BBC SPORT | Euro 2008 blog

The chase for Marco van Basten

Jake Humphrey
3 Jun 08, 06:23 PM

Thank you for all your suggestions for the winner of our newly created Football Focus honour...'The Marco van Basten Award for the Second Best Goal in Euro History'.

One of the things I love about the game is how subjective it is, as best friends and families that have fallen out over football over the years can testify!

We've decided that with you lot, and us, pretty undecided about the winner, that there is just one person who can justifiably decide who the winner should be - Marco van Basten himself! So, we've set ourselves just that challenge - to get a casting vote out of the great man. Who do you think he'll pick?

Getting an answer out of the Dutch boss during this European Championship could be tricky - he does have his hands pretty full after all. But if you don't ask you don't get - and that's exactly what I've done...

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I thought that the simplest approach would be to call the Dutch FA, thankfully their English is better than my Dutch!

I explained the situation to Monique in the press office who was very nice, but also pretty firm. She reiterated that Marco would be flooded with press requests (I tried to point out that they're not all for such a prestigious award) but if we did want to come along to a press conference at their Lausanne base we could chance our arm and try and chat to the man himself.

I took that as an invite, and the good news is that I will be near Lausanne over the next couple of days, so dropping in to a Dutch training session will be pretty easy.

Then the hard bit arrives. Monique told me there was no chance of a face-to-face interview with just me and Marco which means I now have to dive into the swirling, shark-infested waters of the press conference, sit at the front, attract the PR people's attention, and hope I get 30 seconds of Marco's precious time to say my bit.

For the record I think he'll enjoy the question and will certainly not mind being reminded of his legendary strike.

Check back here at the end of the week when you can see what happened when Marco met Focus, and of course, see who he plumped for. Wish me luck...I'm off to learn a little Dutch...

Jake Humphrey is a presenter, working on Football Focus, Match Of The Day and Score. Please check our FAQs if you have any questions.

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Comments

1. At 7:27pm on 03 Jun 2008, Ticape wrote:
I hope for your sake that you ask your question before the Dutch press will have a go at him. He will probably be in a grumpy mood when they're done with him. :-)

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2. At 9:19pm on 03 Jun 2008, Jack wrote:
'I don't think he had a fantastic playing career'

Apart from scoring that goal do you actually know anything about his playing career?

Fair enough, it was cut short by injury but he was one of the best Dutch players ever.

Two European Cups, seven domestic titles (three in Holland, four in Italy), and of course the '88 European Championship. He also won the European footballer of the year three times and the World player of the year once.

All this in half the time most players get for a playing career.

If that isn't 'fantastic' I don't know what is.

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3. At 9:39pm on 03 Jun 2008, jack2548 wrote:
mourhino will be found out in milan. if paul scholes perfectly good goal had been allowed then porto would have won nothing. look at the squad that claudio ranieri left for him. makalele, bridge, crespo, lampard, j cole, robben, chech, jonson. could he fail ? given another season ranieri would have won the league but with more style. mourhino will not last the season on italy

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4. At 10:58pm on 03 Jun 2008, Menace_Meijboom wrote:
Think you better head over to Lausanne rather than Lucerne...

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5. At 00:05am on 04 Jun 2008, inoutsider wrote:
A few Dutch words sure to catch their attention would be something along the lines of "Mooi kapsel!"

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6. At 00:10am on 04 Jun 2008, inoutsider wrote:
Oh, and make sure you shave your head until there's just an inch left and fingerpaint greenish stripes on your cheeks!
Orange merchandise and/or outfit often works, too. :D

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7. At 00:14am on 04 Jun 2008, genghis26 wrote:
I hate to put a downer on things, but surely having no prior knowledge of your question he's just gonna say, "I don't know" and look for the next question.

I hope he does announce a winner, I'm going for Davor Suker.

Ps. If he doesn't answer, keep harassing him until he does.

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8. At 01:02am on 04 Jun 2008, Meefloaf wrote:
While you're at it, ask him why he thinks kuyt and hesselink should be on the pitch instead of Huntelaar

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9. At 02:15am on 04 Jun 2008, bhamgills wrote:
Meefloaf, based on seeing Huntelaar for Ajax for the last couple of seasons he is the type of striker who needs 5 or 6 very good chances to get a goal - which isn't the sort of return acceptable at international level because especially against italy and france the whole team will do well to have 5 or 6 very good chances.

At least kuyt has learnt to adapt his positional play to suit the now standard dutch formation and maybe Hunteaar is better than hesselink but that is very debateable and maybe van basten thinks hesselink will fit in with rest of the squad better.

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10. At 07:03am on 04 Jun 2008, Meefloaf wrote:
Having seen Huntelaar play for Ajax over the last few seasons myself, I'd say he's better than those strikers i mentioned, he might take a few chances to get a goal (something if i remember correctly, most strikers do), but at least he'll get you one, Hesselink isn't good enough to turn out for Oranje. Kuyt is good to have on the right out wide of the front three, but i wouldn't rely on him to take any chances that come his way. I just don't see how he can keep leaving Huntelaar on the bench and expect him to stay on at Ajax next season

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11. At 09:01am on 04 Jun 2008, fair teh middlin' wrote:
Sneijder's the one who's going to shine!

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12. At 09:04am on 04 Jun 2008, fair teh middlin' wrote:
"A few Dutch words sure to catch their attention would be something along the lines of "Mooi kapsel!""

Nah -- the funniest thing for an englishman is calling one's beloved "dagschat"

:-D

Either that or calling everyone a "hoor" at the end of one's sentence

;-) :-D

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13. At 10:34am on 04 Jun 2008, aehartley wrote:
Kuyt is absolute rubbish. Cannot understand why Benitez plays him and, with Huntelaar available, certainly cannot understand why Van Basten would. Kuyt reminds me a bit of Iain Dowie, lots of effort but no end result.

Good luck on your mission Jake. I am hoping Suker wins.

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14. At 1:37pm on 04 Jun 2008, brentfromcorby wrote:
Second best?????????????

Who is first and who decided this? Not being able to afford Sky as i kid, i used to watch Marco on the Italian football, and he was my hero.

Marco has the BEST euro goal of all time for me, because having watched the player, you can't help but think he meant to score.

Nice Volley Marco, your still number 1 for me

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15. At 1:43pm on 04 Jun 2008, aehartley wrote:
He means that, as Van Basten's goal is considered the best ever from the European Championships, an award has been created by Football Focus in his honour for the 2nd best European Championships goal of all time taking his wonderful strike out of the equation. This link will take you to the original blog enrty explaining all:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/euro2008/2008/06/football_focus_needs_you_with.html

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16. At 2:35pm on 04 Jun 2008, Red-Rio-Roon-Ryan wrote:
Jack At 9:19 pm on 03 Jun 2008

Jack, I have to ask - Have you ever heard of irony?

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17. At 4:22pm on 04 Jun 2008, UKNavajo wrote:
Why is MvB's the best.
Surely Gazza in Euro 96 v Scotland was a classier strike?!

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18. At 4:49pm on 04 Jun 2008, brentfromcorby wrote:
Thanks aehartley, i was a little confused.

His BEST strike wasn't in the euro's, his over head kick, on the movem into the top corner for Ajax is his best goal.

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19. At 6:37pm on 04 Jun 2008, Bolt wrote:
"Why is MvB's the best.
Surely Gazza in Euro 96 v Scotland was a classier strike?"

The Arrogance is Laughable.

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20. At 7:10pm on 04 Jun 2008, bubblingnicl wrote:
Luzerne and Lausanne are both places in Switzerland - not sure which one you want but Switzerland is a small place so you can't go too wrong!

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21. At 00:45am on 05 Jun 2008, HuntelaarsHairdo wrote:
LoL, Van Basten is notoriously grumpy and curt at press conferences.

You better try and ask the press manager of the Dutch FA, Kees Jansma first. He will be there at Lausanne as well, usually introducing van Basten at the press conferences.

Oh yes, as stated above... it's Lausanne, NOT Luzern. ;)

Good Luck! Im curious what MvB will say!

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22. At 2:32pm on 09 Jun 2008, andy2506 wrote:
Whaaaaat? Did I hear him say "I don't think he's had a fantastic playing career" ? I think someone should inform Jake about Marcos Outstanding playing career before he embarrasses himself any more.

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