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7 July, 1998

Van Hooijdonk appears in WC semi

On this day in 1998 Pierre van Hooijdonk appears in a World Cup semi-final.

Player legacies

International milestone
Pierre van Hooijdonk, former Forest player, pictured 2012.
Pierre van Hooijdonk, former Forest player, pictured 2012. Image: Wim Hollemans, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Pierre van Hooijdonk’s appearance in the 1998 World Cup semi-final gave Nottingham Forest a direct connection to one of the tournament’s biggest nights.

The Netherlands drew 1-1 with Brazil after extra time in Marseille before Brazil won 4-2 on penalties. Van Hooijdonk was a Forest player at the time and came on as a substitute, placing one of the club’s forwards on the pitch during a tense World Cup semi-final.

Pierre van Hooijdonk, former Forest player, pictured 2012.
Pierre van Hooijdonk, former Forest player, pictured 2012. Image: Wim Hollemans, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The match had swung on fine margins. Ronaldo put Brazil ahead just after half-time, before Patrick Kluivert’s late header forced extra time and pushed the game towards a shootout.

For Forest supporters, the event stood out because it linked the club to a dramatic night in one of the most admired World Cups of the modern era. The Netherlands were denied a place in the final, but Van Hooijdonk’s involvement still placed Forest inside the story.

Sources

11v11; Planet World Cup; ESPN; Transfermarkt

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