Agent Mino Raiola, who was born in Italy, has been named the most influential Dutchman in the football industry. “It took a long time for the public to understand me.”
The 52-year-old represents the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba, Matthijs de Ligt and Gianluigi Donnarumma.
He won the Voetbal International poll of 50 Dutch figures in the sport, ahead of Ronald Koeman and in third place Johan Cruijff, even four years after his death.
Agent Mino Raiola, who was born in Italy, has been named the most influential Dutchman in the football industry. “It took a long time for the public to understand me.”
The 52-year-old represents the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba, Matthijs de Ligt and Gianluigi Donnarumma.
He won the Voetbal International poll of 50 Dutch figures in the sport, ahead of Ronald Koeman and in third place Johan Cruijff, even four years after his death.
Players including Hakim Ziyech, Frenkie de Jong and Virgil van Dijk were in the top 50, with the list decided by a panel of experts in the field.
“Cruijff is an icon, not me. His ideas about football still resonate with his acolytes all over the world,” Raiola told Voetbal International.
“Coming first in this poll does make me quite proud, because it took a long time for the public to understand me. I also have to say on top of winning, it’s also nice that people finally see me as Dutch and no longer just Italian.”
Raiola was born in Italy to Italian parents, but moved to the Netherlands as a baby.