After his brief but impactful stint as interim Manchester United manager came to an end following the arrival of Ruben Amorim, it wasn't long until former Dutch international Ruud van Nistelrooy was back in a job. Appointed as Leicester manager on a deal that’s set to last until June 2027, Van Nistelrooy has his work cut out at the Foxes, who have struggled for results all season.
As the former Manchester United striker prepares to oversee his first match in charge against West Ham at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday, here are some facts and figures about the 6’2” Dutchman you may not have known…
1\. Prolific goal scorer with a record to prove it
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Van Nistelrooy is one of the most prolific strikers in football history, netting 347 goals in 589 professional appearances. He won the Premier League Golden Boot in 2003 while playing for Manchester United and finished as the UEFA Champions League top scorer three times. During his time at United, he scored an incredible 150 goals, placing 11th on the club’s list of all-time goal scorers. Interestingly, he only scored one of those goals from outside the area - a banger against Charlton Athletic, which came in his fifth season with the Old Trafford club.
2\. A managerial journey rooted in Dutch football
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Before taking charge of Leicester City, Van Nistelrooy cut his managerial teeth at PSV Eindhoven. He served as head coach for PSV's U19 and U21 sides before being promoted to lead the senior team, guiding them to the KNVB Cup title in 2023. Citing a lack of support, he resigned from his position at PSV just before the end of the 2022-23 season. Aside from his time playing for Manchester United and Real Madrid, Van Nistelrooy also played over 100 games in the Netherlands for sides like Den Bosch, Heerenveen and PSV Eindhoven.
3\. Mentored by a legend
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During his time at Manchester United, Van Nistelrooy was shaped by legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson. He credits Ferguson for instilling a competitive edge and managerial insight that he carries into his coaching philosophy. Such is his bond with Ferguson and his team from back in the day that one of the first people linked with a move to Leicester as a potential assistant was Sir Alex's former deputy Rene Meulensteen. Quizzed about possible links to Leicester, Meulensteen told the ‘No Tippy Tappy’ podcast: "Ruud and I know each other really well because I worked with him and always stayed in touch. I rate him highly, I think he jumped the ship at PSV a little bit too soon, he was doing really well."
4\. International pedigree
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Van Nistelrooy represented the Netherlands 70 times, scoring 35 goals. He was a key figure for the Oranje in tournaments like Euro 2004 and the 2006 FIFA World Cup, becoming one of the nation's all-time top scorers. In all, Van Nistelrooy is joint seventh on the all-time list of Dutch scorers behind such iconic names as Robin van Persie, Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Kluivert, and Arjen Robben.
5\. A scholar of the game
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Beyond his flair on the pitch, Van Nistelrooy has taken coaching courses and studied various managerial styles. His ability to blend tactical discipline with attacking flair is something Leicester fans will be eager to see in action. There was a marked upturn in performance levels at Manchester United when Van Nistelrooy was in charge. While that could say more about Erik ten Hag than it does about Van Nistelrooy, there was a definite verve and freedom in the Red Devils’ play once Van Nistelrooy was running the show.
Van Nistelrooy’s debut with Leicester City against West Ham will be closely watched as he begins a new chapter in his storied career.