Stroke at 49!

Shocking news from Holland icon Marc Overmars

Created: 12/31/2022 9:59 am

By: Kai Hartwig

Former Netherlands international Marc Overmars has suffered a stroke.

© Mike Egerton/dpa

In the Netherlands, Marc Overmars is an Oranje legend.

Now the ex-national player had to accept a health setback.

Antwerp (AP) - Former Netherlands international Marc Overmars has suffered a minor stroke.

The 49-year-old had to be taken to hospital, his current employer, Belgian first division club Royal Antwerpen FC, announced on Twitter on Friday (December 30).

Oranje legend Marc Overmars (49) suffers a stroke

Accordingly, Overmars felt uncomfortable at night.

"Marc is doing well now, but he will have to take it easy for a while," it said.

Overmars will focus on continued recovery in the coming days with the support of his family.

Overmars, who made 86 appearances for Oranje, has been technical director in Antwerp since March 2022.

He previously worked at Ajax Amsterdam for more than a decade but left after a scandal.

"I want to leave the Ajax side behind and start a new chapter here," Overmars said at his presentation in Antwerp.

Overmars made an inglorious departure from Ajax after ten years

At the beginning of February, the Dutchman resigned as sporting director at Ajax.

He had previously been under massive pressure after it was revealed that Overmar's club staff had sent messages that "had crossed the line", as Ajax put it.

"Especially for someone in my position, this behavior is unacceptable," Overmars apologized at the time.

As a player, Overmars celebrated his greatest success with Ajax Amsterdam.

He won the Champions League with the club in 1995.

Later, the fast winger also appeared for Arsenal FC and Barcelona FC, among others.

In 2011 Overmars ended his active career, but since 2009 he had also held the position of technical director at the Dutch first division club Go Ahead Eagles Deventer.

He was sporting director of Ajax Amsterdam from 2012 to 2022. During this time, Overmars was partly responsible for the fact that the Dutch top club with Frenkie de Jong (today FC Barcelona), Christian Eriksen (Manchester United) or today's Bayern star Matthijs de Ligt produced numerous stars.