Jaap Stam Biography: Net Worth, Family, Lifestyle and Career Stats

Former Dutch footballing legend Jaap Stam is regarded as one of the best defenders of all time. He was an unstoppable wall in the defense back in the day. His involvement in the game earned him several accolades, making him one of the most decorated players of all time. Stam played in several high-profile clubs, including Manchester United, PSV Eindhoven, AC Milan, and Ajax.

After winning several titles and accolades around the world, Jaap Stam coached several clubs including Jong Ajax, Reading and Feyenoord to name a few. As of now, he is managing the Dutch football club DOS Kampen which currently competes in the Eerste Klasse.

Jaap Stam Bio

Full Name	Jakob “Jaap” Stam
Date of Birth	July 17, 1972
Birthplace	Kampen, Netherlands
Age	52
Nationality	Dutch
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Position	Centre-back
Teams Managed	Jong Ajax Reading PEC Zwolle Feyenoord FC Cincinnati DOS Kampen

Jaap Stam’s Club Career

Jaap Stam started his footballing career with local football club DOS Kampen and developed a great passion for the game. It was finally in 1992 when he made his debut for Dutch side PEC Zwolle showcasing his defensive prowess in each match for the side. He further joined Eredivisie side Cambuur Leeuwarden where he scored a couple of goals along with brilliant defensive performances and innovative traps. Stam was then signed by Willem II in 1995 and he instantly impressed everyone with his innovative defensive skills and tackles.

Stam further joined PSV Eindhoven where he was a star right from the start. He won a couple of accolades with the club before transferring to Manchester United in 1998. He became the most expensive defender in history back in the day with a contract worth £10.6 million. His run with the Red Devils was magical as he was a part of the treble winning Man United side in 1999. With his masterful defensive skillset and impressive performances, he had a glorious stint at Manchester United.

After his time in Man United, Jaap Stam joined Serie A side Lazio where he showcased impressive form with the team and scored a couple of goals. His tenure was controversial as he was banned due to nandrolone usage following a Serie A game. Stam moved to AC Milan in 2004 where he was a part of a strong squad in Italy. 2006 saw him moving to Ajax where he signed for a two-year deal with the club and won the Johan Cruyff Shield and the KNVB Cup to make his decorated career even better. Stam retired in 2007 after playing his final game against NEC in October of 2007.

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Jaap Stam’s International Career

The Dutchman started his international journey in 1996 against Germany in a friendly. He was further added in the UEFA Euro 1996 in place of Frank de Boer. Scoring his first goal against Belgium in a World Cup qualification match in 1997, he became a crucial player for the team and was one of the main highlights for the side in the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

UEFA Euro 2000 saw him reach the semi-finals with the Netherlands and achieved the same feat once again in the UEFA Euro 2004. After having a great tenure with the Netherlands, he retired after the UEFA Euro 2004 to focus on his club career.

Jaap Stam’s Coaching Career

After retiring, Jaap Stam started his coaching career in 2009 by becoming an assistant coach for PEC Zwolle. After being an assistant coach for Ajax, Stam started his huge tenure as a Manager for English side Reading in 2016.

Having a great tenure with the club, he left the club in 2018 and joined PEC Zwolle as their manager in December of 2018. 2019 saw him managing Feyenoord but was unable to make any impact and ultimately left the club the same year after having underwhelming results. After having a short stint with USA’s FC Cincinnati, Stam is currently the manager of Dutch side DOS Kampen where he started his professional career.

Club	Matches	Win	Draw	Loss
Reading	98	40	23	35
PEC Zwolle	17	7	3	7
Feyenoord	18	7	6	5
FC Cincinnati	47	8	13	26

Jaap Stam’s Tactics and Style of Play

Being a Dutchman, Jaap Stam has always provoked a 4-3-3 formation which was invented by the Netherlands. Trying to make a defensive play out of his players, trying to change the midfield options in most of his matches.

Stam has also used several attacking midfield options over the years and has displayed great player marking in several games. Being a supportive and motivating manager at all times, Stam has been proved to be a great addition in most of his teams including Reading and FC Cincinnati.

Jaap Stam’s Trophies and Achievements

Though he does not have any managerial accolades so far, his professional career was wrapped up with some extraordinary trophies and achievements. Along with PSV, he won the Eredivisie, KNVB Cup and the Johan Cruyff Shield.

His magical tenure at Man United saw him winning the Premier League thrice, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League and the Intercontinental Cup once. With Lazio, the renowned defender was a part of the Coppa Italia winning side in 2003-04.

With AC Milan, he won the Supercoppa Italiana and was also the runner-up for UEFA Champions League in 2004-05 season. His tenure with Ajax saw him winning the KNVB Cup and the Johan Cruyff Shield twice. Individually, Jaap Stam has been awarded the Dutch Footballer of the Year in 1997, Dutch Golden Boot in 1997 and has been also named the UEFA Club Best Defender of the Year twice.

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