View source for Jan Wouters

{{Short description|Dutch footballer and manager (born 1960)}}
{{For|the Belgian legal scholar|Jan Wouters (legal scholar)}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{original research|date=August 2010}}
{{update|date=April 2015}}
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
 | name                 = Jan Wouters
 | fullname             = Jan Jacobus Wouters
 | image                = JanWouters.jpg
 | height               = 1.75 m
 | birth_date           = {{birth date and age|1960|7|17|df=y}}
 | birth_place          = [[Utrecht (city)|Utrecht]], Netherlands
 | currentclub          =
 | position             = [[Defensive midfielder]]
 | years1 = 1980–1986 | clubs1 = [[FC Utrecht|Utrecht]] | caps1 = 168 | goals1 = 21
 | years2 = 1986–1992 | clubs2 = [[AFC Ajax|Ajax]] | caps2 = 150 | goals2 = 21
 | years3 = 1992–1994 | clubs3 = [[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]] | caps3 = 66 | goals3 = 6
 | years4 = 1994–1996 | clubs4 = [[PSV Eindhoven|PSV]] | caps4 = 52 | goals4 = 5
 | totalcaps = 434 | totalgoals = 55
 | nationalyears1 = 1982–1994<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jan Wouters - International Appearances|publisher=The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/wouters-intl.html | date = 16 January 2009 | access-date = 18 April 2014 | first = Karel | last = Stokkermans}}</ref> | nationalteam1 = [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands]] | nationalcaps1 = 70 | nationalgoals1 = 4
 | manageryears1   = 1996–1997 | managerclubs1   = [[FC Utrecht|Utrecht]] (assistant)
 | manageryears2   = 1997      | managerclubs2   = Utrecht (caretaker)
 | manageryears3   = 1997–1998 | managerclubs3   = [[AFC Ajax|Ajax]] (youth)
 | manageryears4   = 1998–2000 | managerclubs4   = Ajax
 | manageryears5   = 2001–2006 | managerclubs5   = [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]] (assistant)
 | manageryears6   = 2006–2007 | managerclubs6   = [[PSV Eindhoven|PSV]] (assistant)
 | manageryears7   = 2007      | managerclubs7   = PSV (caretaker)
 | manageryears8   = 2008–2009 | managerclubs8   = PSV (assistant)
 | manageryears9   = 2009–2011 | managerclubs9   = Utrecht (assistant)
 | manageryears10  = 2011–2014 | managerclubs10  = Utrecht
 | manageryears11  = 2015      | managerclubs11  = [[Kasımpaşa Spor Kulübü|Kasımpaşa]] (caretaker)
 | manageryears12  = 2015–2018 | managerclubs12  = [[Feyenoord]] (assistant)
 | manageryears13  = 2021 | managerclubs13  = [[Fortuna Sittard]] (assistant)
 | manageryears14  = 2022-present | managerclubs14  = [[AFC Ajax|Ajax]] youth (assistant)
| medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|{{fb|NED}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[UEFA European Championship]]}}
{{Medal|Winner|[[UEFA Euro 1988|1988 West Germany]]|}}
{{Medal|B|[[UEFA Euro 1992|1992 Sweden]]|}}
}}
'''Jan Jacobus Wouters''' (born 17 July 1960) is a Dutch professional [[association football|football]] coach and former player. He played as a [[defensive midfielder]] and was [[Dutch Footballer of the Year]] in 1990.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dutchmultimedia.nl/nederlands-voetballer-van-het-jaar-een-overzicht-sinds-1963/ |language=nl|title=Nederlands voetballer van het jaar sinds 1963|trans-title=Dutch footballer of the year|website=dutchmultimedia.nl|access-date=23 November 2025}}</ref>

==Player career==
Wouters played for several clubs including [[FC Utrecht|Utrecht]], [[AFC Ajax|Ajax]], [[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]] and [[PSV Eindhoven|PSV]]. He was also a [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands international]] team member (70 caps, four goals) and was hugely influential in 1988 when the Netherlands won the [[1988 European Football Championship|European Football Championship]].<ref name=voetbalstats>{{cite web|url=https://voetbalstats.nl/spelernedxi.php?persid=568 |title=Jan Wouters – Interlands Nederlands elftal|website=voetbalstats.nl |access-date=6 November 2025|language=nl}}</ref> 

Wouters participated in four tournaments as player of the Dutch national team: [[UEFA Euro 1988 squads#Netherlands|UEFA Euro 1988]], [[1990 FIFA World Cup squads#Netherlands|1990 FIFA World Cup]], [[UEFA Euro 1992 squads#Netherlands|UEFA Euro 1992]], and [[1994 FIFA World Cup squads#Netherlands|1994 FIFA World Cup]].<ref name=ajax.nl>{{cite web|url=https://www.ajax.nl/artikelen/oud-international-en-jeugdtrainer-jan-wouters-nederland-behoort-altijd-tot-de-favorieten|title=Oud-international en jeugdtrainer Jan Wouters: 'Nederland behoort altijd tot de favorieten'|trans-title= Former international and youth coach Jan Wouters: 'Dutch team is always one of the favorites'|date=3 December 2022|language=nl|website=ajax.nl|access-date=23 November 2025}}</ref> He played his final match in the Dutch team during the quarter finals of the 1994 World Cup against later winners [[Brazil national football team|Brazil]] on 9 July 1994.<ref name=voetbalstats />

==Coaching career==
Wouters started his career as head coach at Ajax after the sacking of coach [[Morten Olsen]] in December 1998.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.volkskrant.nl/voorpagina/een-totale-vernedering~b924de7c/|title=Een totale vernedering|language=nl|website=volkskrant.nl|trans-title=A total humiliation|date=20 March 1999|author=Paul Onkenhout|access-date=23 November 2025}}</ref> Wouters was sacked by Ajax in March 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vi.nl/nieuws/1321251/ajax-ontslaat-met-wouters-zesde-trainer-in-historie|title=Ajax ontslaat met Wouters zesde trainer in historie|language=nl|website=[[Voetbal International]]|trans-title=Ajax sacks Wouters as the sixth coach in their history|date=21 March 2000|access-date=23 November 2025}}</ref>

He was a coach of [[Scottish Premier League]] club [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]] under [[Dick Advocaat]] and then [[Alex McLeish]], starting in July 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.volkskrant.nl/voorpagina/jan-wouters-assistent-van-dick-advocaat-bij-rangers~bc830f9d/?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F |title=Jan Wouters assistent van Dick Advocaat bij Rangers|website=volkskrant.nl|language=nl|trans-title=Jan Wouters assistent to Dick Advocaat at Rangers|date= 3 May 2001|access-date=23 November 2025}}</ref> He left Rangers at the end of the [[2005–06 in Scottish football|2005–06 season]], along with McLeish and [[Andy Watson (footballer born 1959)|Andy Watson]].

Wouters is infamous to England supporters after elbowing [[Paul Gascoigne]] and fracturing his cheekbone during a World Cup qualifier in 1993 at Wembley Stadium.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ad.nl/sport/toen-jan-wouters-het-jukbeen-van-paul-gascoigne-brak~ac6fb71f/|title=Toen Jan Wouters het jukbeen van Paul Gascoigne brak|date=28 April 2020|website=ad.nl|access-date=23 November 2025|trans-title=When Jan Wouters fractured the cheekbone of Paul Gascoigne|language=nl|author=David Hessing}}</ref> Gascoigne was forced to wear a Phantom of the Opera style facemask to protect his fractured cheekbone until his injury healed. The following day, the ''Daily Mirror'' labelled Wouters a "Dutch thug". The match was drawn 2–2 and damaged England's hopes of qualifying for the 1994 World Cup finals in the United States, despite England leading the match 2–0.

==Career statistics==
===Club===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<ref name=voetbalstats_ere>{{cite web | url = https://www.voetbalstats.nl/spelerere.php?persid=568 | title = Jan Wouters - speler Eredivisie | access-date = 6 November 2025| website=voetbalstats.nl| language=nl}}</ref>
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="3"|League<ref name=voetbalstats_ere />
!colspan="2"|National Cup
!colspan="2"|Other
!colspan="2"|Continental<ref name="voetbalstats_eur">{{cite web|url=https://voetbalstats.nl/spelerec.php?persid=568|title=Jan Wouters - Europese wedstrijden Nederlandse clubs|website=voetbalstats.nl|language=nl|access-date = 6 November 2025}}</ref>
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="7"|[[FC Utrecht|Utrecht]]
|[[1980–81 Eredivisie|1980–81]]
|rowspan="6"|[[Eredivisie]]
|19||1||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||21||1
|-
|[[1981–82 Eredivisie|1981–82]]
|31||4||8||2||colspan="2"|—||2{{efn|name=UC|Appearances in [[UEFA Cup]]}}||0||43||6
|-
|[[1982–83 Eredivisie|1982–83]]
|27||6||1||0||colspan="2"|—||1{{efn|name=UC}}||0||29||6
|-
|[[1983–84 Eredivisie|1983–84]]
|31||4||2||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||33||5
|-
|[[1984–85 Eredivisie|1984–85]]
|25||1||6||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||31||2
|-
|[[1985–86 Eredivisie|1985–86]]
|33||5||1||0||colspan="2"|—||2{{efn|name=EC2|Appearances in [[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup]]}}||0||36||5
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!166<ref name=voetbalstats_ere />!!21<ref name=voetbalstats_ere />!!20!!4!!colspan="2"|—!!5<ref name="voetbalstats_eur" />!!0<ref name="voetbalstats_eur" />!!193!!25
|-
|rowspan="7"|[[AFC Ajax|Ajax]]
|[[1986–87 Eredivisie|1986–87]]
|rowspan="6"|Eredivisie
|32||4||7||0||colspan="2"|—||9{{efn|name=EC2}}||1||48||5
|-
|[[1987–88 Eredivisie|1987–88]]
|28||4||1||0||2{{efn|name=USC|Appearances in [[UEFA Super Cup]]}}||0||7{{efn|name=EC2}}||0||36||4
|-
|[[1988–89 Eredivisie|1988–89]]
|22||1||4||0||colspan="2"|—||1{{efn|name=UC}}||0||27||0
|-
|[[1989–90 Eredivisie|1989–90]]
|28||7||4||1||colspan="2"|—||2{{efn|name=UC}}||1||34||7
|-
|[[1990–91 Eredivisie|1990–91]]
|30||5||2||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|— {{efn|name=Suspension|Ajax suspended for playing European football as a result of the [[Iron rod incident|iron rod incident]] in the previous season}}||32||6
|-
|[[1991–92 Eredivisie|1991–92]]
|11||2||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||4{{efn|name=UC}}||0||14||1
|-
!colspan="2"|Total<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afc-ajax.info/nl/voetballer/Jan-Wouters|title=Jan Wouters bij Ajax|trans-title=Jan Wouters at Ajax|language=nl|website=afc-ajax.info}}</ref>
!151<ref name=voetbalstats_ere />!!23<ref name=voetbalstats_ere />!!18!!2!!2!!0!!23<ref name="voetbalstats_eur" />!!2<ref name="voetbalstats_eur" />!!194!!23
|-
|rowspan="4"|[[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]]
|[[1991–92 Bundesliga|1991–92]]
|rowspan="3"|[[Bundesliga]]
|17||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||17||1
|-
|[[1992–93 Bundesliga|1992–93]]
|33||4||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||35||4
|-
|[[1993–94 Bundesliga|1993–94]]
|16||1||4||1||colspan="2"|—||4{{efn|name=UC}}||0||24||2
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!68!!6!!6!!1!!colspan="2"|—!!4!!0!!76!!7
|-
|rowspan="4"|[[PSV Eindhoven|PSV]]
|[[1993–94 Eredivisie|1993–94]]
|rowspan="3"|Eredivisie
|10||1||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||11||1
|-
|[[1994–95 Eredivisie|1994–95]]
|22||1||1||0||colspan="2"|—||2{{efn|name=UC}}||0||25||1
|-
|[[1995–96 Eredivisie|1995–96]]
|20||3||4||0||colspan="2"|—||3{{efn|name=UC}}||0||27||3
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!52<ref name="voetbalstats_ere" />!!5<ref name="voetbalstats_ere" />!!6!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!5<ref name="voetbalstats_eur" />!!0<ref name="voetbalstats_eur" />!!63!!5
|-
!colspan="3"|Career total
!437!!55!!50!!7!!2!!0!!37!!2!!524!!60
|}

{{notelist}}

===International===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year<ref name=voetbalstats />
|-
!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="13"|[[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands]]
|1982||1||0
|-
|1983||0||0
|-
|1984||0||0
|-
|1985||0||0
|-
|1986||7||0
|-
|1987||3||0
|-
|1988||10||1
|-
|1989||5||2
|-
|1990||11||0
|-
|1991||6||0
|-
|1992||13||1
|-
|1993||7||0
|-
|1994||7||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total!!70!!4
|}

:''Scores and results list the Netherlands' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Wouters goal.''

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Jan Wouters<ref name=voetbalstats />
|-
!scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date
!scope="col"|Venue
!scope="col"|Opponent
!scope="col"|Score
!scope="col"|Result
!scope="col"|Competition
|-
| align="center"|1 || 24 May 1988|| [[Rotterdam]], Netherlands || {{fb|BUL}} || align="center"|1–0 || align="center"|1–2 || rowspan="1" | [[Exhibition game#International football|Friendly]]
|-
| align="center"|2 || 4 January 1989|| [[Tel Aviv]], Israel|| {{fb|ISR}} || align="center"|1–0 || align="center"|2–0 || rowspan="1" | Friendly
|-
| align="center"|3 || 6 September 1989|| [[Amsterdam]], Netherlands || {{fb|DEN}} || align="center"|2–0 || align="center"|2–2 || rowspan="1" | Friendly
|-
| align="center"|4 || 25 March 1992|| Amsterdam, Netherlands || {{fb|YUG}} || align="center"|2–0 || align="center"|2–0 || rowspan="1" | Friendly
|-
|}

==Honours==
'''Utrecht'''
*[[KNVB Cup]]: [[1984–85 KNVB Cup|1984–85]]

'''Ajax'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afc-ajax.info/nl/voetballer/Jan-Wouters|title=Jan Wouters|language=nl|website=afc-ajax.info|access-date=23 November 2025}}</ref><ref name=ajax.nl />
*[[Eredivisie]]: [[1989–90 Eredivisie|1989–90]]
*[[KNVB Cup]]: [[1986–87 KNVB Cup|1986–87]]
*[[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup]]: [[1986–87 European Cup Winners' Cup|1986–87]]

'''Bayern Munich'''<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.fussballdaten.de/spieler/woutersjan/2013/ | title = Jan Wouters | language = de | publisher = fussballdaten.de | access-date = 14 March 2015}}</ref>
*[[Bundesliga]]: [[1993–94 Bundesliga|1993–94]]

'''PSV'''
*[[KNVB Cup]]: [[1995–96 KNVB Cup|1995–96]]

'''Netherlands'''
*[[UEFA European Championship]]: [[UEFA Euro 1988|1988]]

'''Individual'''
*[[Dutch Footballer of the Year]]: [[1989–90 Eredivisie|1989–90]]
*[[UEFA European Championship Teams of the Tournament|UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament]]: [[UEFA Euro 1988#Awards|1988]]<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.uefa.com/euro2024/news/0253-0d7d771ae77b-33dd16358404-1000--euro-1988-team-of-the-tournament/|title=UEFA 1988 Team of the Tournament|work=[[UEFA]]|access-date=18 March 2015 }}</ref>
*''[[Kicker (sports magazine)|kicker]]'' [[Bundesliga]] Team of the Season: 1992–93<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/bl50/199293/startseite.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018173048/http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/bl50/199293/startseite.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 October 2012|title=Bundesliga Historie 1992/93|language=de|publisher=kicker}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
Wouters was repeatedly referenced in a ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' sketch on 4 February 2023 featuring [[James Austin Johnson]] as a British rapper named Milly Pounds.<ref>{{Citation |title=Weekend Update ft. Michael Longfellow, James Austin Johnson and Devon Walker - SNL | date=6 February 2023 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJLPMDG8UBc |language=en |access-date=6 February 2023}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://www.beijen.net/frank/cvs/wouters-j.htm profile Jan Wouters] {{in lang|nl}}
* {{wvo|1026}}

{{Netherlands Squad Euro 1988}}
{{UEFA Euro 1988 Team of the Tournament}}
{{1992–93 kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season}}
{{Dutch Footballer of the Year}}
{{Navboxes
|title= Jan Wouters international tournaments
|list1=
{{Netherlands squad UEFA Euro 1988}}
{{Netherlands squad 1990 FIFA World Cup}}
{{Netherlands squad UEFA Euro 1992}}
{{Netherlands squad 1994 FIFA World Cup}}
}}
{{Navboxes
|title= Jan Wouters managerial positions
|list1=
{{FC Utrecht managers}}
{{AFC Ajax managers}}
{{PSV Eindhoven managers}}
{{Kasımpaşa S.K. managers}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wouters, Jan}}
[[Category:1960 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Dutch men's footballers]]
[[Category:Footballers from Utrecht (city)]]
[[Category:Men's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:Netherlands men's international footballers]]
[[Category:1990 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:1994 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:UEFA Euro 1988 players]]
[[Category:UEFA Euro 1992 players]]
[[Category:UEFA European Championship–winning players]]
[[Category:UEFA Europa League–winning players]]
[[Category:Bundesliga players]]
[[Category:Eredivisie players]]
[[Category:FC Utrecht players]]
[[Category:FC Bayern Munich footballers]]
[[Category:AFC Ajax players]]
[[Category:PSV Eindhoven players]]
[[Category:Dutch football managers]]
[[Category:Eredivisie managers]]
[[Category:FC Utrecht managers]]
[[Category:AFC Ajax managers]]
[[Category:Rangers F.C. non-playing staff]]
[[Category:PSV Eindhoven managers]]
[[Category:Dutch expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Dutch expatriate sportspeople in Germany]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Germany]]
[[Category:Dutch expatriate sportspeople in Scotland]]
[[Category:Dutch expatriate sportspeople in Turkey]]
[[Category:20th-century Dutch sportsmen]]