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Frank de BoerFormer Dutch footballer, currently head coach of Ajax Amsterdam.
Date of Birth: 15.05.1970
Country:  Netherlands |
Biography of Frank de Boer
Former Dutch footballer and current coach of AjaxFrank de Boer is a former Dutch footballer and current head coach of Amsterdam's Ajax. He began playing football at a young age and at 14, he joined the famous Ajax football academy, where his twin brother Ronald was already playing. In 1988, Frank made his debut for Ajax at the age of 18 and quickly became a key player in the team, securing the left-back position. In addition to his defensive duties, De Boer often contributed to attacks, showcasing his skill. He played for Ajax for 10 years, winning 15 trophies, including the UEFA Champions League in 1995, and becoming a legend of the club. In late 1998, De Boer moved to Barcelona, where he was coached by his former Ajax teammate Louis van Gaal. He helped the team win the league title before experiencing a decline in performance. Despite this, De Boer remained a consistent starter for the next four seasons, but was unable to win new titles. In 2001, he was accused of doping (nandrolone) and received a one-year ban, although the ban was later reduced. De Boer ended his playing career in 2006, playing for Qatari clubs Al-Rayyan and Al-Shamal.
International career
De Boer made his debut for the Netherlands national team in 1990. Initially, his international career was not very successful, as he did not feature in the starting lineup for the 1992 UEFA European Championship and the 1994 FIFA World Cup (playing only two and four matches respectively). However, after his former Ajax teammate and captain Danny Blind left the national team, De Boer became the captain. He played a crucial role in the Netherlands' journey to the semi-finals of the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, where they finished in fourth place. De Boer played in every match and provided an important assist to Dennis Bergkamp in the quarter-final match against Argentina. He was named in the tournament's symbolic team. De Boer also played a significant role in the Euro 2000, scoring two goals in the group stage against the Czech Republic and France. However, the semi-final match against Italy became one of the most disappointing moments in De Boer's career, as he missed a penalty in regular time and failed to convert his penalty kick in the shootout. As a result, the Dutch team once again failed to reach the final of the tournament. De Boer retired from international football after the Euro 2004, having played 115 matches and scored 13 goals for the Netherlands, making him the third most-capped player in the country's history.
Coaching career
De Boer began his coaching career in 2007 as the coach of Ajax's youth team. On December 6, 2010, he was appointed as the interim head coach of Ajax, replacing Martin Jol. On January 3, 2011, De Boer was named the head coach of Ajax. He led the team to win three consecutive Eredivisie titles (2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13), and his contract was extended until June 30, 2017. Ajax won another league title in the 2013/14 season but lost the title to PSV in the following two seasons. De Boer left Ajax after the 2015/16 season.
On August 9, 2016, De Boer was appointed as the head coach of Inter Milan. However, he was dismissed on November 1, 2016, just 85 days after his appointment. He then signed a three-year contract with Crystal Palace on June 26, 2017. However, he was sacked on September 11, 2017, after the team lost all four of their opening Premier League matches without scoring a goal.
On December 23, 2018, De Boer was appointed as the head coach of MLS club Atlanta United. Under his guidance, the team won the 2019 U.S. Open Cup. In the 2019 regular season, the club finished second in the Eastern Conference and reached the conference finals before losing to Toronto FC. In the 2020 season, the club won two matches before the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After the season resumed in July with the MLS is Back tournament, Atlanta United was eliminated in the group stage, losing all three matches without scoring a goal. De Boer and Atlanta United mutually agreed to part ways on July 24, 2020.
On September 23, 2020, De Boer was appointed as the head coach of the Netherlands national team. He led the team during Euro 2020, where they secured three wins in the group stage but were defeated by the Czech Republic in the Round of 16, resulting in their elimination from the tournament. On June 29, 2021, he was relieved of his duties as the coach of the Netherlands national team.
