Legendary Dutch Coach Leo Beenhakker Dies at 82

Leo Beenhakker, the former Dutch football manager, has sadly passed away at the age of 82, as confirmed by his family.

Born in Rotterdam, Beenhakker, affectionately known as ‘Don Leo’, enjoyed a prolific managerial career spanning from 1965 to 2009. He began his coaching journey with amateur team SV Ede and made his top-tier managerial debut at only 26 with BV Veendam. Following spells at SC Cambuur and Go Ahead Eagles, Beenhakker took the reins at Ajax from 1978 to 1981.

He distinguished himself as one of the rare managers to achieve success with both Ajax and their fierce rivals Feyenoord. Beenhakker clinched championships with Ajax in 1980 and 1990, before leading Feyenoord to the Eredivisie title in 1999—their first in an 18-year drought.

His experience also extended to the Dutch national team, where he served two terms, first from 1985 to 1986 and again in 1990. Although Beenhakker did not manage to qualify for the 1986 World Cup, he guided the Netherlands to the 1990 tournament, where they were eliminated by Franz Beckenbauer’s Germany in the round of 16.

Internationally, Beenhakker gained significant recognition during his time with Real Madrid, where he secured three consecutive LaLiga titles from 1987 to 1989. He later returned to the Spanish capital for another stint with the club from 1991 to 1992.

Post-1992, Beenhakker’s career took him across the globe. After overseeing Swiss club Grasshoppers during the 1992-93 season, he managed Saudi Arabia for two years. His journey also included tenures at Club America and Chivas de Guadalajara in Mexico, along with a spell at Istanbulspor in Turkey. After further appointments at Vitesse and Feyenoord, Beenhakker took a break from coaching, before rejoining Club America and then making history by leading Trinidad & Tobago to their inaugural World Cup appearance in 2006.

After a temporary role at Feyenoord, Beenhakker concluded his managerial career as the coach of Poland from 2006 to 2009.

Throughout his illustrious career, Beenhakker secured a total of ten major trophies across the Netherlands and Spain.