Van Nistelrooy roped in as Dutch assistant coach for Euro 2020

Author: Agencies

AMSTERDAM: Former Netherlands striker Ruud van Nistelrooy will be going to next year’s European Championship after Dutch coach Ronald Koeman added two more assistants to his staff for the tournament. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player, now 43, was named along with Under-19 coach Maarten Stekelenburg to replace Kees van Wonderen, who recently left the squad. “It’s a great chance to be part of the tournament and a challenge I take on with both hands, giving all I can to ensure a successful European Championship,” he said in a statement issued by the Dutch football association on Wednesday. Van Nistelrooy works as coach of PSV Eindhoven’s Under-19 team but, in addition to his 70 caps, has experience with the Dutch national squad as an assistant to past coaches Guus Hiddink and Danny Blind. At Euro 2004, Van Nistelrooy scored in three group stage matches as the Dutch reached the semi-finals. He also struck at Euro 2008 where they got as far as the quarter-finals.