Biography
Who is Guus Hiddink?
Early Life and Playing Career
Guus Hiddink was born in Varsseveld, Netherlands, on November 8, 1946. He began his football path in the youth ranks of amateur club SC Varsseveld. Guus started his professional career in 1967, signing with the Dutch club De Graafschap, where he played under manager Piet de Visser.
He spent most of his time as a player at De Graafschap, including three years under de Visser. Guus joined PSV in 1970 but returned to De Graafschap after one year, staying there until 1977. He rejoined De Graafschap again in 1981 and retired as a player in 1982, primarily playing as a midfielder.
First PSV Management Spell and Major Success
Guus Hiddink transitioned into coaching as an assistant manager at PSV Eindhoven from 1983. In March 1987, he was appointed manager, taking over the team when they were three points behind Ajax. Under his leadership, PSV secured the championship, finishing six points ahead.
A major highlight of Guus's first tenure at PSV was leading the team to its first European Cup triumph in 1988, completing a historic treble. This success firmly established PSV among the top Dutch football clubs. He also guided the club to three consecutive Eredivisie titles and three KNVB Cups between 1987 and 1990.
International Management and World Cup Runs
Guus took charge of the Netherlands national team on January 1, 1995. He led the team to the quarter-finals of UEFA Euro 1996, where they lost to France on penalties. In the 1998 FIFA World Cup, his team reached the semi-finals, defeating Argentina before losing to Brazil on penalties, eventually finishing fourth.
After managing Real Madrid and Real Betis briefly, Guus Hiddink accepted the role of coach for the South Korea national team in January 2001. He led South Korea to an unexpected fourth-place finish at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, a significant achievement for the co-host nation. This success earned him honorary South Korean citizenship and other accolades, including the renaming of Gwangju World Cup Stadium in his honor.
Return to PSV and Later Career
Guus returned to PSV Eindhoven as coach in 2002 for his second spell. During this period, he won three Dutch league titles (2002–03, 2004–05, and 2005–06), the 2005 Dutch Cup, and the 2003 Dutch Super Cup. He also guided PSV to their first Champions League semi-final appearance since the modern format began, narrowly losing to Milan in 2005.
His combined success at PSV made him the most successful Dutch coach in history, surpassing Rinus Michels with six Dutch League titles and four Dutch Cups. Guus Hiddink also managed the Australia national team concurrently with PSV from July 2005, leading Australia to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 32 years.
Birthday and age
Guus Hiddink was born on November 8, 1946, which makes Guus 79 years old today. That birthday falls under the Scorpio sign. Guus shares the date with 26 other famous people.
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