The Netherlands Football National Coach has always believed in the sport, which he strongly supported in the KNVB
The second day in the Euro Beach Soccer League Superfinal & Promotion Final had a very special guest. Louis Van Gaal, Netherlands Football National Coach did not miss the chance of witnessing, live, a sport he has always believed in. Indeed, he himself played a key role in the development of Beach Soccer in Holland. As he himself recalls, “twelve years ago, when I was the Dutch National Coach and the KNVB Technical Director, I dealt with the responsible of this tournament about the push to Beach Soccer. I gave them all my support, as I thought that the sport had a great potential, and now I am really glad to be here, enjoying this wonderful tournament, and seeing how much it has grown”.
His first approach to Beach Soccer, or at least, a rather similar version, goes back to the late 90s, when, as an Ajax coach, he took on some occasions the whole team to train in the beach sand, to boost the physical aspects of the session. “The players really enjoyed that, they had a good time playing on the sand”.
The former FC Barcelona, AZ Alkmaar, Bayern München and Ajax coach, as a football expert, highly regards the special aptitudes and skills Beach Soccer requires: “Beach Soccer is a spectacular game. And it is quite different to regular football, actually. It requires not only a great physical condition to move fast on the sand, but also the technique to perform the moves and the actions of the game.”
