“Three years ago I tried to sell him, but Jose Luis Nunez stopped the transfer,”
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Louis van Gaal
Aloysius Paulus Maria "Louis" van Gaal is a Dutch former football player and manager. At club level, he served as manager of Ajax, Barcelona, AZ, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, as well as having three spells in charge of the Netherlands national team. Nicknamed the "Iron Tulip", Van Gaal has won 20 major honours in his managerial career at club level.
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sports · Dutch footballer and manager (born 1951) · association football player · association football coach · also Louis van Gaal, Aloysius Paulus Maria van Gaal, Gaal
Born 8 August 1951 · Q207431
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2026· 4 entries
Public attention spiked: 8,945 Wikipedia readers in one day, 6.6× the usual 1,365, with 0 article edits.
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Public attention spiked: 4,124 Wikipedia readers in one day, 3× the usual 1,365, with 0 article edits.
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Public attention spiked: 5,510 Wikipedia readers in one day, 4× the usual 1,365, with 0 article edits.
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2025· 1 entry
The Guardian: Louis van Gaal ‘no longer bothered by cancer’ and could be tempted to coach again
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2023· 2 entries
Awarded Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau (2023).
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Won: Eredivisie Oeuvre Award (2023).
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2022· 13 entries
fact checker rated the claim “The video shows Dutch coach Louis van Gaal expressing his support and encouragement for Morocco's national team during the World Cup tournament in Qatar.” misleading.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
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The Guardian: ‘A score to settle’: Van Gaal builds up Netherlands for Argentina showdown
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The Guardian: Louis van Gaal’s recovery from cancer inspires Netherlands’ World Cup bid
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The Guardian: Louis van Gaal talks up Netherlands’ ‘big chances’ of winning World Cup
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The Guardian: Louis van Gaal refuses to rule out taking vacant Belgium job after World Cup
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The Guardian: Louis van Gaal battles against boring tag as Netherlands plot route to final
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The Guardian: Louis van Gaal demands respect for the Netherlands before Qatar showdown
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The Guardian: Louis van Gaal says Dutch will not copy Germany protests at World Cup
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The Guardian: Netherlands good enough to win the World Cup, says Louis van Gaal
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The Guardian: Louis van Gaal’s final act will be a gripping piece of World Cup theatre
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The Guardian: Fragile, luminous, compelling: Louis van Gaal is football’s essential dad | Barney Ronay
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The Guardian: Koeman to succeed Van Gaal as Netherlands manager after World Cup
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Geertjan Lassche made a two-hour documentary about Louis van Gaal, entitled Louis, with the tagline "The man behind the legend"
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2019· 2 entries
Won: France Football 18th Greatest Manager of All Time (2019).
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Due to family reasons, Van Gaal returned to management in August 2021, when he was appointed as head coach of the Netherlands for a third time
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2017· 1 entry
Won: Dutch Lifetime Achievement Award (2017).
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2016· 1 entry
Won: FA Cup with Manchester United (2015–16).
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2015· 1 entry
Won: Anton Geesink Award (2015).
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2014· 2 entries
Third place: FIFA World Cup with Netherlands (2014).
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Won: Dutch Sports Coach of the Year (2014).
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2010· 7 entries
Won: DFL-Supercup with Bayern Munich (2010).
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Won: Bundesliga with Bayern Munich (2009–10).
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Awarded Football Manager of the Year (2010).
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Won: DFB-Pokal with Bayern Munich (2009–10).
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Won: Football Manager of the Year (Germany) (2010).
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Won: VDV Bundesliga Coach of the Season (2009–10).
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Runner-up: UEFA Champions League with Bayern Munich (2009–10).
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2009· 7 entries
Won the Dutch Eredivisie with AZ Alkmaar (2008-2009).
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Won: Die Sprachwahrer des Jahres (3rd place) (2009).
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Won: Eredivisie with AZ (2008–09).
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Won: Rinus Michels Award (2009).
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Won: Dutch Sports Coach of the Year (2009).
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That Van Gaal had lost millions of pounds investing in fraudster Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme
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And in Germany won the Bundesliga, the DFB-Pokal and reached the final of the UEFA Champions League
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2008· 1 entry
Van Gaal married his current wife, Truus, with whom he shares a holiday home near Albufeira, Algarve, Portugal
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2007· 1 entry
Won: Rinus Michels Award (2007).
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2004· 1 entry
Van Gaal returned to Ajax as a technical director, but resigned later that year due to an internal conflict with Ronald Koeman
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2003· 2 entries
Played for AFC Ajax (2003–2004).
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Which is given to the worst Serie A player during a particular season
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2001· 1 entry
The Netherlands beat Andorra, Cyprus and Estonia, but despite leading group leaders Portugal 2–0 with seven minutes left, drew 2–2 and fell three points behind second-place Republic of Ireland, who were unbeaten
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2000· 1 entry
Van Gaal appeared in Nike's "The Mission" campaign advertising their Total 90 range of football equipment
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1999· 2 entries
Won: La Liga with Barcelona (1998–99).
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But he has not handled himself well since then and has not behaved like a footballer should
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1998· 2 entries
Won: Copa del Rey with Barcelona (1997–98).
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Won: La Liga with Barcelona (1997–98).
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1997· 5 entries
Won award: Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau (1997).
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Won: UEFA Super Cup with Barcelona (1997).
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Van Gaal received his knighthood in the Order of Orange-Nassau
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Taking over from Bobby Robson, and helped the team win two La Liga titles (1997–98, 1998–99) and the Copa del Rey once
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And won two league titles and one Copa del Rey, but left after disagreements with the club's hierarchy
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1996· 3 entries
Won the Dutch Eredivisie with Ajax (1995-1996).
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Runner-up: UEFA Champions League with Ajax (1995–96).
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Won: Eredivisie with Ajax (1995–96).
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1995· 10 entries
Won the Dutch Eredivisie with Ajax (1994-1995).
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Won: Intercontinental Cup with Ajax (1995).
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Won: Eredivisie with Ajax (1994–95).
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Won: Johan Cruyff Shield with Ajax (1995).
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Won: UEFA Champions League with Ajax (1994–95).
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Won: UEFA Super Cup with Ajax (1995).
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Won: World Soccer Manager of the Year (1995).
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Won: Onze d'Or Coach of the Year (1995).
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Won: El País Manager of the Year (1995).
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Ajax beat Brazilian side Grêmio on penalties to win the Intercontinental Cup
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1994· 5 entries
Won the Dutch Eredivisie with Ajax (1993-1994).
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Won: Eredivisie with Ajax (1993–94).
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Won: Johan Cruyff Shield with Ajax (1994).
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Obbes died of liver and pancreatic cancer
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1995 (notably going the entire 1994–95 season unbeaten in both the league and the Champions League) and 1996
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1993· 4 entries
Won the Dutch KNVB Cup with Ajax (1992-1993).
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Won: KNVB Cup with Ajax (1992–93).
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Won: Johan Cruyff Shield with Ajax (1993).
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And the Johan Cruyff Shield in 1993, 1994, and 1995
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1992· 2 entries
Won: UEFA Cup with Ajax (1991–92).
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And the UEFA Champions League in 1995 after beating Milan in the final
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1991· 1 entry
Van Gaal took over as manager
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1986· 2 entries
Played for AZ Alkmaar (1986–1987) — 17 appearances, 0 goals.
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Joined AZ Alkmaar in 1986.
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1978· 2 entries
Played for Sparta Rotterdam (1978–1986) — 248 appearances, 26 goals.
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Joined Sparta in 1978.
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1977· 2 entries
Joined SC Telstar in 1977.
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Played for SC Telstar (1977–1978) — 25 appearances, 1 goals.
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1973· 2 entries
Played for Royal Antwerp F.C. (1973–1977) — 41 appearances, 7 goals.
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Joined Antwerp in 1973.
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1972· 2 entries
Played for AFC Ajax (1972–1973) — 0 appearances, 0 goals.
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Joined Ajax in 1972.
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1951· 1 entry
Born 1951-08-08.
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