Marco Van Basten

Marco van Basten is one of the best football players ever. He was born in Utrecht, Netherlands, on October 31, 1964. This is a story about his life and his amazing career in football.

Early Life

As a young boy, Marco loved to play football. He started playing when he was very small. His father taught him how to play. Every day after school, Marco would play football with his friends in the street. He was always very good at scoring goals.

When Marco was young, he joined a small football team in Utrecht. The coaches saw that he was special. He could kick the ball very well with both feet. He was also very tall and strong. Everyone could see that he would become a very good player.

Starting His Career

At age 16, Marco started playing for Ajax Amsterdam. Ajax is one of the biggest football teams in the Netherlands. He was very young, but he was not afraid. In his first game, he scored a goal! The fans loved him from the start.

Marco scored many, many goals for Ajax. He played there for six years. In those years, he scored 128 goals in 133 games. This means he scored almost one goal in every game. This is very, very good! He helped Ajax win three league titles and three Dutch cups.

Moving to Italy

In 1987, Marco moved to Italy. He went to play for AC Milan. AC Milan paid a lot of money for him because he was so good. In Italy, football was very different. The players were stronger and the games were harder. But Marco still played very well.

At AC Milan, Marco became even more famous. He played with other very good players. Together, they made AC Milan one of the best teams in the world. They won many important games and cups. Marco scored many beautiful goals. Some people say his goals were like art.

His Best Years

The years 1988-1992 were Marco's best time as a player. In 1988, he helped the Netherlands win the European Championship. In the final game against Russia, he scored one of the most beautiful goals ever. He jumped in the air and kicked the ball into the goal. People still talk about this goal today.

In 1992, Marco won a very special prize. He won the Ballon d'Or. This prize is for the best football player in Europe. Marco won it three times - in 1988, 1989, and 1992. Not many players have won it three times. This shows how special he was.

Problems with His Ankle

Sadly, Marco had big problems with his ankle. His ankle hurt a lot when he played. The doctors tried to help him. They did many operations. But the pain did not go away. Marco had to stop playing football when he was only 28 years old. This was very sad for him and for football fans.

Even though he had to stop playing early, Marco had scored 218 goals in 280 games in his career. These are very good numbers. Many people say that if he had not had ankle problems, he could have become even better.

After Playing Football

After he stopped playing, Marco did not leave football. He became a coach. He was the coach of Ajax and also the Netherlands national team. He helped many young players become better at football.

Today, Marco talks about football on TV. He helps people understand the game better. Many young players watch videos of his goals. They try to learn from him. Even today, many people think Marco was one of the best players ever.

Why Marco Was Special

There are many reasons why Marco was a special player:

He was very tall (1.88 meters) but he could move very fast. This was unusual for tall players.

He could score goals in many different ways. He could use his head, his right foot, and his left foot equally well.

He was very smart on the football field. He knew where to run and when to shoot the ball.

He scored many beautiful goals. Some people say his goals were like art.

He was a good team player. He helped other players score goals too.

His Awards and Achievements

Here are some of the important things Marco won in his career:

Three Dutch league titles with Ajax
Three Dutch cups with Ajax
Two European cups with AC Milan
Three Italian league titles with AC Milan
European Championship with the Netherlands in 1988
Three Ballon d'Or awards
UEFA Best Player of the Year in 1989 and 1990

His Playing Style

Marco had a special way of playing football. He was very elegant when he played. People loved to watch him. He could control the ball very well. When he got the ball, he almost never lost it.

He was also very good at scoring goals from difficult positions. Sometimes he would score goals that seemed impossible. Other players tried to copy his style, but nobody could do it quite like Marco.

His Legacy

Today, many people remember Marco as one of football's greatest players. Young players study his goals and try to learn from them. Coaches use videos of Marco to teach their players how to play better.

Even though his career was short because of his ankle problems, Marco left a big mark on football. He showed that football can be both effective and beautiful. Many people say that players like Marco only come along once in a lifetime.

Fun Facts About Marco

Here are some interesting things about Marco:

His nickname was "San Marco" (Saint Marco)
He scored 5 goals in one game when he was only 19 years old
He never played in a World Cup
His first coach job was with Ajax's second team
He wrote a book about his life in football
He has three children

What People Say About Him

Many famous people in football have said nice things about Marco:

"He was the greatest player I ever saw." - Johan Cruyff
"Marco could do things with a football that were amazing." - Paolo Maldini
"He made difficult things look easy." - Frank Rijkaard

Final Words

Marco van Basten's story teaches us something important. It shows that even if you have problems, you can still do great things. Marco had bad ankle problems, but he is still remembered as one of the best players ever.

His story also shows us that it's important to work hard. Marco practiced a lot when he was young. This helped him become a very good player. He showed that if you want to be good at something, you need to practice a lot.

Today, many young players want to be like Marco van Basten. They watch his old games and try to learn from him. This shows that Marco was not just a great player - he was someone who changed football forever.

Marco van Basten's life in football was like a beautiful story. Even though it ended too soon, people will remember him forever as one of football's greatest stars.



True/False Questions:
1. Marco van Basten was born in Amsterdam.
2. He started playing for Ajax when he was 16 years old.
3. Van Basten never played football in Italy.
4. He won the Ballon d'Or three times.
5. He had to stop playing because of knee problems.

Multiple Choice Questions:
1. Where was Marco van Basten born?
a) Amsterdam
b) Milan
c) Utrecht
d) Rotterdam

2. How many goals did he score for Ajax?
a) 108 goals
b) 118 goals
c) 128 goals
d) 138 goals

3. What was his nickname?
a) Super Marco
b) San Marco
c) King Marco
d) Magic Marco

Simple Answer Questions:
1. How tall was Marco van Basten?
2. What team did he play for in Italy?
3. In what year did he help Netherlands win the European Championship?
4. What does he do now?
5. How many children does he have?

Comprehension Questions:
1. Why was Marco van Basten special as a tall player?
2. What happened to make him stop playing football?
3. What did he do after he stopped playing football?
4. Why do people still remember him today?
5. What can we learn from Marco van Basten's story?

Match the Years:
Match these events with the correct years:
1. Won his first Ballon d'Or ___
2. Moved to AC Milan ___
3. Won European Championship ___
4. Won his last Ballon d'Or ___

a) 1987
b) 1988
c) 1988
d) 1992