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Bergkamp wins his last match

July 23rd, 2006 | By: Jan | 10 Comments »

Last Saturday evening, Dennis Bergkamp won his last professional football match against Ajax.

Arsenal won the Dennis Bergkamp testimonial with 2-1 against Ajax. The first half was played with the current squads of both teams, in the second half several former colleagues and stars came onto the pitch to turn the Farewell to Dennis event in to a true football fiesta.

Bergkamp had asked a lot of old mates to join him in the festivities. Former Gunners like Viera, David Seaman, Ian Wright, Marc Overmars, Glenn Helder and Marin Keown were present and got standing ovations by the crowd. At Ajax side, famous names like Edgar Davids, Wim Jonk, Jan Wouters, Stefan Petterson and Stanley Menzo were present. The crowd really lost in when legends like Marco van Basten and Johan Cruyff put on their shoes to grace Arsenal’s new venue. In the first half, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored for Ajax, before Kanu and Henry put the final score on the board for Arsenal.

Dennis got a huge opportunity to score in the second half but Stanley Menzo refused his former team mate a glorious farewell, just like Dennis requested before the match. No presents on the pitch, please… Don’t embarrass me, were his words.

The 37 year old waved politely to the crowd, before he undertook his last exit from a football pitch as a professional.

The end of an era…

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Comments

By www.oranje.cn | July 24th, 2006 at 5:42 am

A feature thread we made for Ijsberg!
http://www.oranje.cn/bbs/viewthread.php?tid=9585

Posted from China

By TJP | July 24th, 2006 at 5:45 am

I loved Berkamps goal against Argentina. Jack VanGelder’s call was the best play by play exitement I ever heard, it even beats Van Millers great play by play calls with the Buffalo Bills, or Rick Jenneretes call of Brad May’s “May Day” vs the Boston Bruins.

Posted from Canada

By Stuart | July 24th, 2006 at 4:18 pm

One of the classiest players to ever lace ‘em up. We won’t see his like for a good while.

By ziad | July 30th, 2006 at 4:05 pm

Berkamps and his team should have win world cup 98 and euro 2000 becuse they were the best team ever i had seen ,but the chance was not with them .
Holland team needs a players now like him to return the team to like it was in the past.

Posted from Lebanon

By goose | August 11th, 2006 at 1:42 pm

Dennis, the best (dutch) player i ever saw in my lifetime, still dont know how he made his little turn against Newcastle.. what a player… lets clone him for our future national team..

DENNIS

Posted from Netherlands

By Azzurro | August 11th, 2006 at 2:47 pm

@goose,
Maybe you are very young but lets me say that for sure Dannis Berkgamp is not the first of the list of best dutch players. As I have see in person to play them with and against italians team and here my list:

1. Cruyff (over the top)
for me is just after Pele’ and Maradona.
2. Van Basten (unforgettable)
3. Gullit (the legend)
4. Rijkaard (coach on the field)
5. Van Hanegem (first champion)
6. Neskens (turnado)
7. Resenbrink (the striker)
8. Reep (the wing)
9. Krool (master defense)
10. Berkgamp and others

Sorry for my intrusion to a Dutch blog but soccer is soccer anywhere and best players are the best anywhere.

Posted from United States

By goose | August 14th, 2006 at 8:10 pm

@Azzurro, yes im young, from your list I saw only Rijkaard and Gullit play but it was in the latter parts of their career…
agree with parts of your list, here mine:

1. Cruijff
2. Lenstra
3. vanBsten
4. Wilkes
5. Bergkamp
6. vanHanegem
7. Gullit
8. Neeskens
9. Rijkaard
10.Rensenbrink

congretz with your victory!!
greetz

WIJ HOUDEN VAN ORANJE

Posted from Netherlands

By Haoran | November 3rd, 2007 at 10:44 am

loooooooooooooooosssssssssseeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrssssssssss
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted from Sweden