Rob Witschge
Encyclopedia
Robert "Rob" Witschge is a retired Dutch
footballer who played as a midfielder
. His younger brother, Richard
, was also a footballer and a midfielder.
He played most of his 14-year professional career with Feyenoord, but started out at Ajax, amassing Eredivisie
totals of 309 games and 39 goals.
Witschge represented Holland
in one
World Cup
and one European Championship
.
, North-Holland, Witschge started his professional career with local AFC Ajax, being an undisputed starter at 20, and a crucial element of the team that won the 1986–87 European Cup Winners' Cup. During three seasons, he shared teams with his sibling Richard
.
He joined French
side AS Saint-Étienne
in July 1989 but, unsettled, returned home in January 1991, with Feyenoord Rotterdam, helping it win three Dutch cup
s, one Supercup and the 1992–93 league
.
After one final weak year with Feyenoord, Witschge moved to FC Utrecht, retiring in 1999 after one season with Saudi Arabia
's Al-Ittihad (Jeddah).
He made his debut for the Netherlands
on 4 January 1989, in a friendly
against Israel
(2–0 away win), going on to gain 31 caps (three goals) and represent the nation at UEFA Euro 1992 and the 1994 FIFA World Cup
.
In 2001, Witschge took up coaching, being named assistant of Marco van Basten and John van 't Schip
at the national team in 2004. Four years later, he rejoined the pair at Ajax, again as assistant.
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 who played as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
. His younger brother, Richard
Richard Witschge
Richard Peter Witschge is a retired Dutch footballer. He could appear as either a left or a defensive midfielder.In an 18-year professional career, he played mainly for Ajax, but also represented, amongst other teams, Barcelona...
, was also a footballer and a midfielder.
He played most of his 14-year professional career with Feyenoord, but started out at Ajax, amassing 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....
totals of 309 games and 39 goals.
Witschge represented Holland
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 one
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
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 one European Championship
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...
.
Football career
Born 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...
, North-Holland, Witschge started his professional career with local AFC Ajax, being an undisputed starter at 20, and a crucial element of the team that won the 1986–87 European Cup Winners' Cup. During three seasons, he shared teams with his sibling Richard
Richard Witschge
Richard Peter Witschge is a retired Dutch footballer. He could appear as either a left or a defensive midfielder.In an 18-year professional career, he played mainly for Ajax, but also represented, amongst other teams, Barcelona...
.
He joined French
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...
side AS Saint-Étienne
AS Saint-Étienne
Association Sportive de Saint-Étienne Loire is a French association football club based in Saint-Étienne. The club was founded in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. Saint-Étienne plays its home matches at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard located within the city...
in July 1989 but, unsettled, returned home in January 1991, with Feyenoord Rotterdam, helping it win three 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...
s, one Supercup and the 1992–93 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....
.
After one final weak year with Feyenoord, Witschge moved to FC Utrecht, retiring in 1999 after one season with Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
's Al-Ittihad (Jeddah).
He made his debut for 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...
on 4 January 1989, in a friendly
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
against 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...
(2–0 away win), going on to gain 31 caps (three goals) and represent the nation at UEFA Euro 1992 and the 1994 FIFA World Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
.
In 2001, Witschge took up coaching, being named assistant of Marco van Basten and John van 't Schip
John van 't Schip
Johannes Nicolaas "John" van 't Schip is a former Dutch international footballer. He is the manager for the A-League team Melbourne Heart.- Early life :Born in Fort St...
at the national team in 2004. Four years later, he rejoined the pair at Ajax, again as assistant.