THE HAGUE, Feb. 6 -- Former Dutch international Ronald Koeman has been named as the new coach of the Dutch national soccer team on Tuesday in Zeist, the Netherlands.

After signing a contract until the 2022 World Cup the 54-year-old Koeman was presented at the headquarters of the Dutch national football association KNVB, together with new top soccer director Nico-Jan Hoogma, who steps down as general director of Heracles Almelo. He succeeds interim-coach Dick Advocaat.

"I never hided my ambition to be coach of the Dutch national team," Koeman said during the press conference. "It is a great honor and a great challenge. I am looking forward to the forthcoming years as national team coach."

Koeman's last job as a coach was at Premier League club Everton, where he was sacked on October 23 last year. After his successful playing career, in which Koeman won the European Champions Cup with PSV in 1988 and with FC Barcelona in 1992 and the European title with the Netherlands in 1988, he started his coaching career as assistant of Netherlands coach Guus Hiddink at the 1998 World Cup.

After that World Cup Koeman became assistant of Louis van Gaal at FC Barcelona and his first stint as head coach was at Dutch club Vitesse, followed by Ajax, Benfica, PSV, Valencia, AZ, Feyenoord, Southampton and Everton. His main trophies as a coach were the championships with Ajax (2002, 2004) and PSV (2007).

In 2017 Koeman was already a candidate to become the Dutch national team coach, but at that time the KNVB chose for the return of Van Gaal. Two years later Koeman even was favorite to take the job, but the KNVB eventually ignored Koeman and preferred the return of Hiddink.

【体坛英语资讯：Ronald Koeman presented as new head coach of Netherlands】相关文章：

★ 体坛英语资讯：Cavs top Wizards, Jazz beat Rockets

★ 体坛英语资讯：NBAs spectacular China games just the tip-off

★ 体坛英语资讯：Spain beat Germany 1-0 to lift Euro 2008 title

★ 体坛英语资讯：Swiss squad for Euro 2008 opener against Czech Republic

★ 体坛英语资讯：Olympic torch climbers to start last spurt to peak of Qomolangma on Thursday

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Xu Sanduo chosen as Baidu Logo Feature Person of the Month

★ 体坛英语资讯：Ferrari denies crisis after Aussie flop

★ 体坛英语资讯：Big net cast for Chinese tennis champs

★ 体坛英语资讯：Turkey score stunning comeback win, Switzerland beat Portugal

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Lohan to spend community service in a morgue