Inside Ruud van Nistelrooy’s life away from football including his beautiful wife, bitter feud and photo row
RUUD van Nisterlrooy has his work cut out as new Leicester City boss.
The Man Utd legend, 48, took over the reins from the sacked Steve Cooper, and watched his side’s 4-1 defeat to Brentford from the stands.
Away from football, the former Dutch striker has an intriguing life.
He recently celebrated his 20-year wedding anniversary with long-time sweetheart, Leontien Slaats.
While, a feud with a former player just won’t go away.
SunSport delves into van Nistelrooy’s life.
Player support
Although some Leicester players might have been surprised by Cooper’s firing, we bet none took it to the extreme of Ibrahim Sangare when he learned Van Nistelrooy was leaving PSV.
The Ivorian was reportedly livid with the news, so much so he stormed out of the training ground and locked himself in his car.
According to ESPN journalist Milan von Dongen: “They had to get him out of there to get him back.
“He was furious about Van Nistelrooy’s departure. So there will also be talk within the group of players.”
Van Nistelrooy was a success at PSV. During his brief stint, he delivered the Dutch Cup and finished second in the league.
However, he stepped down from his position in 2023 for “lack of support”.
A club statement read: “Van Nistelrooy told the first-team squad and coaching staff that he would be stepping down with immediate effect, due to a lack of support within the club.
“PSV regrets his decision and is grateful to him for winning the Johan Cruijff Shield and the Dutch Cup, and hopes to finish the season in second place.”
The Martin Keown effect
Famously, ex-Arsenal defender Martin Keown and van Nistelrooy don’t see eye-to-eye.
Ever since Keown jumped into the van Nistelrooy’s face, goading him after missing a penalty, their relationship hasn’t been one of exchanging Christmas cards.
And the talkSPORT pundit recently opened up old wounds when he questioned if his old foe was doing enough to help Erik Ten Hag.
Appearing on White and Jordan, he said: “I’m looking at Van Nistelrooy. Is he giving everything to this manager? This manager looks very lonely on the sideline.
Is Van Nistelrooy waiting to take over? Because it looks as if there’s going to be change taking place there.”
Stirring the pot further, Keown added: “Is everyone adding to the group? I’m not seeing that from Van Nistelrooy. Ten Hag is just sitting there, nothing going on, no conversation.
“Pep goes back and speaks to the gurus next to him. Is everybody looking in the mirror at themselves giving their best?”
Love of his life
In 2002, van Nistelrooy met the love of his life, Leontien Slaats.
Two years later, they walked down the aisle in a private ceremony at the Heesch town hall in Oss, where he is from.
The pair have two children together, Moa Annette, 18, and Liam, 16.
However, the van Nistelrooys prefer to keep their family life private.
Van Nistelrooy and Leontien do dedicate their time to charity work.
In the past, they have worked with SOS Children’s Villages, an organisation dedicated to protecting children’s rights all across the globe.
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Blackface pic
When van Nistelrooy became Man Utd interim boss, van Nistelrooy quickly moved to delete an old picture on social media that saw him wearing ‘Blackface’.
Taken in 2013, the picture showed Van Nistelrooy dressed up as King Balthazar at the Parade of the Three Kings in Marbella, Spain – wearing black make-up.
He captioned the snap: “In hospital with presents for the young and old.”
In Netherlands, the topic of black face is seen as something as culturally different.
It particularly comes up around the festive period when images of ‘Zwarte Pete’ – or Black Pete appear, who is a companion to St Nicholas, and is often shown with a blackface, curly wig, red lipstick, and colourful attire.
In the 2004 Euros, some Dutch fans came under fire for dressing up as Ruud Gullit in the stands – with some painting their faces black.
However, according to Humberto Tan, a member of the committee set up to combat racism in football, it was seen as a compliment by the Dutch legend.
Humberto told De Telegraaf: “Ruud said when he saw it: ‘I actually feel quite honoured’, because it’s a reminder of one of the biggest prizes he won as a footballer.
“Blackface is an unattractive phenomenon, but in this specific case, where it’s meant as a tribute, I think that’s how you should see it.”
Management style
During a distinguished career, van Nistelrooy played managers including Fabio Capello and Louis van Gaal, although he wasn’t fond of the latter.
His favourite managers though, and the ones who got the best out of him were Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Robson.
It’s a management style van Nistelrooy might take a lot of influence from.
Van Nistelrooy wrote in The Guardian: “As a player, the most important thing I took from working with Sir Bobby Robson and Sir Alex Ferguson was their relationships with the individual.
“It’s not a football player; it’s a person. When you reach that connection, you get the best out of people – and from there on you can help them build their careers.
Van Nistelrooy's controversial appointment
By Neil Custis, Football writer
RUUD VAN NISTELROOY walking into the Leicester job must have managers further down the leagues tearing their hair out.
This week at the Northwest Football Awards, for example, Dave Challinor of Stockport was named manager of the year ahead of Pep Guardiola.
Now that may be because organisers felt he would probably turn up to get his gong, unlike Guardiola.
Still, two promotions in 2½ years to lift the area’s poor relation from the National League to League One — where they sit fourth — is incredible.
Yet that and a managerial background at Colwyn Bay, AFC Fylde and Hartlepool would sadly never put him on a Premier League club’s radar.
Van Nistelrooy was on that radar at the Foxes in the summer after one season managing at PSV Eindhoven before they went for Steve Cooper.
Now after a further four games as interim Manchester United boss and he is in at the King Power and Cooper is out.
Big names excite fans and Van Nistelrooy has one, literally.
“I never let that thought go out of my mind.”
Leicester will be hoping van Nistelrooy’s as successful as his former bosses.