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Ruud Krol

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Ruud Krol
Krol in 2005
Personal information
Full name Rudolf Jozef Krol
Date of birth (1949-03-24) 24 March 1949 (age 76)
Place of birth Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Left-back, sweeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1968–1980 Ajax 339 (23)
1980 Vancouver Whitecaps 14 (0)
1980–1984 Napoli 107 (1)
1984–1986 Cannes 63 (0)
Total 523 (24)
International career
1969–1983 Netherlands[1][2] 83 (4)
Managerial career
1989–1990 Mechelen
1990 Servette
1991–1993 Netherlands U21 (assistant)
1994–1995 Egypt U23
1995–1996 Egypt[3]
1997–1999 Zamalek
1999 Al-Wahda
1999–2001 Netherlands (assistant)
2002–2005 Ajax (assistant)
2006–2007 Ajaccio
2007–2008 Zamalek
2008–2011 Orlando Pirates
2012–2013 Sfaxien
2013 Tunisia
2014 Espérance
2014 Al-Ahli
2015 Raja Casablanca
2016 Club Africain
2018–2019 Sfaxien
2020 Kuwait SC[4]
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Netherlands (as player)
FIFA World Cup
Runner-up 1974 West Germany
Runner-up 1978 Argentina
European Championship
Third place 1976 Yugoslavia
Representing  Egypt (as manager)
African Games
Gold medal – first place 1995 Harare
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Rudolf Jozef "Ruud" (or "Rudi") Krol (Dutch pronunciation: [ryt ˈkrɔl]; born 24 March 1949)[5] is a Dutch former professional footballer who was capped 83 times for the Netherlands national team.[5] Most of his career he played for his home town club, Ajax. He became a coach after retirement.[6] Regarded as one of the greatest defenders of all time,[7][8] Krol mainly played as a sweeper or left-back, though he could play anywhere across the back line, or in midfield as a defensive midfielder, due to his range of passing with both feet, temperament, tactical intelligence, and his ability to start attacking plays after winning back the ball.[9]

Playing career

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Club

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Krol with Ajax in 1979

He began his career at Ajax under manager Rinus Michels. In his first season at the club he did not play much. After the departure of left-back Theo van Duivenbode to Feyenoord in the summer of 1969,[10] Krol became a regular player. When Ajax reached the UEFA European Cup in 1971, and won, Krol did not play because of a broken leg.[11] Krol did play in the European Cup finals of 1972 and 1973. While others, such as Johan Cruijff and Johan Neeskens, left for new pastures, Krol, captain since the departure of Piet Keizer in October 1974, stayed at Ajax until June 1980.[12]

He moved to the North American Soccer League to play for the Vancouver Whitecaps[13] for four months.[12] He then joined Napoli in September 1980,[14] where he played for the next four seasons and earned him the nicknames Grande Rudy (meaning Big Rudy) and Il Tulipano Azzurro (meaning the blue tulip).[12] His last club was in France with Cannes, at the time playing in Ligue 2 (the French Second division), before retiring in 1986.[12][15]

International

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Krol with the Netherlands in 1974

Internationally, Krol made his debut for the Netherlands in 1969 against England,[16] retiring from international football in 1983. He was a crucial component in the Total Football side of the 1970s. A versatile defender, he could play in any position along the back four or midfield. In the 1974 FIFA World Cup, in which the Netherlands reached the final, Krol primarily played at left-back. He created Cruijff's goal against Brazil[17] and scored a 25-yard screamer against Argentina.[18]

Krol was part of the Dutch squad that participated in the 1976 European Championship; the team finished in third place.

By the time the 1978 FIFA World Cup came about, Krol had switched to playing as a sweeper and had earned the captain's armband after the retirement of Cruijff. The Dutch team lost the World Cup final for a second time in a row.

Krol played for the Netherlands as captain at the 1980 European Championship, where the team didn't overcome the first round. He played for part of the qualifying for 1984 European Championship, and played his last match as international in 1983.

With 83 international games, he was the most capped Dutch player until Aron Winter surpassed him during UEFA Euro 2000.[19]

Managerial career

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Krol started his career as manager with K.V. Mechelen in July 1989, but he was sacked in January 1990.[20] In his managerial career, he has been head coach of Egypt,[3] and has been assistant manager of the Netherlands (under Frank Rijkaard[21] and Louis van Gaal[22]) and Ajax (under Ronald Koeman[23]). He became the interim manager of Ajax after the resignation of Koeman in February 2005.[24]

He was manager of Ajaccio in France Ligue 2 from 2006 to 2007. He returned as manager of Egyptian giants Zamalek in August 2007. He had previously managed them from 1994 to 1999, winning the Egyptian Cup in 1999, the African Cup of Champions Clubs in 1996 and the Afro-Asian Club Championship 1997, the last two being the biggest club level prizes available to CAF clubs. Krol's return to Zamalek was meant to be a stabilizing presence, after the club having gone through several managers in the preceding two seasons. He ended his sole season by winning one Egyptian Cup with Zamalek, and within one season he would leave and sign a three-year contract with the South African giants Orlando Pirates.

In his three years with the Orlando Pirates, he won two South African cups (and a finalist once) and won the national league, all in his last year in charge of the team. Those cups include MTN8 and Nedbank Cup. Despite that success his contract was not renewed.

He won the Tunisian championship with Sfaxien in 2012–13, after a fierce battle with the other three of the Tunisian big four.

After that success, he was contacted to lead the Tunisia national team in the play off qualifying to the 2014 world cup against Cameroon. He accepted that role and simultaneously became manager of Sfaxien and Tunisia in September 2013.[25] He won the 2013 CAF Confederation Cup with Sfaxien. He resigned from his duties as Sfaxien coach after the second leg of the final against TP Mazembe on 30 November 2013. He quit as the national team interim coach following Tunisia's loss in the World Cup play-off.

In January 2014, he was appointed new head coach of Tunisian side ES Tunis.[26]

Personal life

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  • On 6 July 1972, Krol married Yvonne van Ingen.[27] The couple has a daughter.[28]
  • On 26 September 1974, together with teammate Arie Haan, he opened a snack bar on Reguliersbreestraat in Amsterdam.[29]
  • His father Rudolf Josef (nicknamed Kuki) Krol (1922-2003)[30] participated in the Dutch resistance during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands.[31] Thanks to Kuki Krol, a brother of referee Leo Horn, George Horn, was able to go into hiding and hence survived the war.[32]

Career statistics

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Club

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[2][33]
Club Season League National cup[a] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Ajax 1968–69 Eredivisie 1 0 — — — 1 0
1969–70 Eredivisie 34 2 5 0 10[b] 0 — 48 2
1970–71 Eredivisie 24 2 4 0 7[c] 0 — 35 2
1971–72 Eredivisie 33 0 5 0 9[c] 0 — 47 0
1972–73 Eredivisie 34 3 1 0 7[c] 1 4[d] 0 46 4
1973–74 Eredivisie 34 3 4 0 2[c] 0 2[e] 0 42 3
1974–75 Eredivisie 24 1 1 0 6[f] 1 — 31 2
1975–76 Eredivisie 31 3 3 0 6[f] 0 3[g] 0 43 3
1976–77 Eredivisie 33 1 — 2[f] 1 — 35 2
1977–78 Eredivisie 34 2 7 0 6[c] 0 — 47 2
1978–79 Eredivisie 24 2 5 0 6[f] 0 — 35 2
1979–80 Eredivisie 33 4 6 0 7[c] 4 — 46 8
Total 339 23 41 0 68 7 9 0 456 30
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1980 NASL 14 0 — — — 14 0
Total 14 0 — — — 14 0
SSC Napoli 1980–81 Serie A 29 1 — — — 29 1
1981-82 Serie A 27 0 6 0 1[f] 0 — 34 0
1982–83 Serie A 30 0 7 0 4[f] 0 — 41 0
1983–84 Serie A 21 0 — — — 21 0
Total 107 1 13 0 5 0 — 125 1
AS Cannes 1984-85 Ligue 2 34 0 3 0 — — 37 0
1985-86 Ligue 2 29 0 — — — 29 0
Total 63 0 3 0 0 0 — 66 0
Career total 523 24 57 0 73 7 9 0 661 31
  1. ^ Appearances in KNVB Cup, Coppa Italia, Coupe de France
  2. ^ Appearances in Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
  3. ^ a b c d e f Appearances in European Cup
  4. ^ Two appearances in European Super Cup, two appearances in Intercontinental Cup
  5. ^ Two appearances in European Super Cup
  6. ^ a b c d e f Appearances in UEFA Cup
  7. ^ Dutch playoffs European football 1975 [nl]

International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year[34]
National team Year Apps Goals
Netherlands 1969 1 0
1970 2 0
1971 2 0
1972 5 0
1973 7 0
1974 14 2
1975 6 0
1976 6 1
1977 6 0
1978 14 1
1979 6 0
1980 6 0
1981 5 0
1982 2 0
1983 1 0
Total 83 4
Scores and results list the Netherlands' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Krol goal.
List of international goals scored by Ruud Krol[34]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 27 March 1974 Rotterdam, Netherlands  Austria 1–1 1–1 Friendly
2 26 June 1974 Gelsenkirchen, Germany  Argentina 3–0 4–0 1974 FIFA World Cup
3 13 October 1976 Rotterdam, Netherlands  Northern Ireland 1–1 2–2 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification
4 20 September 1978 Nijmegen, Netherlands  Iceland 1–0 3–0 UEFA Euro 1980 qualification

During the 1974 FIFA World Cup, Krol made an own goal in the match against Bulgaria.[35]

Honours

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Player

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Ajax

Netherlands

Individual

Coach

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Ajaccio

Ajax (as assistent to manager Ronald Koeman)

Zamalek

Orlando Pirates

  • Premier Soccer League: 2011; runner-up 2009
  • Nedbank Cup: 2011; runner-up 2010
  • Telkom charity cup: 2010, 2011
  • MTN 8: 2010

Sfaxien

Esperance

Raja Casablanca

Kuwait

Egyptian Olympic Team (U23)

Egypt

Netherlands (as assistant to manager Frank Rijkaard)

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Ruud Krol profile – Wereld van Oranje (Dutch)" (in Dutch).
  2. ^ a b Ruud Krol at National-Football-Teams.com
  3. ^ a b 1996 African Cup of Nations (squads)
  4. ^ "رياضة/رود-كرول-مدربا-ل-الكويت" [Ruud Krol appointed as Kuwait’s coach]. alraimedia.com (in Arabic). 20 July 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Ruud Krol". onsoranje.nl (in Dutch). KNVB. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
  6. ^ a b Tim van Boxtel (5 December 2017). "Voodoo, titels en de Dodenstad: het Afrikaanse leven van Ruud Krol" [Voodoo, titles and the City of Death: the African life of Ruud Krol] (in Dutch). vice.com.
  7. ^ Salvio Passante (12 March 2009). "ESCLUSIVA TUTTONAPOLI.NET - RUUD KROL: "Napoli sempre nel mio cuore. Sarebbe un onore lavorare per la società azzurra. Bruscolotti team manager giusto"" [RUUD KROL: Napoli always in my heart. It would be an honor to work for the Azzurri club. Bruscolotti would be the right team manager] (in Italian). TuttoNapoli.net. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  8. ^ a b "Ruud Krol in Monaco gekroond tot 'Legende van het Voetbal'" [Ruud Krol crowned as "Legend of Football' in Monaco]. Voetbal International. 2 November 2024. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
  9. ^ Krol, a Dutch legend in Africa FIFA.com
  10. ^ Jan-Vincent van Zuilen (6 May 2020). "Hoe Michels' fout en Happels vernuft Feyenoord aan de Europa Cup I hielpen" [How Michels' mistake and Happels' ingenuity helped Feyenoord to win the European Cup]. NOS (in Dutch).
  11. ^ Poul Anema (6 June 2009). "Ajax rouwt om Bobby Haarms" [Ajax mourns Bobby Haarms]. Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 23 October 2025.
  12. ^ a b c d Alain van Hilten (20 October 2025). "'Grande Rudy' Krol volgt PSV-opponent Napoli nog op de voet: "Voel me nog steeds Napolitaan"" ['Grande Rudy' Krol still follows PSV's opponent Napoli closely: "Still feeling like a Napolitano"]. ESPN Netherlands (in Dutch).
  13. ^ Ruud Krol. Planetworldcup.com.
  14. ^ Roberto Pennino (23 August 2019). "'King Krol zal ons redden'" ['King Krol will save us']. revu.nl (in Dutch).
  15. ^ Simon Zwartkruis (10 July 2025). "De eeuwige liefde tussen Napoli en Grande Rudy" [The eternal love between Napoli and Grande Rudy]. Voetbal International (in Dutch).
  16. ^ D. Ariese (6 November 1969). "Afzwaaier van Bobby Charlton redde wereldkampioenen, 0-1" [Stray shot by Bobby Charlton saved world champions, 0-1]. Algemeen Handelsblad (in Dutch). Delpher.nl. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
  17. ^ "Netherlands-Brazil 2-0 (1974)". planetworldcup.com.
  18. ^ "Planet World Cup: Legends - Krol".
  19. ^ "Winter ongemerkt record international" [Winter becoming record international unnoticed] (in Dutch). 30 June 2000. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  20. ^ Jacques Sys (20 September 2020). "Ruud Krol, de trainer die nooit sokken droeg" [Ruud Krol, the manager that never wore socks]. Knack (in Dutch).
  21. ^ "Krol tweede assistent van Rijkaard" [Krol second assistent to Rijkaard]. Voetbal International (in Dutch). 23 May 2000.
  22. ^ Thijs van Veghel (7 August 2012). "Krol: 'Periode met Van Gaal is een blinde vlek geworden'" [Krol: 'Period with Van Gaal has become a blind spot']. Voetbal International (in Dutch).
  23. ^ "Koeman en Krol aan de slag bij Ajax" [Koeman and Krol starting at Ajax]. Voetbal International (in Dutch). 3 December 2001.
  24. ^ Henk Hoijtink (7 March 2005). "Ook Krol wil graag zijn eigen stempel drukken" [Also Krol wants to put his mark]. Trouw (in Dutch).
  25. ^ "Ruud Krol appointed interim Tunisia coach for play-off". BBC Sport. 18 September 2013.
  26. ^ "Ruud Krol appointed new Esperance coach". BBC Sport. 20 January 2014.
  27. ^ "Ruud Krol treedt in het huwelijk met Yvonne van Ingen. 6 juli 1972". gahetna.nl (in Dutch). 6 July 1972.
  28. ^ "Aankomst Nederlands elftal op Schiphol; spelers banen zich weg door menigte, voorgrond Krol met dochter". gahetna.nl (in Dutch). 27 June 1978.
  29. ^ "Ruud Krol in zijn nieuwe snackbar, Regulierbreestraat; Ruud Krol met Arie Haan achter de bitterballen". gahetna.nl (in Dutch). 26 September 1974.
  30. ^ "Rudolf Josef Krol". Retrieved 2 November 2025.
  31. ^ Frits Barend (15 February 2003). "Mensch Kuki" [Human Kuki]. De Groene Amsterdammer (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 November 2025.
  32. ^ Frits Barend (16 February 2019). "Op één voorwaarde" [Under one condition]. Nieuw Israëlitisch Weekblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  33. ^ "Ruud Krol - Europese wedstrijden Nederlandse clubs". voetbalstats.nl (in Dutch).
  34. ^ a b "Ruud Krol - Interlands Nederlands Elftal" (in Dutch).
  35. ^ "WK 1974: toen we nog eenvoudig van de Bulgaren wonnen" [World Cup 1974: when we still could easily beat the Bulgarians] (in Dutch). 25 March 2017.
  36. ^ "1978 Tournoi de Paris". RSSSF. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  37. ^ Billy Hawkins (22 May 2018). "FROM THE ARCHIVE 1974 World Cup All-Star Team: Who were the players voted best in West Germany?". Talk Sport. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
  38. ^ Billy Hawkins (22 May 2018). "FROM THE ARCHIVE 1978 World Cup All-Star Team: Who were the players voted best in Argentina?". Talk Sport. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
  39. ^ "1976 team of the tournament". UEFA. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  40. ^ "Sport 1975". BigSoccer. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  41. ^ "Sport 1976". BigSoccer. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  42. ^ "Sport 1978". Mundo Deportivo. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  43. ^ "Sport 1979". Mundo Deportivo. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  44. ^ "Sport 1980". BigSoccer. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  45. ^ "Eric Batty's World XI – The Seventies". Beyond The Last Man. 7 November 2013. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  46. ^ ""Onze Mondial" Awards". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
  47. ^ FIFA XI´s Matches - Full Info
  48. ^ "Italy - Footballer of the Year". RSSSF. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  49. ^ "Guerin Sportivo Serie A Team of the Year". BigSoccer. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  50. ^ Bert Voorthuijzen (28 June 1978). "Oranje ontmoet Oranje" [Orange meets Orange]. De Telegraaf (in Dutch). Delpher.nl. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
  51. ^ "Ontvangst bij vorstin, Ruud Krol geridderd" [Reception at Queen, Ruud Krol knighted]. Amigoe (in Dutch). Delpher.nl. 28 June 1978. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
  52. ^ "Ruud Krol met echtgenote toosten met koningin Juliana en premier Van Agt" [Ruud Krol and partner toasting with Queen Juliana and prime minister Van Agt]. Nationaal Archief (in Dutch). 27 June 1978. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
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