Jakob Stam (known as Jaap Stam, born July 17, 1972 in Kampen in the

 Netherlands) is a Dutch football player, currently playing for Ajax Amsterdam. His nickname is de Rots van Kampen (the Rock of Kampen). He was voted best defender in the 1999 and 2000 UEFA Champions League. [1]

Stam started his career with local amateur football club DOS Kampen. In 1992, Stam made his professional debut for FC Zwolle. Stam's breakthrough came in his first season at Willem II. A shock 1-0 home victory over Ajax Amsterdam led to Stam's transfer to PSV Eindhoven. Two and a half years later, Stam became the then most expensive Dutch football player in history and the most expensive defender in history, when Manchester United bought him for ƒ36m. Stam spent three seasons at Manchester United and won the Premiership, FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League while with them.

During the 2001-02 season, Stam was controversially sold to S.S. Lazio in Italy, after Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was reportedly furious with allegations Stam had made in his autobiography Head to Head. The hasty exit left Ferguson with a defensive dilemma as the defence was built around the prolific Stam, Roy Keane often times had to drop back from his midfield position to fill his departure. Stam's only goal during his United career was the sixth goal in a 6-2 victory away to Leicester City FC at Filbert Street.

During his time with Lazio, Stam was found guilty of having the banned steroid nandrolone in his system following a Serie A game, and received a 5-month ban, which was eventually reduced by a month after appeals.

Stam made his debut for Holland on April 24, 1996, in the 1-0 defeat to Germany. He has played 67 matches for the Netherlands, scoring 3 goals and was an important player in the Dutch team that finished fourth in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. At Euro 2000, Stam missed an important kick in the penalty shootout in the semi-finals, which led to defeat against Italy. Stam retired from international football after the Euro 2004 tournament in Portugal, saying he wanted to focus on A.C. Milan and his family. On January 30, 2006, it was announced that he would return to the Eredivisie and play for Ajax, where he signed a two-year contract. This came as a surprise to many, as it was expected he would return to either his former club PSV Eindhoven, or SC Heerenveen. He was immediately named team captain upon his arrival in Amsterdam.

Titles

• 1996: KNVB Cup
• 1997: Eredivisie, Johan Cruyff Shield, Dutch Player of the Year
• 1998: Johan Cruyff Shield
• 1999: UEFA Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Intercontinental Cup
• 2000: Premier League
• 2001: Premier League
• 2004: Coppa Italia
• 2006: Johan Cruyff Shield
• 2007: KNVB Cup

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