Dennis Nicolaas Maria Bergkamp (Dutch pronunciation:[ˈdɛnəzˈbɛr(ə)xkɑmp]ⓘ; born 10 May 1969) is a Dutch professionalfootball coach and formerplayer. Originally awide midfielder, Bergkamp was moved to mainstriker while still a teenager and then tosecond striker, where he remained throughout his playing career.
Bergkamp was born inAmsterdam and played as an amateur in the lower leagues. He was spotted byAjax at age 11 and made his professional debut in 1986. Prolific form led to an international call-up with theNetherlands in 1990, attracting the attention of several European clubs. Bergkamp signed for Italian clubInter Milan in 1993, where he had two underwhelming seasons. After joining Arsenal in 1995, he rejuvenated his career, helping the club to win threePremier League titles (one unbeaten), threeFA Cup trophies, and reach the2006 UEFA Champions League final. Despite noting a desire to not go into coaching, Bergkamp served as an assistant at Ajax between 2011 and 2017.
With the Netherlands national team, Bergkamp was selected forEuro 1992, where he impressed, scoring three goals as his country reached the semi-finals.[4] At the1998 FIFA World Cup, he scored a memorable winning goal in the final minute of the quarter-final againstArgentina which has been regarded as one of the greatestFIFA World Cup goals.[5] Bergkamp surpassedFaas Wilkes's record to become the country's top scorer of all time in 1998, a record later eclipsed byPatrick Kluivert,Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, andRobin van Persie.
Bergkamp has been described byJan Mulder as having "the finest technique" of any Dutch international[6] and a "dream for a striker" by teammateThierry Henry.[7] Bergkamp finished third twice in theFIFA World Player of the Year award and was selected byPelé as one of theFIFA 100 greatest living players. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation,[8] one of the greatest players inPremier League history and amongstAjax's andArsenal's greatest ever players.[9][10][11][12] In 2007, he was inducted into theEnglish Football Hall of Fame, the first and only Dutch player ever to receive the honour. Bergkamp was inducted into thePremier League Hall of Fame in 2021. In 2017, Bergkamp's goal againstNewcastle United in 2002 was voted as the best Premier League goal of all time in the league's 25-year history, involving a flick around Newcastle defenderNikos Dabizas before calmly tapping the ball into the net.[13][14]
Born inAmsterdam, Bergkamp was the last of Wim and Tonnie Bergkamp's four sons.[15][16] He was brought up in a working-class suburb, in a family aspiring to reach middle-class status.[16] His father, anelectrician and amateur footballer in the lower leagues, named him in honour of Scottish strikerDenis Law.[17] To comply with Dutch given name customs, an extra "n" was inserted in Bergkamp's first name by his father after it was not accepted by the registrar.[18] Bergkamp was raised as aRoman Catholic by his family and regularly attended church during his childhood.[19] Although in later years he said visits to church did not appeal to him, Bergkamp still maintains his faith.[19] According to Bergkamp, his childhood footballing heroes wereGlenn Hoddle, whom he admired for his soft precise touch, andJohan Cruyff, who once coached him when he was twelve.[20]
Bergkamp was brought up throughAjax's youth system, joining the club at age 11.[16] ManagerJohan Cruyff gave him his professional debut on 14 December 1986 againstRoda JC; the match ended in a 2–0 victory for Ajax.[21] Bergkamp scored his first senior goal for the club againstHFC Haarlem on 22 February 1987 in a match Ajax won 6–0.[22] He went on to make 23 appearances in the1986–87 season, including a European debut againstMalmö FF in the1986–87 European Cup Winners' Cup, earning him praise.[16] Ajax won the competition, beatingLokomotive Leipzig 1–0 as Bergkamp made an appearance as a substitute.[23]
In later seasons, Bergkamp established himself as a first-team player for Ajax. This culminated in a period of success for the club, which won theEredivisie title in the1989–90 season for the first time in five years. Bergkamp scored 29 goals in 36 matches the following season and became the joint top scorer in the league, sharing the accolade withPSV strikerRomário.
Bergkamp attracted the attention of several European clubs as a result of his performances for Ajax. Fellow Dutchman and thenFC Barcelona Johan Cruyff, in an attempt to encourage Bergkamp to sign for Barcelona, advised him not to join Spanish rivalsReal Madrid, one of the teams said to have been interested in him, but Bergkamp was primarily interested in a move to Italy.[27][28] Bergkamp consideredSerie A "the biggest league at the time" but after the success of fellow countrymenMarco van Basten,Ruud Gullit andFrank Rijkaard atAC Milan he preferred a move to eitherJuventus orInter Milan to help distinguish himself.[28] On 16 February 1993, Bergkamp agreed a £7.1 million move to the latter club in a deal which included his Ajax teammateWim Jonk.[29] Upon signing, Bergkamp said Inter "met all my demands. The most important thing for me was the stadium, the people at the club and their style of play."[29]
Bergkamp made his debut againstReggiana on 29 August 1993 at theSan Siro in a 2–1 victory.[30] He scored his first goal for the club againstCremonese in September 1993 but had a difficult time against the highly organised and resolute Italian defences, scoring a further seven goals in the league. This was partly due to managerOsvaldo Bagnoli's inability to find a stable forward partnership, preferring Bergkamp in a three withRubén Sosa andSalvatore Schillaci.[31] Inter's poor league form culminated in the sacking of Bagnoli in February 1994 and his replacement byGianpiero Marini, a member ofItaly's1982 FIFA World Cup-winning squad.[32] The club finished 13th inSerie A, one point away from relegation, but enjoyed success in theUEFA Cup, beatingAustria Salzburg in thefinal over two legs.[33] Bergkamp was the competition's joint top scorer with eight goals and scored a hat-trick againstRapid București in the first round.[34]
In Bergkamp'ssecond season at Inter, the club changed managers again, appointingOttavio Bianchi. Bergkamp endured a disappointing campaign,[35] troubled with stress injuries and fatigue from the1994 World Cup. He managed to score 5 goals in 26 appearances. Off the field, Bergkamp's relationship with the Italian press and fans became uncomfortable. His shy persona and his propensity to go home after matches was interpreted as apathy.[36] Because of his poor performance on the pitch, one Italian publication renamed their award given to the worst performance of the week,L'asino della settimana (Donkey of the Week) toBergkamp della settimana.[28][37] Inter ended theleague season in sixth position and failed to retain theUEFA Cup, with the club eliminated in the second round. In February 1995, the club was purchased by Italian businessman and fanMassimo Moratti, who promised to invest heavily in the squad.[38] Bergkamp's future in the first team was uncertain following the signing ofMaurizio Ganz a month after the takeover.[39]
As Moratti prepared to make wholesale changes at the club, Bergkamp left Inter and signed withArsenal in June 1995 for a transfer fee estimated at £7.5 million.[40] He became managerBruce Rioch's first signing at Arsenal and broke the club's prior transfer fee record of £2.5 million.[40] Bergkamp's arrival at the club was significant not only because he was an established international footballer who looked to have his best years ahead of him but also because of his perceived difference in style with the Arsenal team of the 90's who had become a defensive and low scoring team underGeorge Graham, plagued by a drinking culture.
On the opening day of the1995–96 league season, Bergkamp made his full debut againstMiddlesbrough. He initially struggled to adapt to the English game and failed to score in the club's next six league matches, prompting ridicule by the national press. On 23 September 1995, Bergkamp scored his first and second goals for Arsenal againstSouthampton atHighbury.[41] Bergkamp ended his first season with 33 appearances and 11 goals, helping Arsenal finish fifth and earn a place in theUEFA Cup by scoring the winner againstBolton Wanderers on the final day of the season.[42]
The appointment ofArsène Wenger as Arsenal manager in September 1996 marked a turning point in Bergkamp's career.[43] Wenger, who had been a successful manager in France and Japan, recognised Bergkamp's talent and wanted to use him as a fulcrum of the team's forward play.[43] Both were advocates of a continental style of attacking football, and Wenger's decision to impose a strict fitness and health regimen pleased Bergkamp.[43] Despite making fewer appearances in the1996–97 season, Bergkamp was more influential in the first team, providing 13 assists. AgainstTottenham Hotspur in November 1996, he set up an 88th-minute winner for captainTony Adams to volley in using his left foot. He then scored in injury time, controlling a high ball with his left foot and evading his markerStephen Carr in a tight area to set up his shot.[44] Bergkamp received his firstred card againstSunderland in January 1997 for a high tackle on midfielderPaul Bracewell in the 26th minute.[45] Arsenal went on to lose the match 1–0, but a run of 8 wins in their final 16 matches gave the club a third-place finish, missing out on a spot in theUEFA Champions League via goal difference.[46]
Bergkamp was instrumentalthe following season in helping Arsenal complete a domestic league and cupdouble. He became the club's top scorer with 22 goals and recorded a strike rate of 0.57. Arsenal's achievement was all the more astonishing given the team, written off by many in December 1997, had made ground on reigning Premier League championsManchester United.[47][48] Early in the season away toLeicester City atFilbert Street on 23 August 1997, Bergkamp scored his firsthat-trick for the club.[49] The third goal, which he regarded as his favourite for Arsenal,[50] required just one touch to control the ball in the penalty box, another to flick it past his markerMatt Elliott before juggling it with his feet and shooting past goalkeeperKasey Keller. After the match, Leicester managerMartin O'Neill was gracious enough to admit Bergkamp's was "the best hat-trick I've ever seen".[51] In anFA Cup quarter-final replay againstWest Ham United on 17 March 1998, Bergkamp was sent off for elbowing midfielderSteve Lomas and missed three matches due to suspension.[52] He played no further part in Arsenal's season after overstretching his hamstring againstDerby County on 29 April 1998, missing the1998 FA Cup final.[53] Bergkamp was consoled with thePFA Players' Player of the Year award, becoming only the third non-British player to be recognised by his fellow professionals as the outstanding performer in English football.[54]
After an effective1998 World Cup campaign with the national team, Bergkamp had another productive season in1998–99. Although Arsenal failed to retain thePremier League after losing the title on the final day of the season to Manchester United, Bergkamp was the club's second-top scorer in all competitions, with 16 goals, and finished the season as the top assist provider in the Premier League, alongsideJimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, with 13 assists.[55] Arsenal were also defeated in a FA Cupsemi-final replay against Manchester United in April 1999.[56] With the score 1–1 heading into injury time, Arsenal were awarded a penalty after midfielderRay Parlour was brought down byPhil Neville inside the 18-yard box. Bergkamp took the penalty shot but it was saved by goalkeeperPeter Schmeichel. In the second half ofextra time,Ryan Giggs scored the winner, a goal regarded by many as the greatest in the competition's history.[56][57][58] After this miss, Bergkamp did not take another penalty for the remainder of his career.[59]
The1999–2000 season proved to be a frustrating one for both Arsenal and Bergkamp. The club finished second in the league, 18 points behind Manchester United, and lost in the2000 UEFA Cup final to Turkish opponentsGalatasaray on penalties.[60] The departure of compatriotMarc Overmars and French midfielderEmmanuel Petit in the close season led to speculation over Bergkamp's future.[61] He ultimately agreed terms on a contract extension in December 2000.[62] Despite an array of new signings made in the2000–01 season, Arsenal were runners-up in the league for a third year in succession.[63] The emergence ofThierry Henry andSylvain Wiltord as the mainstrikers saw Bergkamp's first-team opportunities limited as a result. He was used as a late substitute inLiverpool's win over Arsenal in the2001 FA Cup final.[64]
Success finally came in the2001–02 season. Arsenal regained the league, beating Manchester United atOld Trafford in the penultimate game of the season to complete the club's second double under Wenger; Arsenal defeatedChelsea 2–0 to win theFA Cup four days prior.[65] Bergkamp played in 33 league matches, setting up 15 goals, one of which was against Juventus in thesecond group stage of the Champions League. Holding off two markers, he twisted and turned before feeding the ball toFreddie Ljungberg in the penalty box to score.[66] Bergkamp headed in the winner against Liverpool in a FA Cup fourth-round tie on 27 January 2002, but was shown a red card for a two-footed lunge on defenderJamie Carragher, who himself was sent off for throwing a coin into the crowd.[67] He was subsequently banned for three matches (two league, one FA Cup round).[68] Bergkamp appealed for his ban, but was unsuccessful.[69] He made his return againstNewcastle United on 3 March 2002. Early in the match, Arsenal midfielderRobert Pires played a low pass from the left flank to Bergkamp in the edge of the opponent area with his back to goal. Under pressure from his markerNikos Dabizas, Bergkamp controlled the ball with one flick and went around the other side before placing the ball precisely into the bottom right-hand corner to score. Wenger described the goal as "unbelievable",[70] adding "It was not only a magnificent goal but a very important one – I enjoyed it a lot".[70] Bergkamp featured in nine out of the last ten league games, forming a productive partnership with Ljungberg.[71]
"You can't blame anyone for that. You just have to accept that Bergkamp did a beautiful thing."
Sir Bobby Robson on Dennis Bergkamp's goal against Newcastle United in March 2002.[72]
Bergkamp with Arsenal in 2003
Bergkamp reached a personal landmark during the2002–03 season, scoring his 100th goal for Arsenal againstOxford United in aFA Cup third-round tie on 4 January 2003.[73][74] In the league, Arsenal failed to retain the championship despite having led by eight points in March 2003.[75] However, they did win the FA Cup for a second successive year, beating Southampton in the2003 FA Cup final.[76] On 20 July 2003, Bergkamp signed a one-year extension at the club.[77] The2003–04 season ended on a high point for Bergkamp as Arsenal reclaimed the league title, becoming the first English team in more than a century to go through the entire domesticleague season unbeaten. Against Leicester City in the final league match of the campaign with the score tied at 1–1, Bergkamp set up the winner with a pass to captainPatrick Vieira. Vieira rounded the goalkeeper and scored.[78] The team, dubbed "The Invincibles"[78] did not achieve similar dominance in Europe; Arsenal were beaten by Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the Champions League overtwo legs.[79] Bergkamp committed himself to Arsenal at the end of the season, signing a further extension to his contract.[80]
Bergkamp started in 29 league matches in the2004–05 season, but Arsenal's title defence ended unsuccessfully. The team finished second, 12 points behind Chelsea. At home against Middlesbrough on 22 August 2004, Bergkamp acted ascaptain for the injured Vieira in a match where Arsenal came back from 1–3 down to win 5–3 and equalNottingham Forest's record of 42 league matches undefeated.[81] AgainstSheffield United in theFA Cup on 19 February 2005, Bergkamp was shown a straight red card by refereeNeale Barry for shoving defenderDanny Cullip.[82] His appeal of the decision was rejected byThe Football Association (FA), meaning he missed the club's next three domestic games.[83] In Arsenal's final home match of the season, againstEverton, Bergkamp had aman of the match game, scoring once and assisting three of the goals in a 7–0 win.[84] Bergkamp was moved by Arsenal supporters chanting "one more year", describing it as "quite special". "They obviously feel there is another year left in me, so that's great as it shows they're really behind me," he said.[85] Following Arsenal's penalty shootout victory over Manchester United in the2005 FA Cup final, he signed a one-year contract extension.[86]
TheEmirates Stadium filling up during Bergkamp's testimonial match between Arsenal and Ajax in July 2006
The team finished fourth in the league in Bergkamp'sfinal season at Arsenal.[87] Bergkamp scored an injury-time winner againstThun on Matchday 1 of theChampions League, having come on as a substitute in the 72nd minute.[88] After much campaigning from Arsenal supporters, the club designated one of its Highbury matchday themes, organised to commemorate the stadium's final season as home of Arsenal, to Dennis Bergkamp.[89] "Bergkamp Day" took place on 15 April 2006 and saw Arsenal up againstWest Bromwich Albion. It celebrated the player's contribution to Arsenal; fans were given commemorative orange "DB10" T-shirts – the colour of his national team, his initials and his squad number.[89] Bergkamp himself came on as a second-half substitute and set up the winning Robert Pires goal moments afterNigel Quashie had levelled the scoreline. Fittingly, Bergkamp's 89th-minute goal proved to be his last for Arsenal in competitive football.[7][90] Bergkamp was an unused substitute in his final match for Arsenal againstBarcelona in theChampions League final; Barcelona scored twice in the last 13 minutes to overturn Arsenal's early lead and win the competition.[91]
Bergkamp was the focus of the first match at Arsenal's new ground, theEmirates Stadium. On 22 July 2006, atestimonial was played in his honour at the new stadium as Arsenal played his old club Ajax. Bergkamp kicked off the match with his father, Wim, and son, Mitchel. All four children acted as thematch's mascots. The first half was played by members of Arsenal and Ajax's current squads, while the second was played by famous ex-players from both sides, includingIan Wright, Patrick Vieira, Marc Overmars, Emmanuel Petit andDavid Seaman for Arsenal; and Johan Cruyff,Marco van Basten,Danny Blind,Frank andRonald de Boer for Ajax. Arsenal won the match 2–1 with goals from Henry andNwankwo Kanu.Klaas-Jan Huntelaar had earlier opened the scoring for Ajax, making him the first goalscorer at the Emirates Stadium.[92]
Bergkamp made his international debut for theNetherlands national team againstItaly on 26 September 1990 as a substitute forFrank de Boer.[93] He scored his first goal for the team againstGreece on 21 November 1990.[94] Bergkamp was selected forEuro 1992, where his national team were the defending champions. Bergkamp impressed, scoring three goals in the tournament and finishing as one of the joint top goalscorers of the competition.[95] However, his team lost onpenalties to eventual championsDenmark in the semi-final, following a 2–2 draw; during the match, Bergkamp scored the first Dutch goal to tie the match 1–1, and also netted his penalty in the shootout.[4] He also scored the only goal of the match in the Netherlands' opening win againstScotland,[96] and the final goal in a 3–1 win overGermany in their first round match, which allowed them to top their group.[97] Bergkamp was named in theTeam of the Tournament for his performances.[98]
In thequalification for the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Bergkamp scored five goals and was selected for the finals, staged in the United States. He featured in every game for the national team, getting a goal againstMorocco in the group stages (in addition to assistingBryan Roy's late winner)[99] and another one in a 2–0 win against theRepublic of Ireland in the round-of-16.[100] Bergkamp scored the first goal for the Netherlands against eventual championsBrazil, but the team lost 3–2, exiting in the quarter-finals.[101] AtEuro 1996, Bergkamp scored againstSwitzerland and set up strikerPatrick Kluivert's consolation goal againstEngland, who advanced into the quarter-finals as first in their group while the Dutch finished second and facedFrance, being eliminated after a penalty shootout, following a 0–0 draw.[102][103][104]
AgainstWales in the1998 FIFA World Cup qualification on 9 November 1996, he scored his firsthat-trick for the national team.[105] The Netherlands finished first in their group and qualified for the1998 FIFA World Cup, held in France. Bergkamp scored three times in the competition, including a memorable winning goal in the final minute of the quarter-final againstArgentina.[5]He took one touch to control a long 60-yard aerial pass from Frank de Boer, brought the ball down through Argentine defenderRoberto Ayala's legs, and finally finished by firing a volley with the outside of his right foot, past keeperCarlos Roa at a tight angle from the right.[106][107]The goal, cited by Bergkamp as his favourite in his career, was his 36th for the national team, overtakingFaas Wilkes as the record scorer.[108] Bergkamp had also previously set-up Kluivert's opening goal with his head.[5]
"I mean, I've seen it a lot of times and still can't find my mistake in that move. In the area, I did not make any mistake. There is incredible control by him."
Argentine defenderRoberto Ayala on Bergkamp's goal in the Netherlands' 2–1 victory over Argentina in the 1998 World Cup quarter-finals[109]
His other two goals of the tournament came in the Netherlands' 5–0 victory overSouth Korea on 20 June, in the team's second group match (scoring the third goal, in addition to setting upPhillip Cocu's opener),[110][111][112] and in the 2–1 win overYugoslavia on 26 June in the round of 16, in which Bergkamp opened the scoring in the first half.[113] He also assisted Cocu's opening goal in the final group match, a 2–2 draw againstMexico, on 25 June.[114] In the semi-finals, the Netherlands lost to defending champions Brazil on penalties after drawing 1–1 in normal time, with Bergkamp netting his spot-kick in the shoot-out.[28][115] Bergkamp made the All-Star team of the tournament, alongside compatriots Frank de Boer andEdgar Davids.[116]
On 9 October 1999, Bergkamp scored his final goal for the Netherlands, against Brazil.[117] As the Netherlands were co-hosts forEuro 2000, the team automatically qualified for the tournament and were considered favourites.[118] Bergkamp went scoreless throughout the competition, but assisted three goals: he set-up Kluivert's goal in the Netherlands' final group match, a 3–2 win over eventual champions France,[119][120] which allowed them to top their group,[121] and also assisted two goals (Kluivert's opener and the first ofMarc Overmars's two goals) in a 6–1 win over Yugoslavia in the quarter-finals.[122][123] In the semi-finals, the Netherlands lost 3–1 on penalties toItaly, following a 0–0 draw.[124] Following the defeat, Bergkamp announced his retirement from international football, choosing to focus on his club career.[125] His final goal tally of 37 goals in 79 appearances was overtaken by Patrick Kluivert in June 2003.[126]
Bergkamp was schooled in DutchTotal Football, a playing style and philosophy which relied on versatility. This was primarily to maximise the footballer's potential; players tried out every outfield position before finding one that suited them best.[16] Every age group at Ajax played in the same style and formation as the first team –3–4–3 – to allow individuals to slot in without effort when moving up the pyramid.[16] Bergkamp "played in every position apart fromgoalie" and believed he benefited from the experience of playing as a defender, as it helped him "know how they think and how to beat them".[16] When he made his debut as a substitute against Roda JC, Bergkamp was positioned on theright wing, where he remained for three years.[16]
During his time at Inter Milan, Bergkamp was switched to the position of a mainstriker, but failed to cooperate with his offensive partnerRubén Sosa, whom he later called "selfish".[16] Furthermore, due to his introverted character, he was accused of lacking consistency and leadership skills by the Italian press, and struggled to replicate his previous form during his time with Inter.[28][127][128] When Bergkamp joined Arsenal in 1995, he enjoyed a successful strike partnership withIan Wright, and in later seasons,Nicolas Anelka andThierry Henry, playing in his preferred position as a creativesecond striker.[129] The arrival ofOvermars in the 1997–98 season enhanced Bergkamp's play, as he was getting more of the ball. Between August and October 1997, he scored seven goals in seven league matches.[130] A similar rapport developed between him andFreddie Ljungberg during the 2001–02 season.[71]
Although he was known for his composure and ability to score several goals for his team as aforward,[7][131] Bergkamp was also capable of playing in a free role behind a lone striker, where he essentially functioned in thenumber 10 role as aplaymakingattacking midfielder or deep-lying forward, due to his ball skills and creative ability, which enabled him to drop deep between the lines and link-up play, and operate across all attacking areas of the pitch. His tendency to move freely about the entire front-line made it difficult for opposing defenders to mark him.[132][133][134][135][136] As such, Sam Tighe ofBleacher Report has retroactively compared Bergkamp's role as a freecentre-forward to that of the modernfalse 9.[137][138] A quick, elegant, intelligent, and gifted player, who was regarded as one of the most technically accomplished players of all time, he possessed an excellent first touch, which – allied with his quick feet,dribbling ability and change of pace – enabled him to beat defenders in one on one situations, while his attacking movement, physique, balance, and close control allowed him to hold up the ball and create space for teammates; his vision and passing range with both feet, despite being naturally right-footed, subsequently allowed him to provideassists for on-running strikers.[6][28][127][128][139][140][141][142][143] Bergkamp often stated he preferred playing in this deeper role, as he derived more pleasure from assisting goals, rather than scoring them himself.[28][139]
Throughout his playing career, Bergkamp was accused ofdiving, and was referred to as a "cheat" and "dirty player" for retaliating against players who had previously challenged him, something his former managerWenger denied.[144][145][146] In an interview withThe Times in 2004, he said that while he was at Inter, he realised the importance of being mentally tough in order to survive: "A lot of people there try to hurt you, not just physically but mentally as well, and coming from the easygoing culture in Holland, I had to adopt a tougher approach. There, it was a case of two strikers up against four or five hard defenders who would stop at nothing."[16] Bergkamp says his aggression often stems from frustration.[16]
In April 2007, Bergkamp was inducted into theEnglish Football Hall of Fame by viewers of BBC'sFootball Focus.[151] A year later, he was voted second by Arsenal fans behind Thierry Henry in a list of the50 Gunners Greatest Players.[140] In February 2014, Arsenal unveiled a statue of Bergkamp outside the Emirates Stadium to honour his time at the club.[152] A statue of Dennis Bergkamp will be erected outside the KNVB headquarters in Zeist, as he has been chosen as the best Dutch international player from 1990 to 2015. The statue will join those ofthe eleven of the century, erected in 1999, alongside statues ofJohan Cruyff,Ruud Gullit,Frank Rijkaard andMarco van Basten, amongst others.[153] In September 2023,FourFourTwo magazine ranked Bergkamp 68th in their list of the "100 best football players of all time."[154]
Bergkamp has been described by Jan Mulder as having "the finest technique" of any Dutch international[6] and as a "dream for a striker" by former Arsenal teammate Thierry Henry.[7]
Upon retiring, Bergkamp insisted he would not move into coaching. He turned down an offer to scout for Arsenal and instead concentrated on travelling and spending time with his family.[155] However, in April 2008, he began a fast-track coaching diploma for former Dutch international footballers and undertook a trainee role at Ajax.[156][157] Having completed the Coach Betaald Voetbal course by theRoyal Dutch Football Association (KNVB), Bergkamp was appointed assistant toJohan Neeskens for the newly formedNetherlands B team on 26 October 2008.[158] For the2008–09 season, Bergkamp returned to Ajax in a formal coaching position with responsibility for the D2 (U12) youth team. Following the promotion of Frank de Boer as manager of Ajax in December 2010, Bergkamp was appointed assistant manager toFred Grim, dealing with Ajax' flagship A1 (U19) youth team.[159]
In August 2011, Bergkamp was named De Boer's assistant at Ajax.[160] However, after the arrival ofPeter Bosz as the new head coach at Ajax, Bergkamp's role at Ajax slightly changed. He no longer sat on the bench during first-team matches, but instead focused more on field training and on helping youth players reach the first team.[161] He and fellow assistantHennie Spijkerman were sacked from their roles in December 2017.[162]
Bergkamp has been married to Henrita Ruizendaal since 16 June 1993.[163] The couple have four children.[164][165] His sonMitchel is a footballer.[166] His daughter is the partner ofGirona FC midfielderDonny van de Beek, the couple's first daughter having been born on 9 April 2022.[167]
Bergkamp's nickname is the "Non-Flying Dutchman" due to hisfear of flying. Contemporary sources believed that this stemmed from incidents with the Netherlands national team at the 1994 World Cup where the engine of the plane cut out during a flight,[169] and when a flight was delayed because a journalist made a joke about having a bomb in his bag.[170] In his 2013 autobiography, Bergkamp stated that his phobia was in fact caused during his first season at Inter Milan, in which the team regularly travelled to away games in small aeroplanes.[171] Bergkamp decided he would never fly again after the 1994 World Cup, but did consider seeking psychiatric help in 1996:
I've got this problem and I have to live with it. I can't do anything about it, it is a psychological thing and I can't explain it. I have not flown on a plane for two years. The Dutch FA has been sympathetic, so have Arsenal, so far. I am considering psychiatric help. I can't fly. I just freeze. I get panicky. It starts the day before, when I can't sleep.[170]
The condition severely limited his ability to play in away matches in European competitions and to travel with the national team. In some cases, he would travel overland by car or train, but the logistics of some matches were such that he would not travel at all.[169] In the build-up to Arsenal's Champions League match againstLyon in February 2001, Wenger spoke of his concerns for Bergkamp travelling by train and car, because of the exertions involved.[172]
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