Rob Witschge

Rob Witschge
	Witschge in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Robert Witschge
Date of birth	22 August 1966 (age 58)
Place of birth	Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
	SDW
	Ajax
Senior career*
Years	Team
1985–1989	Ajax
1989–1990	Saint-Étienne
1991–1996	Feyenoord
1996–1997	Utrecht
1998–1999	Ittihad
Total
International career
1989–1995	Netherlands
Managerial career
2001–2002	Haarlem (assistant)
2002–2004	ADO'20
2004–2008	Netherlands (assistant)
2008–2009	Ajax (assistant)
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Robert Witschge (born 22 August 1966) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

He spent most of his 14-year professional career with Feyenoord, but started out at Ajax, amassing Eredivisie totals of 281 matches and 39 goals.

Witschge represented the Dutch national team in the 1994 World Cup and Euro 1992.

Club career

Born in Amsterdam, North Holland, Witschge started his professional career with local Ajax, being an undisputed starter at the age of 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.

Witschge joined French club Saint-Étienne in July 1989 but, unsettled, returned home in January 1991 with Feyenoord. He helped the Rotterdam side win three Dutch Cups, one Supercup and the 1992–93 Eredivisie.

After one weak final year with Feyenoord – 13 appearances, no goals – the 30-year-old moved to Utrecht, retiring in 1999 after one season with Saudi Arabia's Ittihad. In 2001, Witschge took up coaching, being named assistant of Marco van Basten and John van 't Schip at the national team in 2004; he rejoined the pair at Ajax four years later, again as assistant.^[1]

International career

Witschge made his debut for the Netherlands on 4 January 1989 in a friendly against Israel (2–0 away win), going on to win 30 caps (three goals) and represent the nation at UEFA Euro 1992^[2] and the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

Personal life

Witschge's younger brother, Richard, is also a former footballer and a midfielder.^[3]

References

^ "Marco van Basten new coach Ajax". AFC Ajax. 22 February 2008. Archived from the original on 1 March 2008. Retrieved 28 February 2008.
^ Serné, Marc (26 May 1992). "Feyenoorder Rob Witschge neemt plaats in van geblesseerde broer Richard; Oranje zoekt scherpte in oefencampagne" [Feyenoord man Rob Witschge takes the place of injured brother Richard; Orange seek sharpness in practice campaign]. NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 23 October 2018.
^ Lang, Jack (3 December 2015). "Football's best brothers: As the Nevilles are reunited, we rank 30 of soccer's most celebrated sets of siblings". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 9 February 2016.

External links

Beijen profile (in Dutch)
Stats at Voetbal International (in Dutch)
Rob Witschge at Wereld van Oranje (archived) (in Dutch)
Rob Witschge at National-Football-Teams.com
Rob Witschge – FIFA competition record (archived)

[1] "Marco van Basten new coach Ajax". AFC Ajax. 22 February 2008. Archived from the original on 1 March 2008. Retrieved 28 February 2008.

[2] Serné, Marc (26 May 1992). "Feyenoorder Rob Witschge neemt plaats in van geblesseerde broer Richard; Oranje zoekt scherpte in oefencampagne" [Feyenoord man Rob Witschge takes the place of injured brother Richard; Orange seek sharpness in practice campaign]. NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 23 October 2018.

[3] Lang, Jack (3 December 2015). "Football's best brothers: As the Nevilles are reunited, we rank 30 of soccer's most celebrated sets of siblings". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 9 February 2016.

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