About Leo Beenhakker
Leo Beenhakker (Dutch: [ˈleːjoː ˈbeːnɦɑkər]; 2 August 1942 – 10 April 2025) was a Dutch football player and coach. Nicknamed "Don Leo" for his role in Spanish football, he had an extensive and successful career both at club and international level. After his amateur playing career ended at 19 through injury, he began his coaching career. He won the Eredivisie title twice with Ajax and once with Feyenoord, becoming the only person to do so with both rival teams. In Spain he won three consecutive La Liga titles with Real Madrid in the late 1980s, including one as a double with the Copa del Rey. Additionally, he had brief spells in the top divisions of Switzerland, Mexico and Turkey. At international level, he led the Netherlands at the 1990 FIFA World Cup, Trinidad and Tobago at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and Poland at UEFA Euro 2008, the latter two being firsts for both nations. Beenhakker began coaching Epe in 1965 before his breakthrough at Ajax, where he won the Eredivisie in his debut season in 1979–80. His side, which included the likes of Juan Señor, Jorge Valdano and Pichi Alonso, won no trophies during his term, but finished in high league positions including 6th in 1982–83 and 7th a year later.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.