The Louis van Gaal legacy: Every youth player the ex-Man Utd & Barcelona boss ever promoted
Although the latter years will be remembered more for an underwhelming Manchester United spell, Louis van Gaal had a largely outstanding managerial career.
Across five clubs, based in four different countries, the Dutchman won 20 pieces of silverware in 24 years, including the Champions League title with boyhood club Ajax.
It was at the Amsterdam giants where he made his name as a champion of developing youngsters, handing out numerous first-team debuts to several prodigious talents from their esteemed academy.
He took that mentality to Barcelona, AZ, Bayern Munich and lastly Manchester United. Not all enjoyed stellar careers, though a few did, so that alone cements his legacy in the history of football.
Below are 45 players who owe the beginning of their footballing journey to the 69-year-old Dutchman.
David Alaba
Club: Bayern Munich
Year: 2010
The defender-cum-midfielder has been regarded as one of the top left-backs in European football but has since taken his quality to the centre of the defence. The Austrian, still only 28, regularly praises Van Gaal for shaping him into the footballer he is. “He gave me a lot of trust,” he said earlier this year.
“He threw me into the cold water early and today I’m grateful for that. He was a manager who was very ‘mutig’ [brave] at this time.
“He brought out Thomas Muller, Holger Badstuber and me. He brought a lot of football instinct with him and you could feel in every single practice he has a plan and he knows what he wants.”
Holger Badstuber
Club: Bayern Munich
Year: 2009
Unlucky with injuries in recent years and now in the Regionalliga Südwest with Stuttgart, the German international was a regular presence under Van Gaal at Bayern Munich.
Milan Berck Beelenkamp
Club: Ajax
Year: 1996
Berck Beelenkamp’s time in Amsterdam was brief, and before retiring in 2013 enjoyed spells at De Graafschap, Haarlem and Genoa.
Tyler Blackett
Club: Manchester United
Year: 2014
A lot was expected after showing early promise, but Blackett couldn’t make the grade at United and promptly represented Celtic, before settling at Reading prior to moving onto Nottingham Forest.
Cameron Borthwick-Jackson
Club: Manchester United
Year: 2015
The full-back was a bright spot in the final days of Van Gaal’s tenure at Old Trafford but has remained unable to break into the first-team.
Job Bulters
Club: AZ
Years: 2006
Bulters would only play three matches for AZ before moving on to Telstar and then MVV, before representing EHC as recently as 2016.
Diego Contento
Club: Bayern Munich
Year: 2010
Contento’s time with Van Gaal was brief, as well as his period with Bayern. Today he’s plying his trade with SV Sandhausen whom he joined from Fortuna Dusseldorf after barely featuring for their first-team during the 2019/20 season.
Edgar Davids
Club: Ajax
Year: 1991
Dubbed “The Pitbull” by Van Gaal, the Dutchman was one of the most celebrated and revered midfielders of his generation.
Timothy Fosu-Mensah
Club: Manchester United
Year: 2016
The former Ajax youth player was regularly trusted by Van Gaal, but was on the periphery under his successor Jose Mourinho. He remains at the club but is yet to firmly establish himself in the first-team.
Gabri
Club: Barcelona
Year: 1999
Gabri was one of the many products of La Masia brought through by Van Gaal, though his career at Barcelona wasn’t as illustrious as some of his contemporaries.
Andres Iniesta
Club: Barcelona
Year: 2002
Arguably the finest midfielder of the last decade, Iniesta has previously described Van Gaal as his most important coach.
“I always say that I owe a lot to all of my coaches, including those from my youth,” he said.
“I learned from everyone, everyone helped me to become a better footballer and to develop as a person.
“A Louis van Gaal, for example, was very important because I made my debut under him. He put my trust in me and turned me into a professional footballer.”
Saidy Janko
Club: Manchester United
Year: 2014
Janko left United almost as soon as he arrived, but not before playing for the Red Devils. He’s currently at Real Valladolid after leaving Porto.
Jofre
Club: Barcelona
Year: 1998
Much was expected of Jofre when he emerged in the late 1990s, but has since enjoyed a journeyman career, ending with FC Goa in India.
Patrick Kluivert
Club: Ajax
Year: 1994
Ajax’s failure to sign Ronaldo saw Kluivert promoted from their academy, and he would end his debut season scoring the winning goal in the Champions League final.
Thomas Kraft
Club: Bayern Munich
Year: 2010
Kraft spent one season at Bayern before establishing himself at Hertha Berlin, where he remained albeit as backup to Rune Jarstein before hanging up the gloves.
Denny Landzaat
Club: Ajax
Year: 1996
It never worked out for Landzaat at Ajax, but he’s enjoyed a stellar career including reuniting with Van Gaal at AZ.
Jeremain Lens
Club: AZ
Year: 2005
It was in Alkmaar where Lens made his name, and he has since turned out for PSV, Sunderland, Fenerbahce and Besiktas.
Eli Louhenapessy
Club: Ajax
Year: 1996
Louhenapessy never made the grade at Ajax, and spent the final seven years of his career in Italy, most notably with Salernitana Calcio and Carrarese Calcio.
Paddy McNair
Club: Manchester United
Year: 2014
Another defender brought through from United’s academy by Van Gaal, but has since departed for Sunderland and is now at Middlesbrough.
Mario Melchiot
Club: Ajax
Year: 1996
The full-back was part of the Ajax squad that reached the 1996 Champions League final, and would enjoy spells at Chelsea and Wigan Athletic.
Kofi Mensah
Club: Ajax
Year: 1996
The defender spent three years with Ajax, making just 21 league appearances.
Kiki Musampa
Club: Ajax
Year: 1995
After leaving Ajax for Bordeaux in 1997, the former winger enjoyed spells with Malaga, Atletico Madrid and Manchester City among others, before retiring in 2009.
Nano
Club: Barcelona
Year: 1999
The winger, who can also operate at left-back, didn’t have the career he would’ve wanted after debuting in 1999, finally retiring in 2018 after three years at Racing de Ferrol.
Gregory Nelson
Club: AZ
Year: 2007
Nelson is currently without a club, leaving Indian Super League side Chennaiyin FC in 2019 after two years.
Tarik Oulida
Club: Ajax
Year: 1992
Spent three years with Ajax before departing for Spain for a spell at Sevilla.
Andreas Pereira
Club: Manchester United
Year: 2014
Still highly-rated by those at Old Trafford, he was sent out on loan to gain more first-team experience with Valencia but is now threatening to become a big part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad at United.
Carles Puyol
Club: Barcelona
Year: 1999
Arguably one of the best central defenders of his generation. Puyol was the rock behind the Barcelona and Spain squads that conquered the world domestically as well as internationally.
Marcus Rashford
Club: Manchester United
Year: 2016
One of Van Gaal’s biggest success stories was the breakthrough of Rashford in early 2016. The Englishman is considered one of the best prospects in Europe right now, and can only get better still aged just 22. And that’s before you include the excellent work he has been doing off the pitch.
Martijn Reuser
Club: Ajax
Year: 1993
Perhaps more well known to English fans for his time at Ipswich Town between 2000-2004.
Mario Rosas
Club: Barcelona
Year: 1998
Another that failed to make the grade after coming through the Barcelona academy. Retired from football in 2014 following a spell with Eldense.
Dennis Schulp
Club: Ajax
Year: 1996
Made his professional debut for Ajax by coming on for a young Patrick Kluivert. Last played for DOVO – an amateur football team in the Netherlands back in 2010.
Clarence Seedorf
Club: Ajax
Year: 1992
Considered one of the most successful players in UEFA Champions League history, as he’s the first, and currently only player to have won the competition with three different clubs.
Arno Splinter
Club: Ajax
Year: 1996
Made just nine league appearances for Ajax in three years at the club.
Ignacio Tuhuteru
Club: Ajax
Years: 1993
Left Ajax in 1994 to join the Chinese Super League when it wasn’t as popular as it is today.
Rody Turpijn
Club: Ajax
Year: 1996
After leaving Ajax for De Graafschap in 1999, he called time on his career four years later.
Víctor Valdés
Club: Barcelona
Year: 2002
Valdes went on to win numerous La Liga titles with Barca, as well as the Champions League three times. Was reunited with Van Gaal at Manchester United, but that experience wasn’t pleasant and went on to Middlesbrough before retiring in 2017.
Dick van Burik
Club: Ajax
Year: 1993
Made just three league appearances for Ajax, and retired from the game in June 2007.
Dave van den Bergh
Club: Ajax
Year: 1996
Left Ajax in 1997, retired in 2009 and is now assistant manager at MLS side New England Revolution.
Marko Vejinović
Club: AZ
Year: 2009
Spent his entire career in the Netherlands, with spells at AZ, Heracles Almelo, Vitesse and Feyenoord before making the move to Poland with Arka Gdynia in 2019.
Ruud Vormer
Club: AZ
Year: 2006
Spent four years with Roda JC, now with Club Brugge in Belgium where he won the Belgian Golden Shoe in 2018, the same year he’d debut for the Dutch national team.
James Weir
Club: Manchester United
Year: 2016
Made his debut as a substitute for Ander Herrera against Arsenal in February 2016, joined Hull City on a permanent basis on deadline day in summer 2017. He’s now in Slovakia with Pohronie.
Clyde Wijnhard
Club: Ajax
Year: 1993
Spent almost a decade in English football with the likes of Leeds United, Preston North End, Huddersfield Town and Oldham Athletic. Now helps young Dutch footballers gain trials at English clubs.
Menno Willems
Club: Ajax
Year: 1996
Was advised to call time on his professional career at the end of the 2005/06 season because of a knee injury.
Nordin Wooter
Club: Ajax
Year: 1994
Once Watford’s record signing in 1999, he scored three goals for the Hornets during a three-year stint. Retired in 2008.
Xavi
Club: Barcelona
Year: 1998
Easily recognisable as one of the greatest central midfielders of all-time. Often regarded as the brains behind Barcelona and Spain’s tiki-taka passing style and a true proponent of Louis van Gaal’s style of play.
