As a player, Ronny van Dijk did it all. Born in Amsterdam in 1970, van Dijk was signed into Ajax's youth team at the age of 15 before signing professional terms in 1987. He broke into the first team in the 1988/89 season and played a pivotal role when De Godenzonen lifted the Eredivisie in 1990.
Impressed scouts who had come to see the youngster play constantly badgered their managers, urging to sign the bright talent. In the summer of 1990, van Dijk earned his first transfer abroad, moving to French giants Marseille for £3m. During his three-year stay, van Dijk continually improved and was an important member of the side that won Ligue 1 in 1991 and the Champions League in 1993, redemption for the defeat to Red Star Belgrade in 1991. In this time, he also played every minute of Euro 92 in which the Netherlands finished in 3rd place.
He moved to AC Milan in 1993 for £6m, the team Marseille beat in the Champions League final. He helped them go one step further in 1994, in a 4-0 demolition of Barcelona in Athens. Milan did a double that year, with the Serie A title also added to their collection of 94. van Dijk would taste defeat the year after however, as Milan failed to even finish in the top three in the league and were beaten in the Champions League final by his boyhood club, Ajax.
van Dijk remained in Italy in 1995, moving to competitive rivals Juventus for £7m. Juventus held another two-year stay for the Dutchman, as the Old Lady won the Champions League in 1996 and finished runners-up in 1997, whilst domestically they finished as Serie A runners-up in 1996 and winners in 1997.
1997 brought about the biggest move of Ronny van Dijk's career as he moved to Real Madrid for £15m. He spent six years at the Santiago Bernabeu (including a loan spell at Manchester United in 1998/99). During his time in the Spanish capital, Real won the Champions League in 1998, 2000 and 2002 and La Liga in 2001 and 2003. During his loan spell at Manchester United, van Dijk won his only domestic cup and his only treble as United won the Premier League, Champions League and the FA Cup in 1999.
He took the final move of his career in 2003 with a free move to Chelsea. He played the final three years of his career with the Blues, although he didn't kick the title-winning habit, with back-to-back Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006.
He returned home to Amsterdam in 2006 to take up a youth coaching role with Ajax. He stayed for 5 years, working up to his UEFA B Licence before taking up a senior coaching role at Juventus.
He's been there ever since, and has worked his way up towards a UEFA Pro Licence. With shock news breaking of the sacking of Massimiliano Allegri despite the 2015 domestic double and a Champions League final, this could be the perfect opportunity for a 46-year-old van Dijk to try his hand at management.
Impressed scouts who had come to see the youngster play constantly badgered their managers, urging to sign the bright talent. In the summer of 1990, van Dijk earned his first transfer abroad, moving to French giants Marseille for £3m. During his three-year stay, van Dijk continually improved and was an important member of the side that won Ligue 1 in 1991 and the Champions League in 1993, redemption for the defeat to Red Star Belgrade in 1991. In this time, he also played every minute of Euro 92 in which the Netherlands finished in 3rd place.
He moved to AC Milan in 1993 for £6m, the team Marseille beat in the Champions League final. He helped them go one step further in 1994, in a 4-0 demolition of Barcelona in Athens. Milan did a double that year, with the Serie A title also added to their collection of 94. van Dijk would taste defeat the year after however, as Milan failed to even finish in the top three in the league and were beaten in the Champions League final by his boyhood club, Ajax.
van Dijk remained in Italy in 1995, moving to competitive rivals Juventus for £7m. Juventus held another two-year stay for the Dutchman, as the Old Lady won the Champions League in 1996 and finished runners-up in 1997, whilst domestically they finished as Serie A runners-up in 1996 and winners in 1997.
1997 brought about the biggest move of Ronny van Dijk's career as he moved to Real Madrid for £15m. He spent six years at the Santiago Bernabeu (including a loan spell at Manchester United in 1998/99). During his time in the Spanish capital, Real won the Champions League in 1998, 2000 and 2002 and La Liga in 2001 and 2003. During his loan spell at Manchester United, van Dijk won his only domestic cup and his only treble as United won the Premier League, Champions League and the FA Cup in 1999.
He took the final move of his career in 2003 with a free move to Chelsea. He played the final three years of his career with the Blues, although he didn't kick the title-winning habit, with back-to-back Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006.
He returned home to Amsterdam in 2006 to take up a youth coaching role with Ajax. He stayed for 5 years, working up to his UEFA B Licence before taking up a senior coaching role at Juventus.
He's been there ever since, and has worked his way up towards a UEFA Pro Licence. With shock news breaking of the sacking of Massimiliano Allegri despite the 2015 domestic double and a Champions League final, this could be the perfect opportunity for a 46-year-old van Dijk to try his hand at management.
