by the Turkish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Turkey. They are affiliated with UEFA...
defeated Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
, 2-0, in an international friendly played in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
as Hiddink made the perfect start in his coaching debut for Turkey.
Emre Belözoğlu
Emre Belözoglu
Emre Belözoğlu is a Turkish football midfielder who plays for Fenerbahçe.Having also played for clubs Galatasaray, Internazionale, and Newcastle United, Emre has been a part of the Turkey national team at the 2002 World Cup and at Euro 2008 among other tournaments...
gave Turkey the lead in the 82nd minute after converting a spot kick, sending the home crowd into raptures. Turkey doubled the lead minutes later when Arda Turan
Arda Turan
Arda Turan is a Turkish footballer who plays for Atlético Madrid and the Turkish national team, as a left winger. At the age of 22, prior to the 2009–10 season he was made the captain of Galatasaray....
unleashed a bullet from 30 yards out. He resigned after Turkey failed to qualify for the UEFA Euro 2012 by losing to Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
3-0 aggregate in the playoffs.
Tax fraud
In February 2007 Hiddink was given a six-month suspended jail sentence and fined €45,000 after being found guilty of tax fraud by a Dutch court. Prosecutors had demanded a ten-month prison sentence for Hiddink, who was accused of evading €1.4 million in Dutch taxes by claiming to be a resident of Belgium from 2002 to 2003. The Dutch Tax Intelligence and Detection Service claimed that he hadn't spent enough nights at his Belgian house which he had stated was his primary address. Hiddink denied this accusation.Player
De GraafschapDe Graafschap
De Graafschap is a professional football club from Doetinchem, Netherlands. It was formed on 1 February 1954 and they play their home games at the "De Vijverberg" stadium. Their current home ground stands on where the old pitch used to be located and was opened on 12 August 2000...
- Tweede DivisieTweede DivisieThe Tweede Divisie was the lowest professional football league in the Netherlands. It was established in 1956, together with the Eredivisie and the Eerste Divisie. Between 1956 and 1960 and between 1962 and 1966, the league consisted of two divisions, Tweede Divisie A and Tweede Divisie B. The...
(1): 1969Tweede Divisie 1968–69The Dutch Tweede Divisie in the 1968/1969 season was contested by 18 teams. De Graafschap won the championship and would be promoted to the Eerste Divisie along with two other teams.-New entrants:Relegated from the Eerste Divisie:* FC VVV* Velox...
San Jose Earthquakes
- North American Soccer LeagueNorth American Soccer LeagueNorth American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
Southern Division (1): 1977 (Runner-up)
Manager
Individual- AFC Coach of the Year (1:) 2002
- World Soccer World Manager of the Year (1:) 2002
- Dutch Sports Coach of the Year (all sports) (2:) 2002, 2005
- Rinus Michels AwardRinus Michels AwardThe Rinus Michels Award is an annual prize in Dutch football. It is supported by the official football coaches union...
(2:) 2005, 2006 - Coach of the Year in Russia (1:) 2008
- In 2005 Hiddink received an honorary doctorate by the University of SeoulUniversity of SeoulThe University of Seoul is a public university located in Seoul, South Korea. It was founded as Kyung Sung Public Agricultural College in 1918 and renamed the University of Seoul in 1997. UOS is one of top 3 universities without medical school...
- The De GraafschapDe GraafschapDe Graafschap is a professional football club from Doetinchem, Netherlands. It was formed on 1 February 1954 and they play their home games at the "De Vijverberg" stadium. Their current home ground stands on where the old pitch used to be located and was opened on 12 August 2000...
mascotMascotThe term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
is named Guus in honor of Hiddink who was previously associated with the team as a player and as a manager. - The Gwangju World Cup Stadium was renamed the Guus Hiddink StadiumGuus Hiddink StadiumGwangju World Cup Stadium is a football stadium in the South Korean city of Gwangju. It is managed by the Sports Support Division of the Culture & Sports Policy Office of the Gwangju Metropolitan city. Initially the stadium was named Gwangju World Cup Stadium to host some matches of the 2002 FIFA...
in honor of Hiddink's performance at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. - Hiddink was named a honorary citizen of SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
after reaching the 2002 FIFA World Cup semi-finals. - Hiddink was named a honorary citizen of Eindhoven after winning his sixth Eredivisie titel with PSV in 2006.
- Hiddink was put on a stamp by Australia PostAustralia PostAustralia Post is the trading name of the Australian Government-owned Australian Postal Corporation .-History:...
following the 2006 FIFA World Cup. - Hiddink was given a lifetime achievement award by the Royal Dutch Football AssociationRoyal Dutch Football AssociationThe Royal Dutch Football Association is the governing body of football in the Netherlands. It organises the main Dutch football leagues , the amateur leagues, the KNVB Cup, and the Dutch national football team. It is based in the municipality of Zeist.The KNVB came into being on 8 December 1889...
in 2007. It was only the third such award ever given following those received by Rinus MichelsRinus MichelsMarinus Jacobus Hendricus Michels OON was a Dutch association football player and coach...
and Johan Cruijff.
Club honours
PSV
- 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....
(6): 1987Eredivisie 1986-87The Dutch Eredivisie in the 1986/1987 season was contested by 18 teams. PSV Eindhoven won the championship. At the beginning of the season, AZ '67 from Alkmaar changed their name to AZ.-League standings:...
, 1988Eredivisie 1987-88The Dutch Eredivisie in the 1987/1988 season was contested by 18 teams. PSV Eindhoven won the championship.-League standings:1 PSV alson won the KNVB Cup, thereby taking the double. They would participate in the European Cup, so finalists Roda JC could play in the Cup Winners' Cup...
, 1989Eredivisie 1988-89The Dutch Eredivisie in the 1988/1989 season was contested by 18 teams. PSV won the championship.-League standings:1 PSV alson won the KNVB Cup, thereby taking the double. They would participate in the European Cup, so finalists FC Groningen could play in the Cup Winners' Cup. 2 Clubs participating...
, 2003Eredivisie 2002-03The Dutch Eredivisie in the 2002/2003 season was contested by 18 teams. PSV won the championship.-League standings:1 Winners KNVB Cup. 2 FC Zwolle remained in the eredivisie after winning their promotion/relegation play-offs...
, 2005Eredivisie 2004-05The 2004-05 season of the Eredivisie started on August 13, 2004 and ended on May 22, 2005. The title was won by PSV. FC Den Bosch and De Graafschap were relegated to the Eerste Divisie at the end of the season.-Promoted teams:...
, 2006 - 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...
(4): 1988, 1989, 1990, 2005 - Dutch SupercupJohan Cruijff-schaalThe Johan Cruijff Schaal is a football trophy in the Netherlands named after legendary Dutch football player Johan Cruyff, also often referred to as the Dutch Super Cup. The winner is decided in one match only, played by the winner of the national football league and the winner of the national...
(1): 1993 - UEFA European Cup (1): 1988
Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
- Intercontinental CupIntercontinental Cup (football)The European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the World Club Championship, Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores...
(1): 19981998 Intercontinental CupThe 1998 Intercontinental Cup was a football match played on 1 December 1998 between Real Madrid, winners of the 1997-98 UEFA Champions League, and Vasco da Gama, winners of the 1998 Copa Libertadores. The match was played at the neutral venue of the National Stadium in Tokyo in front of 51,514 fans...
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...
- FA Cup (1): 2009
International honours
Netherlands
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...
- UEFA Euro 1996: Quarter Finals
- 1998 FIFA World Cup1998 FIFA World CupThe 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...
: Fourth Place
South Korea
- 2002 FIFA World Cup2002 FIFA World CupThe 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
: Fourth Place
Australia
- 2006 FIFA World Cup2006 FIFA World CupThe 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...
: Second Round
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...
- UEFA Euro 2008: Semi-final
Manager
| eam | at | rom | o | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | +/– | Win % | ||||
| De Graafschap De Graafschap De Graafschap is a professional football club from Doetinchem, Netherlands. It was formed on 1 February 1954 and they play their home games at the "De Vijverberg" stadium. Their current home ground stands on where the old pitch used to be located and was opened on 12 August 2000... |
 |
1982 | 1984 |
||||||||
| PSV | |
1987 | 1990 |
||||||||
| Fenerbahçe Fenerbahçe S.K. (football) Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü is a Turkish professional football club based in the district of Kadıköy, Istanbul, and part of the larger Fenerbahçe multisports club... |
 |
1990 | 1991 |
||||||||
| Valencia Valencia CF Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the... |
 |
1991 | 1994 |
||||||||
| Netherlands 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... |
|
Dec 1994 | Jul 1998 |
||||||||
| Real Madrid Real Madrid C.F. Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la... |
|
Jul 1998 | May 1999 |
||||||||
| Real Betis Real Betis Real Betis Balompié S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Seville, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 12 September 1907, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio Benito Villamarín.... |
|
5 Feb 2000 | 2 May 2000 |
||||||||
| South Korea Korea Republic national football team The Korea Republic national football team represents Korea Republic in international football and is controlled by the Korea Football Association. Korea Republic is the most successful Asian football team in the history of the FIFA World Cup having participated in eight World Cup tournaments,... |
 |
20 Dec 2000 | Jul 2002 |
||||||||
| PSV | |
1 Aug 2002 | May 2006 |
||||||||
| Australia |  |
22 Jul 2005 | Jul 2006 |
||||||||
| 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... |
 |
Jul 2006 | Jun 2010 |
||||||||
| 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... |
 |
16 Feb 2009 | 30 May 2009 |
||||||||
| Turkey | |
1 Aug 2010 | 15 Nov 2011 |
||||||||
| Total |
|||||||||||
.
External links
- Guus Hiddink Foundation
- Profile at BDFutbol.com
- Managerial career at mackolik.com