The Rise of Ruud van Nistelrooy: His Formative Years in the Netherlands

Ruud van Nistelrooy had the privilege of playing under Sir Bobby Robson and Sir Alex Ferguson, both of whom greatly impacted his career. However, it was the guidance of lesser-known coaches that truly shaped the player he eventually became.

Growing up in the southern Netherlands during the 1980s and 1990s, Van Nistelrooy was fortunate to work with passionate and motivated youth coaches. These mentors played a pivotal role in the young talent’s development, paving the way for his moves to Heerenveen and PSV, ultimately leading to his £19million ($23.9m in today’s exchange) British record transfer to Manchester United in 2001.

The Athletic reached out to coaches, friends, and teammates who significantly contributed to the early development of Van Nistelrooy — now the Leicester City manager — tracing his journey from his formative years to his senior debut and eventual transition into a striker.

This is the story of Rutgerus Johannes Martinus van Nistelrooij.

Starting out

Van Nistelrooy was born in Oss, a quaint city in the southern province of Noord Brabant in the Netherlands, in July 1976, as the eldest of three siblings. His father, Tiny, played local football, and Ruud could often be found playing with a ball near the pitch while his father played for Nooit Gedacht in Geffen.

At five years old, Van Nistelrooy joined Nooit Gedacht, where he was trained by Henk van Griensven. His younger brother, Ron, would later also play for the club and subsequently for Den Bosch.

“When I think of my youth, I just remember having a ball at my feet,” Van Nistelrooy shared in the documentary Dribbels and Dromen, by ING Nederland. “Geffen wasn’t exactly overflowing with other activities, so it was just playing football in the streets or at school with jackets marking the goals.”

Den Bosch’s De Vliert stadium, pictured here in 2004 (John Walton – PA Images via Getty Images)

By 14, Van Nistelrooy was already displaying ambition and opted to transfer to RKSV Margriet in Oss, a mere 20-minute bike ride from Geffen, due to their strong connections with local professional club Den Bosch and his wish to be noticed.

It was at Margriet that he met Hasje Ruijs, a coach who would significantly influence his growth. “I could play football, but I didn’t have that belief,” Van Nistelrooy stated in the documentary. “He conveyed to me that I could really play football. His enthusiasm and confidence allowed me to take substantial steps, and after a year, I was ready to join Den Bosch.”

Hans van der Pluijm was the manager of Den Bosch, then competing in the Eerste Divisie (the second tier of Dutch football), and recalls a young boy who looked somewhat awkward.

“When he came to our club, he was just 14 and had grown very quickly,” Van der Pluijm tells The Athletic. “His movements on the pitch were not very coordinated, but once he gained more power, he developed rapidly as a player.

“He began as an attacking midfielder, No. 10, and was equipped with a fantastic mentality and attitude.”

At Den Bosch, Van Nistelrooy struck up a friendship with future Den Bosch and PSV teammate Theo Lucius.

“I first met Ruud when I was 13, playing with him in the youth team at Den Bosch,” Lucius, now an assistant coach at PSV, shares with The Athletic. “I lived about 10 km away from him, and we would share a bus ride to training. I played alongside him for many years.”

Theo Lucius, second from right in front row, with PSV in 1998; Van Nistelrooy, second from right, back row (Gero Breloer/picture alliance via Getty Images)

“I was playing as a striker, and he played as the No 10 behind me. He had great technique and always wanted to score. Winning was his only goal. If he scored one, he aimed for two. When he got two, he wanted a hat-trick. He was obsessed with goal-scoring.”

By age 17, Van der Pluijm felt confident enough in Van Nistelrooy’s abilities to promote him to the first team.

“He would play with our youth team on Saturdays, and on Sundays, I included him in the first team, which was his promotion at that time,” he remarks. “He trained with the first team, and his movements were impressive. He was smart and intelligent in reading game scenarios.”

Conversion from No 10 to main striker

Van Nistelrooy made his professional debut in an away match against ADO Den Haag, and Van der Pluijm noted it was not solely his talent that shined through.

“To be an ambitious player seeking achievement, adaptability is key,” he explains about Van Nistelrooy’s transition into senior football. “He was a go-getter and had a natural knack for reading game situations early on. His instinctive mind of a striker coupled with scoring ability was evident.”

During his four seasons with Den Bosch, Van Nistelrooy netted 20 goals in 71 appearances before moving to Eredivisie side Heerenveen for approximately €360,000 in 1997. It was during his solitary season with Heerenveen that his position was switched from No 10 to main striker, although he was initially hesitant.

“He was 20 when he joined us, and we were unsure of his true position,” recalls Foppe de Haan, Heerenveen’s manager at the time. “He was playing in the midfield at Den Bosch, but after observing him in training and friendly matches, I felt he was better suited as a striker.

“However, he insisted: ‘No, no, Coach, I’m a midfielder. I’m a No 10.’ I responded, ‘But we need you as a striker, and I believe you can excel in that role.’”

“I attributed that to his eagerness to shoot. Unlike many players who merely hope for a goal when they take a shot, he had a clear understanding of the goalkeeper’s position and the space available. It sparked quite the debate regarding his positional change.”

Van Nistelrooy, middle row, fourth from the right, in the Heerenveen team photo, 1997; Head coach De Haan in the middle of the front row (VI Images via Getty Images)

In a recent press conference before Leicester’s Premier League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Van Nistelrooy acknowledged he required some persuasion to make the switch. “I played as a No 10 for three seasons, but he insisted, ‘Give it a shot at No 9. I think you could score a few goals,’” Van Nistelrooy stated.

“I was not particularly fond of the idea. I protested, saying, ‘I need to play with my back to goal. I’m a 10, I need the ball, I want to play,’ but finally, I said, ‘Alright, let’s develop this in training and apply it to matches.’

“The way he structured drills to enhance everyone’s skills is something I strive for in my teams as well. Eventually, I realized, ‘Hey, this position might suit me quite well,’ and I’ve never looked back.”

With De Haan’s deliberate coaching, Van Nistelrooy began to thrive as a striker, and through his training regimen, he developed the essential skills and playing style that would benefit him in the years to come.

“During small-sided games, he was always the striker, and we used a solid defender,” De Haan recounts. “We aimed to replicate match conditions. For every small game, it was a duel between the defender and Ruud.

“I told him, ‘You know where to find space. You’re instinctive when the ball rebounds off the ‘keeper or the post; you’re always there, and you’re quick. If we’re up against a midline defense, there’s ample space; the ball in that area is an advantage for you because you’re always quicker than the defender.’

“And we achieved success.”

Taking notes and studying Bergkamp

De Haan fondly remembers a dedicated Van Nistelrooy who would document each training session in a notebook and traveled to observe Dennis Bergkamp at Ajax to enhance his skills.

“After every training, he would jot down what he had accomplished and what he needed to improve on the following day,” De Haan recalls. “He would approach me later, sometimes the next day or a week later, to ask about certain things I had advised him to do. He was always thinking and inquisitive. He was incredibly receptive to coaching.

“He would arrive early at the stadium for training, and after sessions, we would discuss what we reviewed on video from our practices.

“I accompanied him to watch Bergkamp to analyze his playstyle, his movements, and the spaces he occupied. He was eager to learn.”

De Haan had a profound impact on Van Nistelrooy, who after a single season secured a £4.7million transfer to PSV in 1998 — a record fee for a Dutch club at that time.

Van Nistelrooy and De Haan in 2022 (Pieter van der Woude/Orange Pictures/BSR Agency/Getty Images)

“Foppe isn’t very well-known in England, but he has a great reputation in Holland,” Van Nistelrooy expresses. “His methodology, combined with strength and conditioning, was truly ahead of its time.

“At 20 years old when I signed, I enjoyed playing but was not aware of the responsibilities of professional football or how to take charge of my development — he educated me about that. Within a single season, I noticed substantial improvements that led to my transfer to PSV for a record fee in the Netherlands.”

The record-breaking transfer that paid for a stadium

De Haan’s dedication not only benefitted Van Nistelrooy but also Heerenveen, which could reinvest the funds from his transfer.

“With the money we received, we were able to build our stadium,” De Haan reveals. “I was saddened when he left for PSV, but for the club, it was financially prudent as it allowed us to invest in both the facility and the team. We qualified for the Champions League in 2000.”

In Van Nistelrooy’s first season at PSV, under the management of Sir Bobby Robson, the team finished third in the Eredivisie, securing a Champions League spot. He scored 31 goals in 34 matches, marking the highest tally in the league and the second-highest in Europe. His performance also earned him the Dutch Player of the Year award.

Van Nistelrooy scored 31 goals in 34 league matches in 1998-99, the second-best haul in Europe (John Marsh/EMPICS via Getty Images)

“Some might have believed the fee was excessive,” Ernest Faber, a teammate of Van Nistelrooy’s at PSV, shares. “However, he consistently found the net at every level. He meticulously planned his development and worked alongside superb coaches. That fee, when compared to today’s standards, seems quite reasonable, and it was especially low for a striker at that time.

“He played with immense passion and always trained with high energy and intensity. He did everything possible to secure victories and displayed an innate sixth sense for being in the right place at the right time. A quintessential striker, he was always on the prowl for goals, and even in his early days in Eindhoven, he delivered impressive performances.”

Lucius, also on the PSV squad, was taken aback by how much Van Nistelrooy had matured since their youth days.

“He had transformed from a youth player into a top professional,” he remarked. “I noticed a strong player brimming with confidence. He achieved tremendous success at PSV.”

A lasting presence in Eindhoven

The following season, 1999-2000, PSV clinched the Eredivisie title, with Van Nistelrooy netting 29 goals across just 23 league matches.

This success caught the attention of Manchester United, who were already aware of him thanks to Robson. Robson recounts in his autobiography, *Farewell but not Goodbye*, that he bumped into Alex Ferguson’s brother, Martin, at an airport after leaving PSV.

“Tell your brother to sign him,” he advised. “I worked with him for a year, and I’m confident he’ll excel. He’s dedicated to training, has an admirable character, and will thrive in English football. Convey this to your brother — secure his signing!”

However, fate intervened when Van Nistelrooy suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury during training in April 2000. After undergoing surgery in the United States, he finalized his transfer to Old Trafford a year later as United and Ferguson were eager to proceed with the deal despite the setback. His journey beyond the Netherlands would reach even greater pinnacles.

The story of that injury, his transfer to Old Trafford, and the entirety of his playing career is a tale for another time. Nevertheless, in the Netherlands, where it all began, Van Nistelrooy’s legacy continues to resonate at PSV.

“His son (Liam) now plays for PSV’s under-17 team,” Lucius notes. “He’s a tall striker, much like his father, and a promising talent.

“I encounter his parents weekly, as they consistently attend his matches. They are a wonderful family, down-to-earth individuals who haven’t changed a bit.”

(Top photo: EMPICS via Getty Images; Pro Shots/Sipa USA via AP Images; design by Demetrius Robinson)