View source for Fernando Ricksen

{{Short description|Dutch footballer (1976–2019)}}
{{Redirect|Ricksen|the American actress|Lucille Ricksen}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Fernando Ricksen
| image = FerRic.JPG
| caption = Ricksen playing for [[FC Zenit Saint Petersburg|Zenit Saint Petersburg]] in 2007
| fullname = Fernando Jacob Hubertina Henrika Ricksen<ref name="name">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AK28BQAAQBAJ&q=ricksen+27+july+1976&pg=PT18|title=Fighting Spirit: The Autobiography of Fernando Ricksen|last1=Ricksen|first1=Fernando|last2=De Vries|first2=Vincent|date=2014|publisher=Birlinn|isbn=9780857908124|quote=Several eyebrows must have been raised in Hoensbroek, the quiet town in the Dutch province of Limburg where I was born on 27 July 1976, with the name of Fernando Jacob Hubertina Henrika Ricksen|access-date=18 September 2019}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date|1976|7|27|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Hoensbroek]], Netherlands<ref name="name"/>
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2019|09|18|1976|7|27|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Airdrie, North Lanarkshire]], Scotland
| height = 1.75 m
| position = [[Central midfielder]], [[right-back]]
| youthyears1 = 1980–1986
| youthclubs1 = [[EHC Hoensbroek|EHC]]
| youthyears2 = 1986–1988
| youthclubs2 = RKONS
| youthyears3 = 1988–1992
| youthclubs3 = [[Roda JC]]
| youthyears4 = 1992–1994
| youthclubs4 = [[Fortuna Sittard]]
| years1 = 1994–1997
| clubs1 = [[Fortuna Sittard]]
| caps1 = 94
| goals1 = 5
| years2 = 1997–2000
| clubs2 = [[AZ Alkmaar|AZ]]
| caps2 = 92
| goals2 = 12
| years3 = 2000–2006
| clubs3 = [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]]
| caps3 = 182 <!-- League matches only, per WP policy -->
| goals3 = 13 <!-- League goals only, per WP policy -->
| years4 = 2006
| clubs4 = → [[FC Zenit Saint Petersburg|Zenit Saint Petersburg]] (loan)
| caps4 = 14
| goals4 = 2
| years5 = 2007–2009
| clubs5 = [[FC Zenit Saint Petersburg|Zenit Saint Petersburg]]
| caps5 = 22
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2010–2013
| clubs6 = [[Fortuna Sittard]]
| caps6 = 48
| goals6 = 1
| totalcaps = 452
| totalgoals = 33
| nationalyears1 = 2000–2003
| nationalteam1 = [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands]]
| nationalcaps1 = 12
| nationalgoals1 = 0
}}
'''Fernando Jacob Hubertina Henrika Ricksen''' (27 July 1976 – 18 September 2019) was a Dutch professional [[association football|footballer]] who played as a right back and central midfielder. After winning [[Eerste Divisie]] titles with [[Fortuna Sittard]] and [[AZ Alkmaar|AZ]], he joined [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]] for £3.75 million in 2000. In six years with the club from [[Glasgow]], he won two [[Scottish Premier League]] titles, two [[Scottish Cup]]s and three [[Scottish League Cup]]s. He left in 2006 for [[FC Zenit Saint Petersburg|Zenit Saint Petersburg]], initially on loan, and won honours including the [[UEFA Cup]] and [[UEFA Super Cup]] in 2008. He was dismissed by Zenit in 2009, and spent the final years of his career back at Fortuna Sittard. Internationally, he earned 12 [[Cap (sport)|caps]] for the [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands]] between 2000 and 2003.

Ricksen was elected to Rangers's Hall of Fame in 2014. He suffered from [[motor neurone disease]] and died from the disease on 18 September 2019, aged 43.

==Club career==
===Rangers===
Ricksen, formerly of [[Fortuna Sittard]], joined Rangers in 2000 from Dutch team [[AZ Alkmaar]] for a transfer fee of £3.75 million.<ref name=scotsman/>

Ricksen endured a difficult start to his Rangers career, culminating in him being substituted after a torrid 21 minutes in a 6–2 defeat to [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]]. On his second trip to [[Celtic Park]] six months later, he was sent off before half-time in another defeat. He had been dropped for the two intervening derbies.<ref name=scotsman>{{cite news|url=http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/competitions/premiership/he-s-behind-you-1-1394103|title=He's behind you|work=scotsman.com|date=16 May 2004|access-date=31 October 2015}}</ref>

In November 2000 Ricksen became the first player in Scottish football to be banned retrospectively on television evidence.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/scottish-premier/2994925/Ricksen-banned-for-video-nasty.html|title=Ricksen banned for video nasty|date=18 December 2000|access-date=21 April 2017|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref> His [[Kung Fu]]-style kick on [[Darren Young (Scottish footballer)|Darren Young]] had been missed by the referee but caught on camera, leading to a five-game ban. Ricksen subsequently used his personal website to suggest Young required "straightening out."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-9987729.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160108043323/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-9987729.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 January 2016|title=A relaxed Ricksen puts his Celtic troubles behind him|work=highbeam.com|access-date=31 October 2015}}</ref>

[[2003–04 in Scottish football|2003–04]] proved to be a failed season for Rangers, with the departure of several players from the treble-winning season, including [[Barry Ferguson]] and [[Lorenzo Amoruso]]. Ricksen, however, proved to be an important member of the Rangers team which finished second, playing 42 games, despite several injuries and disciplinary problems throughout the season. In October 2003 Ricksen pushed then Rangers chairman [[John McClelland (businessman)|John McClelland]] into a swimming pool before a match against [[Panathinaikos F.C.|Panathinaikos]] in Athens.<ref name=beeb/> The same week he was banned from the Netherlands national team for smashing a hotel door down after a night out.<ref name=beeb>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/3180952.stm|title=BBC SPORT - Football - My Club - Rangers - McLeish warns troubled Ricksen|work=bbc.co.uk|date=10 October 2003 |access-date=31 October 2015}}</ref> After the events Rangers banned Ricksen from talking to the media and manager McLeish said "We would rather have Fernando on the back pages and we have told him that."<ref name=beeb/>

In March 2004 Ricksen was again banned by the [[Scottish Football Association|SFA]] video review panel. He had elbowed [[Derek Riordan]] in a [[Scottish League Cup|CIS Cup]] defeat to [[Hibernian F.C.|Hibernian]], resulting in a four-game ban and a £10,000 fine from his club.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/3485465.stm|title=BBC SPORT - Football - My Club - Rangers - Ricksen gets four-game ban|work=bbc.co.uk|date=16 March 2004 |access-date=31 October 2015}}</ref>

The highlight of Ricksen's career at Rangers came in the 2004–05 season seeing him jointly win the SPFA player of the year award after scoring nine goals from midfield in his 40 appearances for the club, helping Rangers to a league and league cup double.

It remained unclear whether Ricksen would be seen as a key member of the Rangers team under new manager [[Paul Le Guen]] for the [[2006–07 in Scottish football|2006–07 season]]. An alcohol-fueled incident involving a passenger on Rangers' outbound flight to their pre-season camp in South Africa, led to Ricksen being sent home by Le Guen, who later described his behaviour as "inappropriate and unacceptable for the way in which I have asked my players to conduct themselves."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/5164284.stm|title=BBC SPORT - Football - My Club - Rangers - Ricksen fears for Rangers future|work=bbc.co.uk|date=10 July 2006 |access-date=31 October 2015}}</ref>

On 30 March 2014, Ricksen was inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame along with [[Lee McCulloch]] and [[Nacho Novo]].<ref name="Hall of Fame">{{cite web|url=http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/6649-fame-awards-for-trio|title=Fame Awards For Trio|work=Rangers Football Club, Official Website|access-date=31 October 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924123619/http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/6649-fame-awards-for-trio|archive-date=24 September 2015}}</ref>

===Zenit Saint Petersburg===
[[File:Fernando Ricksen.jpg|thumb|upright|Ricksen playing for [[FC Zenit Saint Petersburg|Zenit Saint Petersburg]] in 2007]]

Ricksen moved on loan to [[FC Zenit Saint Petersburg|Zenit Saint Petersburg]] on a season long loan on 9 August 2006, the Russian club's manager being [[Dick Advocaat]], who signed Ricksen for Rangers. Two weeks later he returned to Ibrox in a friendly between Rangers and Zenit and was booed after injuring [[Chris Burke (footballer)|Chris Burke]] with what was described as a reckless tackle.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/5280480.stm|title=BBC SPORT - Football - My Club - Rangers - Burke crocked by Ricksen tackle|work=bbc.co.uk|date=23 August 2006 |access-date=31 October 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/tm_objectid=17616377&method=full&siteid=66633-name_page.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930015125/http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/tm_objectid%3D17616377%26method%3Dfull%26siteid%3D66633-name_page.html|title=The Daily Record - SPORT - SCOTTISH FOOTBALL - RICK'S BACK ON THE BOOS|archive-date=30 September 2007|work=dailyrecord.co.uk|access-date=31 October 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> Weeks later, Ricksen engaged in an on-field fist-fight with Zenit captain [[Vladislav Radimov]].<ref name=wsc>{{cite web|url=http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/506/29/|title=When Saturday Comes - Fernando Ricksen|author=WSC 244 Jun 07|work=wsc.co.uk|access-date=31 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524065527/http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/506/29/|archive-date=24 May 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On 28 November 2006, Zenit Saint Petersburg announced that they bought out Ricksen's transfer from Rangers. Despite this, Ricksen again fought with Radimov during a match in January 2007.<ref name=wsc/> Ricksen was an unused substitute in the [[2008 UEFA Cup Final]], in which Zenit triumphed over Rangers. In January 2009, after two and a half years in Russia, Ricksen was demoted to Zenit's reserve side, having previously refused to leave the club. On 28 August 2009, FC Zenit terminated his contract because of Ricksen's constant disciplinary misbehaviours.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090829200027/http://www.fc-zenit.ru/info/details.phtml?id=7232 Official FC Zenit St. Petersburg website (Russian)]</ref>

===Return to Sittard===
After being without a club for more than a year, on 2 December 2010 Ricksen agreed to rejoin his childhood team Fortuna Sittard, involved in their battle to escape relegation from the [[Eerste Divisie]], signing a contract till the end of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.voetbalprimeur.nl/nieuws/184583/ricksen-maakt-vrijdag-rentree-bij-fortuna|title=Ricksen maakt vrijdag rentree bij Fortuna|work=voetbalprimeur.nl|date=2 December 2010 |access-date=31 October 2015}}</ref>

==International career==
Ricksen earned the first of 12 caps for the Netherlands on 15 November 2000, playing two minutes as a substitute for [[Paul Bosvelt]] in a 3–2 friendly win over [[Spain national football team|Spain]] at the [[Estadio Olimpico de la Cartuja]] in [[Seville]]. His final cap was on 30 April 2003, a 1–1 home draw with [[Portugal national football team|Portugal]] in another friendly.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fernando Ricksen - International Appearances |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/ricksen-intl.html |website=RSSSF |access-date=18 September 2019}}</ref>

In June 2003, after a [[UEFA Euro 2004]] qualifier away to [[Belarus national football team|Belarus]], Ricksen got drunk and kicked down two hotel room doors. He was subsequently ostracised by manager [[Dick Advocaat]] and did not play for the Netherlands again.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Livie |first1=Alex |title=Ricksen wants to help Oranje |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11788/2277103/ricksen-wants-to-help-oranje |access-date=18 September 2019 |publisher=Sky Sports}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=van Leeuwen |first1=Gerrit |title=Ricksen no nearer Dutch recall |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11788/2277131/ricksen-no-nearer-dutch-recall |access-date=18 September 2019 |publisher=Sky Sports}}</ref><ref name=fighting/>

==Personal life==
[[File:Zenit-PSV (7).jpg|thumb|upright|Ricksen (left) attending a [[FC Zenit Saint Petersburg|Zenit Saint Petersburg]] match in 2015]]

On 25 December 2000, Ricksen was the subject of a report to the [[procurator fiscal]] after an incident when his car crashed into a lamppost in the early hours of the morning.<ref name=heraldi>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/rangers-player-faces-drink-drive-charge-1.204613|title=Rangers player faces drink-drive charge|work=Herald Scotland|date=26 December 2000 |access-date=31 October 2015}}</ref> Ricksen denied charges of [[Driving under the influence|drink-driving]], careless driving, committing a breach of the peace by shouting and swearing, and conducting himself in a disorderly manner.<ref name=heraldii>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/rangers-star-banned-for-drink-driving-1.125217|title=Rangers star banned for drink-driving|work=Herald Scotland|date=27 February 2003 |access-date=31 October 2015}}</ref> At a trial in February 2003 Ricksen was found to have been twice over the limit and was convicted of drunk-driving, receiving a £500 fine and a 12-month driving ban.<ref name=heraldii/> He was acquitted of the other charges.<ref name=heraldii/>

In October 2003, Ricksen was fined £7,000 after being convicted of a breach of the peace and assault in relation to a drunken late-night house party he held the previous November.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1443721/News-in-brief.html|title=News in brief|date=10 October 2003|work=Telegraph.co.uk|access-date=31 October 2015}}</ref> Having initially denied the charges, in court Ricksen admitted conducting himself in a disorderly manner, causing a breach of the peace, repeatedly igniting fireworks, shouting and swearing and then threatening and assaulting a neighbour who had complained.<ref name=wsc/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/3177826.stm|title=BBC NEWS - UK - Scotland - Ricksen appeal after fireworks fine|work=bbc.co.uk|date=9 October 2003 |access-date=31 October 2015}}</ref> During the 2004–05 football season, Ricksen abstained from alcohol.<ref name=troubled>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/5170370.stm|title=BBC SPORT - Football - My Club - Rangers - Troubled Ricksen consults clinic|work=bbc.co.uk|date=11 July 2006 |access-date=31 October 2015}}</ref> In July 2006 Ricksen checked himself into the [[Sporting Chance Clinic]] for residential treatment relating to alcohol abuse and anger management.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article3919498.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204143700/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article3919498.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 December 2008|title=Login|work=[[The Times]]|access-date=31 October 2015}}</ref> For the previous six months he had been receiving out-patient treatment from the clinic.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/5171020.stm|title=BBC SPORT - Football - My Club - Rangers - Ricksen praised for taking action|work=bbc.co.uk|date=11 July 2006 |access-date=31 October 2015}}</ref>

Ricksen's daughter Isabella was born in 2011. In 2014 Ricksen married Veronika, who is Russian.<ref>{{Cite news|last=James|first=Stuart|date=1 March 2019|title=Fernando Ricksen: 'I like living too much, I'm not ready to go'|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/mar/01/fernando-ricksen-rangers-netherlands-motor-neurone-disease|access-date=1 May 2020|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> A documentary titled ''Fernando Ricksen: Hard Times''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.skysports.com/watch/news/9829826/fernando-ricksen-hard-times|title=Fernando Ricksen: Hard Times}}</ref> was aired on [[Sky Sports 1]] on 3 May 2015. Ricksen was [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] but later revealed his wish to convert to [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodoxy]].<ref>[https://matchtv.ru/football/rfpl/matchtvnews_NI764847_Veronika_Riksen_Zabolev_Fernando_khotel_prinat_pravoslavije_No_nam_otkazali Вероника Риксен: «Заболев, Фернандо хотел принять православие. Но нам отказали»]</ref>

Ricksen wrote an autobiography, ''Fighting Spirit'', which was published in 2014.<ref name=fighting>{{cite news |last1=James |first1=Stuart |title=Fernando Ricksen: 'I like living too much, I'm not ready to go' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/mar/01/fernando-ricksen-rangers-netherlands-motor-neurone-disease |access-date=18 September 2019 |work=The Guardian |date=1 March 2019}}</ref>

==Illness and death==
On 30 October 2013, Ricksen revealed that he was terminally ill and had been diagnosed with [[amyotrophic lateral sclerosis]] (motor neurone disease).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/former-rangers-star-fernando-ricksen-2658197|title=Former Rangers star Fernando Ricksen breaks down in tears as he reveals he has Motor Neurone Disease|last=English|first=Paul|date=30 October 2013|website=Daily Record|access-date=25 September 2019}}</ref> He set up a charity that raised over £1 million for research into the condition.<ref name=funeral/>

Ricksen died on 18 September 2019 in St Andrew's Hospice in [[Airdrie, North Lanarkshire]], Scotland, aged 43.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ricksen succumbs to motor neurone disease |url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0255-0e99f16e5852-66c44b757bfc-1000--ricksen-succumbs-to-motor-neurone-disease/ |access-date=18 September 2019 |publisher=UEFA |date=18 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/fernando-ricksen/|title=Fernando Ricksen|publisher=Rangers F.C. official site|date=18 September 2019|access-date=18 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49740638 |title=Fernando Ricksen: Ex-Rangers player dies aged 43 after motor neurone disease battle |publisher=BBC Sport |date=18 September 2019 |access-date=18 September 2019}}</ref> His funeral was held at [[Wellington Church]] in Glasgow on 25 September, attended by dignitaries of Celtic and Rangers, after which he was cremated at Linn crematorium, in a private ceremony.<ref name=funeral>{{cite news |title=Fans applaud as ex-Rangers player Ricksen's coffin passes Ibrox |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-49813989 |access-date=25 September 2019 |work=BBC News |date=25 September 2019}}</ref>

==Honours==
'''Fortuna Sittard'''
* [[Eerste Divisie]]: [[1994–95 Eerste Divisie|1994–95]]

'''AZ'''
* [[Eerste Divisie]]: [[1997–98 Eerste Divisie|1997–98]]

'''Rangers'''
* [[Scottish Premier League]]: [[2002–03 Scottish Premier League|2002–03]], [[2004–05 Scottish Premier League|2004–05]]
* [[Scottish Cup]]: [[2001–02 Scottish Cup|2001–02]], [[2002–03 Scottish Cup|2002–03]]
* [[Scottish League Cup]]: [[2001–02 Scottish League Cup|2001–02]], [[2002–03 Scottish League Cup|2002–03]], [[2004–05 Scottish League Cup|2004–05]]

'''Zenit Saint Petersburg'''
* [[Russian Premier League]]: [[2007 Russian Premier League|2007]]
* [[Russian Super Cup]]: [[2008 Russian Super Cup|2008]]
* [[UEFA Cup]]: [[2007–08 UEFA Cup|2007–08]]
* [[UEFA Super Cup]]: [[2008 UEFA Super Cup|2008]]

'''Individual'''
* [[PFA Scotland Players' Player of the Year]]: [[2004–05 Scottish Premier League|2004–05]]
* [[Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame]]: inducted in 2014<ref name="Hall of Fame" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090909080145/http://www.fc-zenit.ru/eng/personInfo.phtml?id=274 |date=9 September 2009 |title=Profile at the official FC Zenit St. Petersburg website }}
*{{Soccerbase}}
*{{NFT player|4644}}
*{{Wereld van Oranje|1127}}

{{SPFA Players' Player of the Year}}
{{Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ricksen, Fernando}}
[[Category:1976 births]]
[[Category:2019 deaths]]
[[Category:Footballers from Heerlen]]
[[Category:Dutch men's footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football central defenders]]
[[Category:Men's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:EHC Hoensbroek players]]
[[Category:Fortuna Sittard players]]
[[Category:AZ Alkmaar players]]
[[Category:Rangers F.C. players]]
[[Category:FC Zenit Saint Petersburg players]]
[[Category:Eredivisie players]]
[[Category:Eerste Divisie players]]
[[Category:Scottish Premier League players]]
[[Category:Russian Premier League players]]
[[Category:UEFA Europa League–winning players]]
[[Category:Netherlands men's under-21 international footballers]]
[[Category:Netherlands men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Dutch expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Dutch expatriate sportspeople in Scotland]]
[[Category:Dutch expatriate sportspeople in Russia]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Scotland]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Russia]]
[[Category:Dutch Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Deaths from motor neuron disease in Scotland]]