Ronald Koeman was a defender like few others, a Dutchman who combined solidity at the back with the goalscoring output of a midfielder, thanks to a fearsome shot and mastery of the free-kick. He won the European Cup with PSV Eindhoven before joining Barcelona, where he became a central figure in Johan Cruyff’s ‘Dream Team’.
His curling free-kick won Barcelona their first European Cup at Wembley in 1992, one of the defining goals in the club’s history. A European Championship winner with the Netherlands in 1988, he later enjoyed a long managerial career, including a return to Barcelona and charge of the national team.