Jaap Dp Grnnt
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NINETEEN YEARS WITH DENNIS BERGKAMP
STAR TRIBUTE
"THERE'S ONLY ONE DENNIS BERGKAMP, ONE DENNIS BERGKAMP,
March, 1987
His first start. After a 1-0 loss against
Malmö FF, Ajax need to win by a
minimum of two goals in the second leg
to reach the semi-finals of the European
Cup Winners' Cup. The team's line-up in
Amsterdam has one big surprise, Dennis
Bergkamp. Dennis who!? Although Ajax
face a tough night, manager Johan Cruyff
has decided to let a 17 year-old right
winger make his first start. He's just a
kid, but what a talent! In the style of
George Best he dances and floats over
the grass, showing wonderful skills and
taking on one defender after another.
Ajax win 3-1 and the young Dennis
Bergkamp is the talk of the night. But
the press never get the chance to meet
him. Immediately after the match he is
taken home, because he has to attend
school at 8am the next morning.
April, 1989
The first interview. April 14,1989. Instead
of meeting each other in the stadium, we
decide to have a drink in downtown
Amsterdam. The Spui seems a perfect
location. It is one of the most famous
squares in the city, right in the centre
and enough grand cafés to sit down and
talk. There is only one problem. Although
born and bred in Amsterdam, Dennis has
no clue were the Spui is...
September, 1992
The first time out with Henrita
Ruizendaal. As winner of the Dutch
Topscorer trophy in the 1991/92 season
he takes his new girlfriend to
the Gala Footballer of the
Year event. She is a beautiful
and shy girl from the
fisherman's town of
Spakenburg.
It is a night during which
Dennis will sparkle. The
organisation has surprised
him by inviting Denis Law,
the former star of
Manchester United who was
his father's idol and after
whom Dennis is named, to
hand over the trophy to the
young striker.
April, 2006
Nineteen years later and it is 'Dennis
Day' at Highbury. Thousands of fans
wear orange shirts. It is an impressive
tribute to a great player. A boy has
become a phenomenon just by being the
same after all those years. An
outstanding talent, driven by a great
love and passion for the game. An
authentic attitude as part of a pure soul,
just tike he demonstrates during the
game against West Bromwich Albion.
After 70 minutes Dennis is brought into
the team and 20 minutes later Highbury
celebrates a 3-1 win and a brilliant goal
by the oldest player on the pitch. The
cheers are heard all over London and the
press can't get enough of his story.
90 minutes after the final whistle Dennis
Bergkamp finishes his last interview.
With the bag over his shoulder he leaves
the main stand and walks over the pitch
where voices of children break the
silence in the empty Highbury.
"There's only one Dennis Bergkamp! One
Dennis Beeeeeergkamp! There's only one
Dennis Bergkamp!" When he reaches the
opposite stand, his daughters and son,
nephews and nieces all let go of their
orange balloons. And
then Dennis steps into
his own Wonderland.
Jaap de Groot
De Telegraaf
