Sports Nicknames - The Swan of Utrecht

Marco van Basten was a Dutch superstar footballer who graced the fields of Ajax and AC Milan.



Marco van Basten was a prolific striker, who enjoyed going for the spectacular volleys and acrobatic strikes. He played with flair, elegance and intelligence. This is why the nickname "The Swan of Utrecht" was given to him by the fans.

Marco van Basten was born in Utrecht, Netherlands and after playing youth football in his home city, he quickly was acquired by the country's biggest club, Ajax. This is where he made a name for himself.

A high-profile move to AC Milan followed, where Marco van Basten joined his countrymen Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard. "The Swan of Utrecht" played his best football at AC Milan and won the Ballon d'Or three times during his time there.

Marco also represented the colours of Netherlands and led them to their first Euro title in 1998, the tournament where he won the Golden Boot.

Marco's career ended at the age of 28 due to an ankle injury. The football world lost one of it's brightest stars in his prime playing years. The unfortunate thing is that in this day and age that same injury is treated and the players suffering it are able to recover and continue.

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