Louis van Gaal appointed – again – as Netherlands coach

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Louis van Gaal has been appointed to his third stint as coach of the Netherlands following the national team’s disappointing showing at the European Championship, the country’s soccer federation announced Wednesday.

Van Gaal succeeds Frank de Boer, who quit after the Netherlands was beaten 2-0 by the Czech Republic to exit Euro 2020 in the round of 16.

The 69-year-old first coached “Oranje” from 2000-2002, when the team failed to qualify for the World Cup. But he had more success in his second period at the helm of the national team, leading it to a third-place finish at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Van Gaal coached Ajax to the Champions League title in 1995 and also coached Barcelona, Manchester United and Bayern Munich.

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The Associated Press