Dennis Bergkamp
The Iceman Cometh... but not by plane
| Full name: | Dennis Nicolaas Maria Bergkamp |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: | May 10, 1969 |
| Clubs played for: | Ajax, Inter Milan, Arsenal |
Club Career
One of the finest players of his, or any other generation, Dennis Bergkamp made his name with Ajax in his native Holland, before an unhappy two-year spell at Inter Milan.
His arrival at Highbury in 1995 sparked an almost immediate upturn in the club's fortunes and his 11 years in north London were littered with team and personal honours.
Club Stats
| Years | Clubs | App | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986-93 | Ajax | 185 | 103 |
| 1993-95 | Inter Milan | 52 | 11 |
| 1995-2006 | Arsenal | 316 | 91 |
International Career
Bergkamp was a major figure in the Dutch set-up for 10 years during the1990s having made his debut against Italy in September 1990. He played in two World Cups and three European Championship finals, retiring after the 2000 European Championship in his home country.
International Career Stats
| Years | Clubs | App | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990-2000 | Holland | 79 | 37 |
Key Games
Leicester 3-3 Arsenal (Premier League, August 27, 1997)
A dazzling individual display by the Dutch master as he bagged a hat-trick of supreme quality. All three goals were right out of the top drawer - the only downside being that the Gunners let in three at the other end meaning Bergkamp's brilliance earned them only a single point in a 3-3 draw.
Holland 2-1 Argentina (World Cup quarter-final, July 4,1998)
With a pulsating and controversial quarter-final seemingly heading for extra-time, Bergkamp provided a decisive moment of magic in the 89th minute. He gathered Arthur Numan's diagonal ball with a sublime piece of control, before supplying a deadly finishing touch to fire the ball past Carlos Roa and clinch a 2-1 win for the Dutch.
Newcastle 0-2 Arsenal (Premier League, March 3, 2002)
Although he was approaching his 33rd birthday at the time, Bergkamp proved he had lost none of his magic with a goal of outrageous skill to put Arsenal on the way to a 2-0 win at St James' Park. Taking a pass from Robert Pires with his back to goal, he flicked the ball behind defender Nikos Dabizas, before spinning away to the other side of the wrong-footed Greek and then side-footing the ball expertly past Shay Given.
Honours
| Club | Competition | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Ajax | League Championship | 1989-90 |
| Dutch Cup | 1987, 1993 | |
| European Cup-Winners' Cup | 1987 | |
| UEFA Cup | 1992 | |
| Dutch Player of the Year | 1992, 1993 | |
| Inter Milan | UEFA Cup | 1994 |
| Arsenal | Premier League | 1997-98, 2001-02, 2003-04 |
| FA Cup | 1998, 2002, 2003, 2005 | |
| Football Writers' Footballer of the Year | 1998 | |
| PFA Player of the Year | 1998 |
Did You Know...?
Bergkamp's hat-trick against Leicester in August 1997 was voted first, second and third in Match of the Day's Goal of the Month competition - the first time one player had filled all three slots.
The first game played at the Emirates Stadium, in July 2006, was a testimonial for Bergkamp between Arsenal and Ajax. The clubs' current first-team's played the first half, and two teams of legends contested the second. Arsenal won 2-1 with goals from Thierry Henry and Nwankwo Kanu.
In July 2008, Bergkamp was voted second behind Thierry Henry in an online poll on Arsenal's official website to find the 50 Greatest Gunners.
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