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Marcel "Marco" van Basten (Dutch pronunciation: (About this soundlisten); born 31 October 1964) is a Dutch football manager and former professional player, who played for Ajax and A.C. Milan, as well as the Netherlands national team, as a striker. He is regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. He scored 300 goals in a high-profile career, but played his last match in 1993 at age 28 due to an injury which forced his retirement two years later. He was later the head coach of Ajax and the Netherlands national team.
Known for his close ball control, attacking intelligence, impeccable headers, and spectacular strikes and volleys, Van Basten was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1992 and won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1988, 1989 and 1992. At club level, he won three Eredivisie titles and the Cup Winners' Cup with Ajax, and four Serie A titles and three European Cups with Milan. With the Netherlands, Van Basten won UEFA Euro 1988 where he earned the Golden Boot, scoring five goals, including a memorable volley in the final against the Soviet Union.
In 1998, Van Basten was ranked sixth in the FIFA Player of the Century internet poll, tenth in the European player of the Century election held by the IFFHS and 12th in the IFFHS' World Player of the Century election. He was also voted eighth in a poll organised by the French magazine France Football, consulting their former Ballon d'Or winners to elect the Football Player of the Century. In 2004, he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players. In 2004, a poll for the 100 greatest Dutch people was held in the Netherlands: Van Basten ranked number 25, the second highest for a football player, behind Johan Cruyff. In 2007, Sky Sports ranked Van Basten first on its list of great athletes who had their careers cut short.
Career Honours 
Italian Supercoppa Italiana
1994
_Retired Soccer | 
Italian Serie A
1993-1994
Milan |
Italian Supercoppa Italiana
1993
Milan |
Italian Serie A
1992-1993
Milan |
Italian Supercoppa Italiana
1992
Milan | 
FIFA Ballon d Or
1992
Milan | 
FIFA The Best
1992
Milan |
Italian Serie A
1991-1992
Milan |
Italian Serie A Capocannoniere
1991-1992
Milan | 
FIFA Club World Cup
1990
Milan | 
UEFA Super Cup
1990
Milan | 
UEFA Champions League
1989-1990
Milan |
Italian Serie A Capocannoniere
1989-1990
Milan |
UEFA Super Cup
1989
Milan |
FIFA Club World Cup
1989
Milan |
FIFA Ballon d Or
1989
Milan |
UEFA Champions League
1988-1989
Milan |
Italian Supercoppa Italiana
1988
Milan |
FIFA Ballon d Or
1988
Milan | 
UEFA European Championship
1988
Netherlands |
Italian Serie A
1987-1988
Ajax | 
Bravo Award
1987
Ajax | 
Dutch KNVB Cup
1986-1987
Ajax | 
UEFA Cup Winners Cup
1986-1987
Ajax |
Dutch KNVB Cup
1985-1986
Ajax | 
European Golden Shoe
1985-1986
Ajax | 
Dutch Eredivisie
1984-1985
Ajax |
Dutch Eredivisie
1982-1983
Ajax |
Dutch KNVB Cup
1982-1983
Ajax |
Dutch Eredivisie
1981-1982
Ajax |
Career Milestones
UEFA European Championships Hat-Trick
1988-06-15 |
Former Youth Teams Former Senior Teams
1981-1987 |
1983-1992 |
1987-1995 |
Former Club Staff
2004-2008
Manager |
2008-2009
Manager |
2012-2014
Manager |
2014-2014
Manager |
2014-2015
Assistant Manager |
2015-2016
Assistant Manager |
Contracts Fanart
Banner
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| Milan | Appearances | Coppa Italia | 1992-1993 | 1 |
| Milan | Appearances | Italian Serie A | 1992-1993 | 15 |
| Milan | Appearances | UEFA Champions League | 1992-1993 | 5 |
| Milan | Assists | Italian Serie A | 1992-1993 | 3 |
| Milan | Assists | UEFA Champions League | 1992-1993 | 2 |
| Milan | Goals | Italian Serie A | 1992-1993 | 13 |
| Milan | Goals | UEFA Champions League | 1992-1993 | 6 |
| Milan | Mins Played | Coppa Italia | 1992-1993 | 90 |
| Milan | Mins Played | Italian Serie A | 1992-1993 | 1,253 |
| Milan | Mins Played | UEFA Champions League | 1992-1993 | 430 |
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| Milan | Appearances | Supercoppa Italiana | 1992 | 1 |
| Netherlands | Appearances | FIFA World Cup | 1992 | 2 |
| Netherlands | Appearances | International Friendlies | 1992 | 4 |
| Netherlands | Appearances | UEFA European Championships | 1992 | 4 |
| Netherlands | Assists | International Friendlies | 1992 | 1 |
| Milan | Goals | Supercoppa Italiana | 1992 | 1 |
| Netherlands | Goals | International Friendlies | 1992 | 1 |
| Milan | Mins Played | Supercoppa Italiana | 1992 | 90 |
| Netherlands | Mins Played | FIFA World Cup | 1992 | 180 |
| Netherlands | Mins Played | International Friendlies | 1992 | 270 |
| Netherlands | Mins Played | UEFA European Championships | 1992 | 390 |
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| Milan | Appearances | Coppa Italia | 1991-1992 | 7 |
| Milan | Appearances | Italian Serie A | 1991-1992 | 31 |
| Milan | Assists | Coppa Italia | 1991-1992 | 2 |
| Milan | Assists | Italian Serie A | 1991-1992 | 11 |
| Milan | Goals | Coppa Italia | 1991-1992 | 4 |
| Milan | Goals | Italian Serie A | 1991-1992 | 25 |
| Milan | Mins Played | Coppa Italia | 1991-1992 | 564 |
| Milan | Mins Played | Italian Serie A | 1991-1992 | 2,665 |
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| Netherlands | Appearances | UEFA European Championships | 1991 | 5 |
| Netherlands | Goals | UEFA European Championships | 1991 | 2 |
| Netherlands | Mins Played | UEFA European Championships | 1991 | 437 |
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| Milan | Appearances | Coppa Italia | 1990-1991 | 1 |
| Milan | Appearances | UEFA Champions League | 1990-1991 | 2 |
| Milan | Appearances | Italian Serie A | 1990-1991 | 31 |
| Milan | Assists | Italian Serie A | 1990-1991 | 7 |
| Milan | Assists | UEFA Champions League | 1990-1991 | 1 |
| Milan | Goals | Italian Serie A | 1990-1991 | 11 |
| Milan | Mins Played | Coppa Italia | 1990-1991 | 90 |
| Milan | Mins Played | Italian Serie A | 1990-1991 | 2,755 |
| Milan | Mins Played | UEFA Champions League | 1990-1991 | 173 |
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| Milan | Appearances | FIFA Club World Cup | 1990 | 1 |
| Netherlands | Appearances | FIFA World Cup | 1990 | 4 |
| Netherlands | Appearances | International Friendlies | 1990 | 4 |
| Netherlands | Appearances | UEFA European Championships | 1990 | 3 |
| Milan | Assists | FIFA Club World Cup | 1990 | 2 |
| Netherlands | Assists | FIFA World Cup | 1990 | 2 |
| Netherlands | Goals | International Friendlies | 1990 | 2 |
| Netherlands | Goals | UEFA European Championships | 1990 | 6 |
| Milan | Mins Played | FIFA Club World Cup | 1990 | 90 |
| Netherlands | Mins Played | FIFA World Cup | 1990 | 360 |
| Netherlands | Mins Played | International Friendlies | 1990 | 303 |
| Netherlands | Mins Played | UEFA European Championships | 1990 | 270 |
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| Milan | Appearances | Coppa Italia | 1989-1990 | 4 |
| Milan | Appearances | Italian Serie A | 1989-1990 | 26 |
| Milan | Appearances | UEFA Champions League | 1989-1990 | 7 |
| Milan | Assists | Coppa Italia | 1989-1990 | 1 |
| Milan | Assists | Italian Serie A | 1989-1990 | 2 |
| Milan | Assists | UEFA Champions League | 1989-1990 | 2 |
| Milan | Goals | Coppa Italia | 1989-1990 | 1 |
| Milan | Goals | Italian Serie A | 1989-1990 | 19 |
| Milan | Goals | UEFA Champions League | 1989-1990 | 3 |
| Milan | Mins Played | Coppa Italia | 1989-1990 | 344 |
| Milan | Mins Played | Italian Serie A | 1989-1990 | 2,330 |
| Milan | Mins Played | UEFA Champions League | 1989-1990 | 690 |
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| Milan | Appearances | FIFA Club World Cup | 1989 | 1 |
| Milan | Appearances | UEFA Super Cup | 1989 | 2 |
| Netherlands | Appearances | FIFA World Cup | 1989 | 4 |
| Netherlands | Appearances | International Friendlies | 1989 | 1 |
| Milan | Goals | UEFA Super Cup | 1989 | 1 |
| Netherlands | Goals | FIFA World Cup | 1989 | 1 |
| Netherlands | Goals | International Friendlies | 1989 | 1 |
| Milan | Mins Played | FIFA Club World Cup | 1989 | 120 |
| Milan | Mins Played | UEFA Super Cup | 1989 | 180 |
| Netherlands | Mins Played | FIFA World Cup | 1989 | 290 |
| Netherlands | Mins Played | International Friendlies | 1989 | 90 |
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| Milan | Appearances | Coppa Italia | 1988-1989 | 4 |
| Milan | Appearances | Italian Serie A | 1988-1989 | 33 |
| Milan | Appearances | UEFA Champions League | 1988-1989 | 9 |
| Milan | Assists | Coppa Italia | 1988-1989 | 1 |
| Milan | Assists | Italian Serie A | 1988-1989 | 8 |
| Milan | Assists | UEFA Champions League | 1988-1989 | 2 |
| Milan | Goals | Coppa Italia | 1988-1989 | 3 |
| Milan | Goals | Italian Serie A | 1988-1989 | 19 |
| Milan | Goals | UEFA Champions League | 1988-1989 | 10 |
| Milan | Mins Played | Coppa Italia | 1988-1989 | 315 |
| Milan | Mins Played | Italian Serie A | 1988-1989 | 2,919 |
| Milan | Mins Played | UEFA Champions League | 1988-1989 | 840 |
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| Milan | Appearances | Supercoppa Italiana | 1988 | 1 |
| Netherlands | Appearances | FIFA World Cup | 1988 | 2 |
| Netherlands | Appearances | International Friendlies | 1988 | 2 |
| Netherlands | Appearances | UEFA European Championships | 1988 | 5 |
| Milan | Assists | Supercoppa Italiana | 1988 | 2 |
| Netherlands | Assists | UEFA European Championships | 1988 | 2 |
| Milan | Goals | Supercoppa Italiana | 1988 | 1 |
| Netherlands | Goals | UEFA European Championships | 1988 | 5 |
| Milan | Mins Played | Supercoppa Italiana | 1988 | 90 |
| Netherlands | Mins Played | FIFA World Cup | 1988 | 180 |
| Netherlands | Mins Played | International Friendlies | 1988 | 119 |
| Netherlands | Mins Played | UEFA European Championships | 1988 | 388 |
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| Milan | Appearances | Coppa Italia | 1987-1988 | 5 |
| Milan | Appearances | Italian Serie A | 1987-1988 | 11 |
| Milan | Appearances | UEFA Cup | 1987-1988 | 3 |
| Milan | Assists | Coppa Italia | 1987-1988 | 2 |
| Milan | Assists | UEFA Cup | 1987-1988 | 1 |
| Milan | Goals | Coppa Italia | 1987-1988 | 5 |
| Milan | Goals | Italian Serie A | 1987-1988 | 3 |
| Milan | Mins Played | Coppa Italia | 1987-1988 | 450 |
| Milan | Mins Played | Italian Serie A | 1987-1988 | 564 |
| Milan | Mins Played | UEFA Cup | 1987-1988 | 270 |
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| Netherlands | Appearances | International Friendlies | 1987 | 1 |
| Netherlands | Appearances | UEFA European Championships | 1987 | 3 |
| Netherlands | Goals | UEFA European Championships | 1987 | 1 |
| Netherlands | Mins Played | International Friendlies | 1987 | 90 |
| Netherlands | Mins Played | UEFA European Championships | 1987 | 260 |
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| Ajax | Appearances | Dutch Eredivisie | 1986-1987 | 27 |
| Ajax | Appearances | Dutch KNVB Cup | 1986-1987 | 7 |
| Ajax | Appearances | UEFA Cup | 1986-1987 | 9 |
| Ajax | Assists | Dutch Eredivisie | 1986-1987 | 9 |
| Ajax | Goals | Dutch Eredivisie | 1986-1987 | 31 |
| Ajax | Goals | Dutch KNVB Cup | 1986-1987 | 7 |
| Ajax | Goals | UEFA Cup | 1986-1987 | 6 |
| Ajax | Mins Played | Dutch Eredivisie | 1986-1987 | 2,292 |
| Ajax | Mins Played | Dutch KNVB Cup | 1986-1987 | 628 |
| Ajax | Mins Played | UEFA Cup | 1986-1987 | 797 |
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| Netherlands | Appearances | International Friendlies | 1986 | 2 |
| Netherlands | Appearances | UEFA European Championships | 1986 | 2 |
| Netherlands | Goals | International Friendlies | 1986 | 1 |
| Netherlands | Goals | UEFA European Championships | 1986 | 1 |
| Netherlands | Mins Played | International Friendlies | 1986 | 180 |
| Netherlands | Mins Played | UEFA European Championships | 1986 | 180 |
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| Ajax | Appearances | Dutch Eredivisie | 1985-1986 | 26 |
| Ajax | Appearances | Dutch KNVB Cup | 1985-1986 | 6 |
| Ajax | Appearances | UEFA Champions League | 1985-1986 | 2 |
| Ajax | Assists | Dutch Eredivisie | 1985-1986 | 4 |
| Ajax | Goals | Dutch Eredivisie | 1985-1986 | 37 |
| Ajax | Goals | Dutch KNVB Cup | 1985-1986 | 2 |
| Ajax | Mins Played | Dutch Eredivisie | 1985-1986 | 2,229 |
| Ajax | Mins Played | Dutch KNVB Cup | 1985-1986 | 456 |
| Ajax | Mins Played | UEFA Champions League | 1985-1986 | 180 |
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| Netherlands | Appearances | FIFA World Cup | 1985 | 3 |
| Netherlands | Appearances | International Friendlies | 1985 | 1 |
| Netherlands | Assists | FIFA World Cup | 1985 | 1 |
| Netherlands | Goals | FIFA World Cup | 1985 | 1 |
| Netherlands | Mins Played | FIFA World Cup | 1985 | 270 |
| Netherlands | Mins Played | International Friendlies | 1985 | 90 |
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| Ajax | Appearances | Dutch Eredivisie | 1984-1985 | 33 |
| Ajax | Appearances | Dutch KNVB Cup | 1984-1985 | 1 |
| Ajax | Appearances | UEFA Cup | 1984-1985 | 4 |
| Ajax | Assists | Dutch Eredivisie | 1984-1985 | 19 |
| Ajax | Assists | UEFA Cup | 1984-1985 | 1 |
| Ajax | Goals | Dutch Eredivisie | 1984-1985 | 22 |
| Ajax | Goals | UEFA Cup | 1984-1985 | 5 |
| Ajax | Mins Played | Dutch Eredivisie | 1984-1985 | 2,862 |
| Ajax | Mins Played | Dutch KNVB Cup | 1984-1985 | 90 |
| Ajax | Mins Played | UEFA Cup | 1984-1985 | 390 |
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| Netherlands | Appearances | FIFA World Cup | 1984 | 3 |
| Netherlands | Mins Played | FIFA World Cup | 1984 | 241 |
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| Ajax | Appearances | Dutch Eredivisie | 1983-1984 | 26 |
| Ajax | Appearances | Dutch KNVB Cup | 1983-1984 | 3 |
| Ajax | Appearances | UEFA Champions League | 1983-1984 | 2 |
| Ajax | Goals | Dutch Eredivisie | 1983-1984 | 28 |
| Ajax | Goals | Dutch KNVB Cup | 1983-1984 | 3 |
| Ajax | Mins Played | Dutch Eredivisie | 1983-1984 | 2,242 |
| Ajax | Mins Played | Dutch KNVB Cup | 1983-1984 | 286 |
| Ajax | Mins Played | UEFA Champions League | 1983-1984 | 210 |
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| Netherlands | Appearances | International Friendlies | 1983 | 1 |
| Netherlands | Appearances | UEFA European Championships | 1983 | 2 |
| Netherlands | Goals | International Friendlies | 1983 | 1 |
| Netherlands | Goals | UEFA European Championships | 1983 | 1 |
| Netherlands | Mins Played | International Friendlies | 1983 | 45 |
| Netherlands | Mins Played | UEFA European Championships | 1983 | 180 |
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| Ajax | Appearances | Dutch Eredivisie | 1982-1983 | 20 |
| Ajax | Appearances | Dutch KNVB Cup | 1982-1983 | 5 |
| Ajax | Goals | Dutch Eredivisie | 1982-1983 | 9 |
| Ajax | Goals | Dutch KNVB Cup | 1982-1983 | 1 |
| Ajax | Mins Played | Dutch Eredivisie | 1982-1983 | 1,081 |
| Ajax | Mins Played | Dutch KNVB Cup | 1982-1983 | 315 |
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| Ajax | Appearances | Dutch Eredivisie | 1981-1982 | 1 |
| Ajax | Goals | Dutch Eredivisie | 1981-1982 | 1 |
| Ajax | Mins Played | Dutch Eredivisie | 1981-1982 | 44 |
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