Dennis Nicolaas Maria Bergkamp (; born 10 May 1969) is a Dutch professional football coach and former Football player. Originally a wide midfielder, Bergkamp was moved to main striker while still a teenager and then played as a second striker for the remainder of his career.
Bergkamp was born in Amsterdam and played as an amateur in the lower leagues. He was spotted by AFC Ajax at age 11 and made his professional debut in 1986. Prolific form led to an international call-up with the Netherlands in 1990, attracting the attention of several European clubs. Bergkamp signed for Italian club Inter Milan in 1993, where he had two underwhelming seasons. After joining Arsenal in 1995, he rejuvenated his career, helping the club to win three Premier League titles (one unbeaten), three FA Cup trophies, and reach the 2006 UEFA Champions League final. Despite noting a desire to not go into coaching, Bergkamp served as an assistant at Ajax between 2011 and 2017.
With the Netherlands national team, Bergkamp was selected for Euro 1992, where he impressed, scoring three goals as his country reached the semi-finals. At the 1998 FIFA World Cup, he scored a memorable winning goal in the final minute of the quarter-final against Argentina which has been regarded as one of the greatest FIFA World Cup goals. Bergkamp surpassed Faas Wilkes's record to become the country's top scorer of all time in 1998, a record later eclipsed by Patrick Kluivert, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Robin van Persie, and Memphis Depay.
Bergkamp has been described by Jan Mulder as having "the finest technique" of any Dutch international and a "dream for a striker" by teammate Thierry Henry. Bergkamp finished third twice in the FIFA World Player of the Year award and was selected by Pelé as one of the FIFA 100 greatest living players. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation, one of the greatest players in Premier League history and amongst AFC Ajax's and Arsenal's greatest ever players. In 2007, he was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame, the first and only Dutch player ever to receive the honour. Bergkamp was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2021. In 2017, Bergkamp's goal against Newcastle United in 2002 was voted as the best Premier League goal in the league's 25-year history: it involved a flick around Newcastle defender Nikos Dabizas before the ball was calmly sent into the net.
In later seasons, Bergkamp established himself as a first-team player for Ajax. This culminated in a period of success for the club, which won the Eredivisie title in the 1989–90 season for the first time in five years. Bergkamp scored 29 goals in 36 matches the following season and became the joint top scorer in the league, sharing the accolade with PSV Eindhoven striker Romário.
Ajax won the 1992 UEFA Cup final, beating Torino through the away goals ruling. They then defeated SC Heerenveen 6–2 in the final of the KNVB Cup on 20 May 1993. Bergkamp was the top scorer in the Eredivisie from 1991 to 1993 and was voted Dutch Footballer of the Year in 1992 and 1993. In total, he scored 122 goals in 239 matches for his hometown club.
Bergkamp made his debut against Reggiana on 29 August 1993 at the San Siro in a 2–1 victory. He scored his first goal for the club against Cremonese in September 1993 but had a difficult time against the highly organised and resolute Italian defences, scoring a further seven goals in the league. This was partly due to manager Osvaldo Bagnoli's inability to find a stable forward partnership, preferring Bergkamp in a three with Rubén Sosa and Salvatore Schillaci. Inter's poor league form culminated in the sacking of Bagnoli in February 1994 and his replacement by Gianpiero Marini, a member of Italy's 1982 FIFA World Cup-winning squad. The club finished 13th in Serie A, one point away from relegation, but enjoyed success in the UEFA Cup, beating Austria Salzburg in the final over two legs. Bergkamp was the competition's joint top scorer with eight goals and scored a hat-trick against Rapid București in the first round.
In Bergkamp's second season at Inter, the club changed managers again, appointing Ottavio Bianchi. Bergkamp endured a disappointing campaign, troubled with stress injuries and fatigue from the 1994 World Cup. He managed to score 5 goals in 26 appearances. Off the field, Bergkamp's relationship with the Italian press and fans became uncomfortable. His shy persona and his propensity to go home after matches was interpreted as apathy. Because of his poor performance on the pitch, one Italian publication renamed their award given to the worst performance of the week, L'asino della settimana (Donkey of the Week) to Bergkamp della settimana. Inter ended the league season in sixth position and failed to retain the UEFA Cup, with the club eliminated in the second round. In February 1995, the club was purchased by Italian businessman and fan Massimo Moratti, who promised to invest heavily in the squad. Bergkamp's future in the first team was uncertain following the signing of Maurizio Ganz a month after the takeover.
On the opening day of the 1995–96 league season, Bergkamp made his full debut against Middlesbrough. He initially struggled to adapt to the English game and failed to score in the club's next six league matches, prompting ridicule by the national press. On 23 September 1995, Bergkamp scored his first and second goals for Arsenal against Southampton at Arsenal Stadium. Bergkamp ended his first season with 33 appearances and 11 goals, helping Arsenal finish fifth and earn a place in the UEFA Cup by scoring the winner against Bolton Wanderers on the final day of the season.
The appointment of Arsène Wenger as Arsenal manager in September 1996 marked a turning point in Bergkamp's career. Wenger, who had been a successful manager in France and Japan, recognised Bergkamp's talent and wanted to use him as a fulcrum of the team's forward play. Both were advocates of a continental style of attacking football, and Wenger's decision to impose a strict fitness and health regimen pleased Bergkamp. Despite making fewer appearances in the 1996–97 season, Bergkamp was more influential in the first team, providing 13 assists. Against Tottenham Hotspur in November 1996, he set up an 88th-minute winner for captain Tony Adams to volley in using his left foot. He then scored in injury time, controlling a high ball with his left foot and evading his marker Stephen Carr in a tight area to set up his shot. Bergkamp received his first red card against Sunderland in January 1997 for a high tackle on midfielder Paul Bracewell in the 26th minute. Arsenal went on to lose the match 1–0, but a run of 8 wins in their final 16 matches gave the club a third-place finish, missing out on a spot in the UEFA Champions League via goal difference.
Bergkamp was instrumental the following season in helping Arsenal complete a domestic league and cup double. He became the club's top scorer with 22 goals and recorded a strike rate of 0.57. Arsenal's achievement was all the more astonishing given the team, written off by many in December 1997, had made ground on reigning Premier League champions Manchester United. Early in the season away to Leicester City at Filbert Street on 23 August 1997, Bergkamp scored his first hat-trick for the club. The third goal, which he regarded as his favourite for Arsenal, required just one touch to control the ball in the penalty box, another to flick it past his marker Matt Elliott before juggling it with his feet and shooting past goalkeeper Kasey Keller. After the match, Leicester manager Martin O'Neill was gracious enough to admit Bergkamp's was "the best hat-trick I've ever seen".Palmer (2008), p. 73. In an FA Cup quarter-final replay against West Ham United on 17 March 1998, Bergkamp was sent off for elbowing midfielder Steve Lomas and missed three matches due to suspension. He played no further part in Arsenal's season after overstretching his hamstring against Derby County on 29 April 1998, missing the 1998 FA Cup final. Bergkamp was consoled with the PFA Players' Player of the Year award, becoming only the third non-British player to be recognised by his fellow professionals as the outstanding performer in English football.
After an effective 1998 World Cup campaign with the national team, Bergkamp had another productive season in 1998–99. Although Arsenal failed to retain the Premier League after losing the title on the final day of the season to Manchester United, Bergkamp was the club's second-top scorer in all competitions, with 16 goals, and finished the season as the top assist provider in the Premier League, alongside Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, with 13 assists. Arsenal were also defeated in a FA Cup semi-final replay against Manchester United in April 1999. With the score 1–1 heading into injury time, Arsenal were awarded a penalty after midfielder Ray Parlour was brought down by Phil Neville inside the 18-yard box. Bergkamp took the penalty shot but it was saved by goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel. In the second half of extra time, Ryan Giggs scored the winner, a goal regarded by many as the greatest in the competition's history. After this miss, Bergkamp did not take another penalty for the remainder of his career.
The 1999–2000 season proved to be a frustrating one for both Arsenal and Bergkamp. The club finished second in the league, 18 points behind Manchester United, and lost in the 2000 UEFA Cup final to Turkish opponents Galatasaray on penalties. The departure of compatriot Marc Overmars and French midfielder Emmanuel Petit in the close season led to speculation over Bergkamp's future. He ultimately agreed terms on a contract extension in December 2000. Despite an array of new signings made in the 2000–01 season, Arsenal were runners-up in the league for a third year in succession. The emergence of Thierry Henry and Sylvain Wiltord as the main strikers saw Bergkamp's first-team opportunities limited as a result. He was used as a late substitute in Liverpool's win over Arsenal in the 2001 FA Cup final.
Success finally came in the 2001–02 season. Arsenal regained the league, beating Manchester United at Old Trafford in the penultimate game of the season to complete the club's second double under Wenger; Arsenal defeated Chelsea 2–0 to win the FA Cup four days prior. Bergkamp played in 33 league matches, setting up 15 goals, one of which was against Juventus in the second group stage of the Champions League. Holding off two markers, he twisted and turned before feeding the ball to Freddie Ljungberg in the penalty box to score. Bergkamp headed in the winner against Liverpool in a FA Cup fourth-round tie on 27 January 2002, but was shown a red card for a two-footed lunge on defender Jamie Carragher, who himself was sent off for throwing a coin into the crowd. He was subsequently banned for three matches (two league, one FA Cup round). Bergkamp appealed for his ban, but was unsuccessful. He made his return against Newcastle United on 3 March 2002. Early in the match, Arsenal midfielder Robert Pires played a low pass from the left flank to Bergkamp in the edge of the opponent area with his back to goal. Under pressure from his marker Nikos Dabizas, Bergkamp controlled the ball with one flick and went around the other side before placing the ball precisely into the bottom right-hand corner to score. Wenger described the goal as "unbelievable", adding "It was not only a magnificent goal but a very important one – I enjoyed it a lot". Bergkamp featured in nine out of the last ten league games, forming a productive partnership with Ljungberg.
Bergkamp reached a personal landmark during the 2002–03 season, scoring his 100th goal for Arsenal against Oxford United in a FA Cup third-round tie on 4 January 2003. In the league, Arsenal failed to retain the championship despite having led by eight points in March 2003. However, they did win the FA Cup for a second successive year, beating Southampton in the 2003 FA Cup final. On 20 July 2003, Bergkamp signed a one-year extension at the club. The 2003–04 season ended on a high point for Bergkamp as Arsenal reclaimed the league title, becoming the first English team in more than a century to go through the entire domestic league season unbeaten. Against Leicester City in the final league match of the campaign with the score tied at 1–1, Bergkamp set up the winner with a pass to captain Patrick Vieira. Vieira rounded the goalkeeper and scored. The team, dubbed "The Invincibles" did not achieve similar dominance in Europe; Arsenal were beaten by Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the Champions League over Two-legged tie. Bergkamp committed himself to Arsenal at the end of the season, signing a further extension to his contract.
Bergkamp started in 29 league matches in the 2004–05 season, but Arsenal's title defence ended unsuccessfully. The team finished second, 12 points behind Chelsea. At home against Middlesbrough on 22 August 2004, Bergkamp acted as captain for the injured Vieira in a match where Arsenal came back from 1–3 down to win 5–3 and equal Nottingham Forest's record of 42 league matches undefeated. Against Sheffield United in the FA Cup on 19 February 2005, Bergkamp was shown a straight red card by referee Neale Barry for shoving defender Danny Cullip. His appeal of the decision was rejected by The Football Association (FA), meaning he missed the club's next three domestic games. In Arsenal's final home match of the season, against Everton, Bergkamp had a man of the match game, scoring once and assisting three of the goals in a 7–0 win. Bergkamp was moved by Arsenal supporters chanting "one more year", describing it as "quite special". "They obviously feel there is another year left in me, so that's great as it shows they're really behind me," he said. Following Arsenal's penalty shootout victory over Manchester United in the 2005 FA Cup final, he signed a one-year contract extension.
The team finished fourth in the league in Bergkamp's final season at Arsenal. Bergkamp scored an injury-time winner against FC Thun on Matchday 1 of the Champions League, having come on as a substitute in the 72nd minute. After much campaigning from Arsenal supporters, the club designated one of its Highbury matchday themes, organised to commemorate the stadium's final season as home of Arsenal, to Dennis Bergkamp. "Bergkamp Day" took place on 15 April 2006 and saw Arsenal up against West Bromwich Albion. It celebrated the player's contribution to Arsenal; fans were given commemorative orange "DB10" T-shirts – the colour of his national team, his initials and his squad number. Bergkamp himself came on as a second-half substitute and set up the winning Robert Pires goal moments after Nigel Quashie had levelled the scoreline. Fittingly, Bergkamp's 89th-minute goal proved to be his last for Arsenal in competitive football. Bergkamp was an unused substitute in his final match for Arsenal against FC Barcelona in the Champions League final; Barcelona scored twice in the last 13 minutes to overturn Arsenal's early lead and win the competition.
Bergkamp was the focus of the first match at Arsenal's new ground, the Emirates Stadium. On 22 July 2006, a testimonial was played in his honour at the new stadium as Arsenal played his old club Ajax. Bergkamp kicked off the match with his father, Wim, and son, Mitchel. All four children acted as the player escort. The first half was played by members of Arsenal and Ajax's current squads, while the second was played by famous ex-players from both sides, including Ian Wright, Patrick Vieira, Marc Overmars, Emmanuel Petit and David Seaman for Arsenal; and Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten, Danny Blind, Frank and Ronald de Boer for Ajax. Arsenal won the match 2–1 with goals from Henry and Nwankwo Kanu. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar had earlier opened the scoring for Ajax, making him the first goalscorer at the Emirates Stadium.
In the qualification for the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Bergkamp scored five goals and was selected for the finals, staged in the United States. He featured in every game for the national team, getting a goal against Morocco in the group stages (in addition to assisting Bryan Roy's late winner) and another one in a 2–0 win against the Republic of Ireland in the round-of-16. Bergkamp scored the first goal for the Netherlands against eventual champions Brazil, but the team lost 3–2, exiting in the quarter-finals. At Euro 1996, Bergkamp scored against Switzerland and set up striker Patrick Kluivert's consolation goal against England, who advanced into the quarter-finals as first in their group while the Dutch finished second and faced France, being eliminated after a penalty shootout, following a 0–0 draw.
Against Wales in the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification on 9 November 1996, he scored his first hat-trick for the national team. The Netherlands finished first in their group and qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, held in France. Bergkamp scored three times in the competition, including a memorable winning goal in the final minute of the quarter-final against Argentina. He took one touch to control a long 60-yard aerial pass from Frank de Boer, brought the ball down through Argentine defender Roberto Ayala's legs, and finally finished by firing a volley with the outside of his right foot, past keeper Carlos Roa at a tight angle from the right. The goal, cited by Bergkamp as his favourite in his career, was his 36th for the national team, overtaking Faas Wilkes as the record scorer. Bergkamp had also previously set-up Kluivert's opening goal with his head.
His other two goals of the tournament came in the Netherlands' 5–0 victory over South Korea on 20 June, in the team's second group match (scoring the third goal, in addition to setting up Phillip Cocu's opener), and in the 2–1 win over Yugoslavia on 26 June in the round of 16, in which Bergkamp opened the scoring in the first half. He also assisted Cocu's opening goal in the final group match, a 2–2 draw against Mexico, on 25 June. In the semi-finals, the Netherlands lost to defending champions Brazil on penalties after drawing 1–1 in normal time, with Bergkamp netting his spot-kick in the shoot-out. Bergkamp made the All-Star team of the tournament, alongside compatriots Frank de Boer and Edgar Davids.
On 9 October 1999, Bergkamp scored his final goal for the Netherlands, against Brazil. As the Netherlands were co-hosts for Euro 2000, the team automatically qualified for the tournament and were considered favourites. Bergkamp went scoreless throughout the competition, but assisted three goals: he set-up Kluivert's goal in the Netherlands' final group match, a 3–2 win over eventual champions France, which allowed them to top their group, and also assisted two goals (Kluivert's opener and the first of Marc Overmars's two goals) in a 6–1 win over Yugoslavia in the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals, the Netherlands lost 3–1 on penalties to Italy, following a 0–0 draw. Following the defeat, Bergkamp announced his retirement from international football, choosing to focus on his club career. His final goal tally of 37 goals in 79 appearances was overtaken by Patrick Kluivert in June 2003.
During his time at Inter Milan, Bergkamp was switched to the position of a main striker, but failed to cooperate with his offensive partner Rubén Sosa, whom he later called "selfish". Furthermore, due to his introverted character, he was accused of lacking consistency and leadership skills by the Italian press, and struggled to replicate his previous form during his time with Inter. When Bergkamp joined Arsenal in 1995, he enjoyed a successful strike partnership with Ian Wright, and in later seasons, Nicolas Anelka and Thierry Henry, playing in his preferred position as a creative second striker. The arrival of Marc Overmars in the 1997–98 season enhanced Bergkamp's play, as he was getting more of the ball. Between August and October 1997, he scored seven goals in seven league matches. A similar rapport developed between him and Freddie Ljungberg during the 2001–02 season.
Although he was known for his composure and ability to score several goals for his team as a forward, Bergkamp was also capable of playing in a free role behind a lone striker, where he essentially functioned in the number 10 role as a Playmaker attacking midfielder or deep-lying forward, due to his ball skills and creative ability, which enabled him to drop deep between the lines and link-up play, and operate across all attacking areas of the pitch. His tendency to move freely about the entire front-line made it difficult for opposing defenders to mark him. As such, Sam Tighe of Bleacher Report has retroactively compared Bergkamp's role as a free centre-forward to that of the modern false 9. A quick, elegant, intelligent, and gifted player, who was regarded as one of the most technically accomplished players of all time, he possessed an excellent first touch, which – allied with his quick feet, dribbling ability and change of pace – enabled him to beat defenders in one on one situations, while his attacking movement, physique, balance, and close control allowed him to hold up the ball and create space for teammates; his vision and passing range with both feet, despite being naturally right-footed, subsequently allowed him to provide assists for on-running strikers. Bergkamp often stated he preferred playing in this deeper role, as he derived more pleasure from assisting goals, rather than scoring them himself.
Throughout his playing career, Bergkamp was accused of diving, and was referred to as a "cheat" and "dirty player" for retaliating against players who had previously challenged him, something his former manager Wenger denied. In an interview with The Times in 2004, he said that while he was at Inter, he realised the importance of being mentally tough in order to survive: "A lot of people there try to hurt you, not just physically but mentally as well, and coming from the easygoing culture in Holland, I had to adopt a tougher approach. There, it was a case of two strikers up against four or five hard defenders who would stop at nothing." Bergkamp says his aggression often stems from frustration.
In April 2007, Bergkamp was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame by viewers of BBC's Football Focus. A year later, he was voted second by Arsenal fans behind Thierry Henry in a list of the 50 Gunners Greatest Players. In February 2014, Arsenal unveiled a statue of Bergkamp outside the Emirates Stadium to honour his time at the club. A statue of Dennis Bergkamp will be erected outside the KNVB headquarters in Zeist, as he has been chosen as the best Dutch international player from 1990 to 2015. The statue will join those of the eleven of the century, erected in 1999, alongside statues of Johan Cruyff, Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard and Marco van Basten, amongst others. In September 2023, FourFourTwo magazine ranked Bergkamp 68th in their list of the "100 best football players of all time."
Bergkamp has been described by Jan Mulder as having "the finest technique" of any Dutch international and as a "dream for a striker" by former Arsenal teammate Thierry Henry.
In August 2011, Bergkamp was named De Boer's assistant at Ajax. However, after the arrival of Peter Bosz as the new head coach at Ajax, Bergkamp's role at Ajax slightly changed. He no longer sat on the bench during first-team matches, but instead focused more on field training and on helping youth players reach the first team. He and fellow assistant Hennie Spijkerman were sacked from their roles in December 2017.
His nephew, Roland Bergkamp, was a professional footballer.
In addition to his native Dutch, Bergkamp speaks fluent English and Italian.
The condition severely limited his ability to play in away matches in European competitions and to travel with the national team. In some cases, he would travel overland by car or train, but the logistics of some matches were such that he would not travel at all. In the build-up to Arsenal's Champions League match against Lyon in February 2001, Wenger spoke of his concerns for Bergkamp travelling by train and car, because of the exertions involved.
Inter Milan
Arsenal
Individual
Works cited
Reception
Coaching career
Personal life
Aviophobia
I've got this problem and I have to live with it. I can't do anything about it, it is a psychological thing and I can't explain it. I have not flown on a plane for two years. The Dutch FA has been sympathetic, so have Arsenal, so far. I am considering psychiatric help. I can't fly. I just freeze. I get panicky. It starts the day before, when I can't sleep.
Media
Career statistics
Club
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition AFC Ajax 1986–87 Eredivisie 2 1987–88 Eredivisie 6 1988–89 Eredivisie 16 1989–90 Eredivisie 9 1990–91 Eredivisie 26 1991–92 Eredivisie 30 1992–93 Eredivisie 33 Inter Milan 1993–94 Serie A 18 1994–95 Serie A 4 Arsenal 1995–96 Premier League 16 1996–97 Premier League 14 1997–98 Premier League 22 1998–99 Premier League 16 1999–2000 Premier League 10 2000–01 Premier League 5 2001–02 Premier League 14 2002–03 Premier League 7 2003–04 Premier League 5 2004–05 Premier League 8 2005–06 Premier League 3
International
+ Appearances and goals by national team and year Netherlands 3 2 7 4 6 1 6 4 3 1 0
+ List of international goals scored by Dennis Bergkamp UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying 7–0 Exhibition game UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying Friendly UEFA Euro 1992 UEFA Euro 1992 UEFA Euro 1992 Friendly 2–0 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification 2–1 Friendly 7–1 Friendly 1994 FIFA World Cup 1994 FIFA World Cup 1994 FIFA World Cup UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying Friendly UEFA Euro 1996 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification 6–0 7–1 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification Friendly 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification 6–0 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification 1998 FIFA World Cup 1998 FIFA World Cup 1998 FIFA World Cup Friendly
Honours
External links
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