Marco Van Basten has been named as the new Holland coach.
The 39-year-old Ajax reserve coach succeeds Dick Advocaat who resigned after Holland’s defeat to Portugal in the Euro 2004 semi-finals.
Van Basten, who claimed the European player of the year award three times, has agreed a contract which will run until the 2008 European Championship.
The Dutch football association (KNVB) said on Thursday they had finalised a deal with Van Basten and his assistant John van ‘t Schip and they will be presented officially at a news conference on Monday.
Van’t Schip, who was also on the coaching staff at Ajax, played for Ajax, Genoa and Holland as a midfielder.
Widely regarded as one of the best strikers in recent times, Van Basten enjoyed a hugely successful playing career with Ajax and Milan, before injury forced his premature retirement from the game at the age of 29.
On the international stage, which brought him 24 goals in 58 appearances, he is best remembered for his role in Holland’s 1988 European Championship success. Van Basten scored five goals in the competition, including a hat-trick against England and wonderfully-struck volley in the final against the Soviet Union.
