FIFA World Cup™ Germany 2006 player's profile

On 1 July, just as the semi-final line-up for the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ is being completed, Ruud van Nistelrooij will be celebrating his 30th birthday. If this landmark is to be reached with the Netherlands still in Germany, and still chasing a prize that has previously proved so elusive, Marco van Basten will need the man widely viewed as his natural on-field successor to be at his free-scoring best.
Those seeking to make comparisons between Van Basten the player and his present-day counterpart might want to listen to the legendary Rinus Michels, who was Van Basten’s coach during the Netherlands’ triumphant 1988 UEFA European Championship campaign. Michels described Van Nistelrooy as “the more decisive finisher” of the two, which is ominous for the Oranje’s rivals in Germany.

Certainly few can contain the Manchester United striker when he is fit, confident and in form and, if all these boxes can be ticked ahead of Germany 2006, the Netherlands’ established No. 9 could well feature among the front-runners the tournament’s coveted Golden Shoe. This, of course, will be the Dutchman’s first-ever FIFA World Cup after his country’s failure to qualify in 2002, and he is approaching the tournament believing that it will be his last.

Van Nistelrooij heads to Germany in the traditional peak years of a centre-forward’s career and, having been lauded as a “gift from God” by the previous Netherlands manager, Dick Advocaat, a goal or two in a perilous-looking group containing Argentina, Côte d'Ivoire and Serbia and Montenegro would certainly be heaven-sent for Van Basten’s side.

Goals have rarely proved hard to come by for Van Nistelrooij, who has averaged a strike every other game in close to half a century of appearances at international level. For his clubs, he has proved even more deadly, as an amazing 62 goals from 67 appearances for PSV and a record of 20 goals or more in four of his five seasons at Old Trafford goes emphatically to prove.

Van Nistelrooij’s playing career began in 1993 with FC Den Bosch and it took four seasons in the second tier of Dutch football before he was signed by Heerenveen, for whom he went on to score 13 goals in 30 appearances in his debut season in top-flight football. Within months, PSV Eindhoven had seen enough and, in the summer of 1998, parted with £4.2 million, a record between Dutch clubs, to sign the striker on his 22nd birthday.

PSV’s faith was quickly rewarded, with Van Nistelrooij ending his first season in Eindhoven as his country’s Player of the Year and also its top scorer with 31 goals - a total which saw him finish second in the European Golden Shoe rankings. It was also during that season that he made his international debut in a 1-1 draw with Germany on 18 November 1998. The following campaign Van Nistelrooy picked up where he had left off, firing 29 goals by March 2000.

Manchester United had already agreed a £19 million deal with PSV when disaster struck on 6 March in a friendly with Silkeborg. Van Nistelrooij picked up a knee injury and, while attempting a comeback in training the following month, he collapsed in agony with what soon transpired to be a devastating cruciate ligament injury.

This did not prevent him being voted Dutch Player of the Year for the second successive term, nor from finishing runner-up once again in the European scoring charts, but that was of scant consolation to a player whose dream move had collapsed and who now faced a year on the sidelines. However, any doubts about his long-term future were quickly dispelled upon his return the following March and, after finally sealing his move to Old Trafford that summer, he made a spectacular impact on English football, his contribution including 25 goals as United won the Premiership title in 2002/03.

He has smashed his fair share of records at United, the most notable being Denis Law’s longstanding European goal tally, and, currently, only Raul and the great Alfredo di Stefano can lay claim to more goals in the European Champion Clubs’ Cup.

Chances to shine on the biggest international stages have proved in shorter supply, with EURO 2004 – where Van Nistelrooij struck in all three group games – the solitary exception. Now, with his place at Old Trafford no longer guaranteed thanks to the combined talents of Louis Saha and Wayne Rooney, the Dutchman will be more determined than ever to reaffirm his credentials as one of the world’s premier marksmen.

© 2001-2006 FIFA, All Rights Reserved

UEFA Champions League 2005-06 player's profile

Prolific striker Ruud van Nistelrooij holds the record for the most goals in a UEFA Champions League season.

Club
Van Nistelrooij started on the road to stardom at FC Den Bosch, playing just behind the strikers. He moved further upfield following a switch to SC Heerenveen. PSV Eindhoven broke the Dutch transfer record to sign him on his 22nd birthday for €6.3m, and he rewarded them with 31 goals in his first season - the second highest tally in Europe - and was named Dutch Footballer of the Year. He was set to join Manchester United FC in April 2000 but the deal collapsed over injury fears.

However a year later United paid a then British-record fee of €30m and Van Nistelrooij proved a bargain. He emerged as the ten-goal top scorer in the 2001/02 UEFA Champions League - when he England's Footballer of the Year - and the following term struck a record 12, as well as winning the Premiership. Scored twice in the 2004 FA Cup final victory against Millwall FC, his last honour with United, but did not play in the 2006 League Cup final success.

National team
He made his debut for the Netherlands against Germany and scored his first international goal against Morocco in 1999. A hat-trick against Scotland helped the Dutch reach UEFA EURO 2004™ via the play-offs, and he scored four times in Portugal before the semi-final loss to the hosts. Van Nistelrooij scored once in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, but was not involved when the Dutch went out to Portugal in the last 16.

Did you know?
He was encouraged by his coaches at Heerenveen to watch and learn from Dennis Bergkamp.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.

UEFA EURO 2004™ player's profile

The complete striker, Ruud van Nistelrooij combines determination with tremendous strength, ball-playing ability and lethal finishing. One of the most feared attackers in world football.

National team
He made his debut for the Netherlands against Germany, aged 22, and scored his first international goal against Morocco in 1999. Injury ruled him out of the 2000 UEFA European Championship.

UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying
A hat-trick against Scotland helped the Dutch reach Portugal via the play-offs and ensured Van Nistelrooij would finish as his country's leading scorer in the campaign ahead of Patrick Kluivert with five goals, having already scored against the Czech Republic and Moldova.

Club
Van Nistelrooij started on the road to stardom at FC Den Bosch, playing just behind the strikers. He moved further upfield following a switch to SC Heerenveen.

1998: PSV Eindhoven broke the Dutch transfer record to sign him on his 22nd birthday for €6.3m, and he rewarded them with 31 goals in his first term at the club - the second highest tally in Europe - and was named Dutch Footballer of the Year. Another prolific season followed and he was set to join Manchester United FC in April 2000 but the deal collapsed over injury fears, which were soon realised.

2001: A year later many people wondered if Sir Alex Ferguson had made the right decision in paying a then British-record fee of €30m for the centre-forward. Van Nistelrooij proved a bargain, two goals on his Premiership debut against Fulham FC setting the tone, and he emerged as the top scorer in the 2001/02 UEFA Champions League with ten goals as his side reached the semi-finals. Named the Professional Footballers Association Player of the Year. After registering 36 goals in his debut campaign, Van Nistelrooij followed up with 44 in 2002/03, his 25 league strikes helping United reclaim their league title from Arsenal.

2003/04: Scored 20 goals in 32 Premiership appearances as United finished third. Van Nistelrooij picked up his first FA Cup winner’s medal, scoring twice in the 3-0 final victory against Millwall FC.

Did you know?
He was encouraged by his coaches at Heerenveen to watch and learn from Dennis Bergkamp.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.

BBC's UEFA EURO 2004 player's profile

A natural goal-scorer, Van Nistelrooy has thrived since joining Manchester United from PSV Eindhoven.

He was snapped up for a then-British record of £19m in 2001, and racked up 100 goals in just 131 games.

Despite his prolific scoring record, Van Nistelrooy's place in the Dutch side is not certain.

He was dropped for the last Euro 2004 group qualifier against Moldova, but returned with a hat-trick in the crucial 6-0 win over Scotland.

Van Nistelrooy missed Euro 2000 with a serious knee injury which delayed his move to Old Trafford.

But the striker, who has won players' player of the year awards in Holland and England, is now one of the most feared strikers in the world.

©bbc.co.uk 2004. All rights reserved.