Guus Hiddink is celebrating his 80th birthday today. It is a special milestone for one of the greatest coaches in PSV’s club history. To mark the occasion, an exclusive interview with the club icon is available on PSV Play. In it, Hiddink looks back on his impressive career, his special bond with PSV, and the many successes he experienced in Eindhoven.
Hiddink joined PSV in 1984, where he began working as an assistant coach. Three years later, he took over from Hans Kraay Sr. In his second season as head coach, he immediately experienced a historic year. In 1988, PSV won the national title, the KNVB Cup, and the European Cup I—an unprecedented achievement. He added more titles in 1989 and 1990 before leaving PSV in 1990.
Second Stint in Eindhoven
After several stints abroad, including at Real Madrid, Fenerbahe and the South Korean national team, Hiddink returned to Eindhoven in 2002. He also achieved great success during his second stint. He led PSV to three league titles, one KNVB Cup and one Johan Cruijff Shield. In 2005 he also came close to another European upset. PSV was eliminated in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League by AC Milan.
World-class coach
Even after leaving PSV, Hiddink remained active at the highest level. Among other roles, he served as head coach of the Netherlands, South Korea, and Turkey, and won the FA Cup with Chelsea FC. His achievements made him one of the most famous coaches in the world. Furthermore, he was honoured with a statue in both South Korea and Crimea.
In honour of his 80th birthday, Hiddink is featured extensively on PSV Play. In an exclusive interview, he looks back on his remarkable career and his rich history with PSV.