Meet the Europe's Double-Winners
A great momentum for a player to make an European double success ~ winning the European titles at both club and national levels in the same year. In fact, this achievement has been rarely found and accordingly a unique one. The club competition refers to the former UEFA Champions Cup and the current UEFA Champions League, the most prestigious club competition in Europe held since mid-1950s.
It must be a wonderful memory for those who have been graced by such particular status for not many able ~ or, to be precisely, fortunate ~ to get it. For example Paolo Maldini is far above Gerald Vanenburg in term of silverware collections and fame and many things. But the former has to admit that the Dutchman is more successful in term of this double-winning category. The latter was one of the squads playing football for PSV Eindhoven, the Champions of Europe in 1988, when they won the Euro'88 in De Oranje jersey. Another example, Michael Laudrup was unlucky not to be included by Coach Moeller-Nielsen into the 1992 winning squads despite the winners with Barcelona at the year's Champions Cup.
So far there are only seven players who make the doubles, and of them, the Dutchmen dominate the list by registering five players, thanks to PSV Eindhoven's only success, but the greatest ever in term of double-winning side, and impressive achievement of the "Rinus Michels' Total Football" in Euro'88 held in the former West Germany.
A unique fashion was demonstrated by Luis Suarez and Nicolas Anelka, who represented Spain in Euro'64 and France in Euro 2000, respectively. Suarez and Anelka brought his country to the European triumph following the success at club level with Internazionale Milan and Real Madrid, respectively. In other words, they won the Champions when they played professional football in foreign countries. Meanwhile, Gerrard Pique could have had followed his senior compatriot had he stayed in the jersey of Manchester United, the Champions League winners in 2008, when Spain tipped-off the second European title. Instead, Pique was on loan to Real Zaragoza.
List of European Double-Winners
1. Luis Suarez (Internazionale Milan - Spain)
2. Hans van Breukelen (PSV Eindhoven - Netherlands)
3. Ronald Koeman (PSV Eindhoven - Netherlands)
4. Berry van Aerle (PSV Eindhoven - Netherlands)
5. Gerald Vanenburg (PSV Eindhoven - Netherlands)
6. Wim Kieft (PSV Eindhoven - Netherlands)
7. Nicolas Anelka (Real Madrid - France)
Generally speaking, Spain, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and England, according to their convincing results during the Euro 2012 qualifiers, have been on the pole position of the favorites to win the Euro 2012, whatsoever they take form. This trend can be combined by the positive run of Barcelona, AC Milan, and Real Madrid at the 2011/2012 UEFA Champions League (as of the 1st leg of the Last-16) has hovered hope to their players to be called into the fixed squads of their respective national sides next summer. It can be Xavi Hernandez & Co. the patriots of their own, be Mesut Oezil & Co. inheriting Suarez's legacy, or even be Mark van Bommel & Co. clarifying the dominance of the Dutch Double-winners.
It must be a wonderful memory for those who have been graced by such particular status for not many able ~ or, to be precisely, fortunate ~ to get it. For example Paolo Maldini is far above Gerald Vanenburg in term of silverware collections and fame and many things. But the former has to admit that the Dutchman is more successful in term of this double-winning category. The latter was one of the squads playing football for PSV Eindhoven, the Champions of Europe in 1988, when they won the Euro'88 in De Oranje jersey. Another example, Michael Laudrup was unlucky not to be included by Coach Moeller-Nielsen into the 1992 winning squads despite the winners with Barcelona at the year's Champions Cup.
So far there are only seven players who make the doubles, and of them, the Dutchmen dominate the list by registering five players, thanks to PSV Eindhoven's only success, but the greatest ever in term of double-winning side, and impressive achievement of the "Rinus Michels' Total Football" in Euro'88 held in the former West Germany.
A unique fashion was demonstrated by Luis Suarez and Nicolas Anelka, who represented Spain in Euro'64 and France in Euro 2000, respectively. Suarez and Anelka brought his country to the European triumph following the success at club level with Internazionale Milan and Real Madrid, respectively. In other words, they won the Champions when they played professional football in foreign countries. Meanwhile, Gerrard Pique could have had followed his senior compatriot had he stayed in the jersey of Manchester United, the Champions League winners in 2008, when Spain tipped-off the second European title. Instead, Pique was on loan to Real Zaragoza.
List of European Double-Winners
1. Luis Suarez (Internazionale Milan - Spain)
2. Hans van Breukelen (PSV Eindhoven - Netherlands)
3. Ronald Koeman (PSV Eindhoven - Netherlands)
4. Berry van Aerle (PSV Eindhoven - Netherlands)
5. Gerald Vanenburg (PSV Eindhoven - Netherlands)
6. Wim Kieft (PSV Eindhoven - Netherlands)
7. Nicolas Anelka (Real Madrid - France)
Generally speaking, Spain, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and England, according to their convincing results during the Euro 2012 qualifiers, have been on the pole position of the favorites to win the Euro 2012, whatsoever they take form. This trend can be combined by the positive run of Barcelona, AC Milan, and Real Madrid at the 2011/2012 UEFA Champions League (as of the 1st leg of the Last-16) has hovered hope to their players to be called into the fixed squads of their respective national sides next summer. It can be Xavi Hernandez & Co. the patriots of their own, be Mesut Oezil & Co. inheriting Suarez's legacy, or even be Mark van Bommel & Co. clarifying the dominance of the Dutch Double-winners.
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