Top 5 Barcelona players who became managers

#4 Ronald Koeman

Southampton v Crystal Palace - Premier League — Koeman is the top-scoring defender in football history

Ronald Koeman is one of the greatest defenders in the history of football. The centre back was an indispensable member of the Barcelona ‘Dream Team’ under Johan Cruyff. As a player, the Dutch legend left lasting legacies.

His pace, energy, and solidity at the back were qualities that set him apart from his teammates. Besides, he was often described as a defender with the soul of an attacker. This is because of his goal-scoring exploits - he remains the top scoring defender in history with 253 goals in his career.

He was highly reputed for his long-range passing, agility and shot accuracy. During his time as a Barca player, he helped the Catalan giants with many trophies including their first European Cup - scoring the only goal of the match against Sampdoria in the final.

Some years after retiring, Ronald Koeman began his official coaching career with Ajax, winning the Eredivisie in his first season with the club before moving to Portugal where he coached Portuguese giants, Benfica where he lifted the Portuguese Super Cup.

He has also managed other clubs like PSV, Feyenoord, AZ Alkmaar, Valencia, Southampton, and Everton. Currently, Koeman is the coach for the Netherlands national football team.

About the author

Jidonu is a European and international football news writer at Sportskeeda. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and has around 7 years of previous experience working with the likes of Tribuna and SportRaba, Jidonu has a good eye for detail and has the ability to created cohesive articles, and reporting exploits have also led him to exclusively cover the 2018 FIFA World Cup in the past.

Jidonu’s tryst with football started after watching the 2002 FIFA World Cup final between Brazil and Germany, being mesmerized by Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. Barcelona philosophy and approach towards the game under Pep Guardiola further fueled the burgeoning love for the sport, and he has been a Culer ever since.

Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi is his favorite player and is the one true GOAT for him over Cristiano Ronaldo. The 2022 FIFA World Cup final, where Messi's brace led to La Albiceleste lifting the cup left a lasting impact on him. His love for Messi also sees him follow Major League Soccer apart from Europe’s top five leagues.

In his free time, Jidonu raps and produces music, and also enjoys reading and swimming.

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Edited by Shyam Kamal