Page 43 of the matchday programme serves as the official document of record: the “Selectie” (Squad List) for the 2012/2013 season. To a fan in May 2013, this was simply a list of the current team. But to a football historian looking back, this single page is a breathtaking incubator of future European superstars and managerial masterminds.
Let’s start with the players. Wearing number 4 is a 21-year-old Virgil van Dijk. Wearing number 10 is a 20-year-old Serbian winger named Filip Kostić. And buried at the bottom of the attackers list, wearing number 30, is Richairo Živković, whose birthdate is listed as 05-09-1996—making him just 16 years old at the time this programme was printed. The sheer concentration of raw, unpolished world-class talent in this single squad is a testament to the legendary scouting network of FC Groningen during this era.
However, the true hidden gems are found in the “TECHNISCHE STAF” (Technical Staff) box in the bottom right corner. Underneath head coach Robert Maaskant, the list of assistant trainers includes Erwin van de Looi and Dick Lukkien. This wasn’t just a training ground for players; it was a university for coaches. Both Van de Looi and Lukkien were quietly learning their trade on the training pitches of the Euroborg, preparing for their own moments in the spotlight.
A Look into the Future
By 2026, the names on this page have shaped modern football history. Virgil van Dijk conquered Europe with Liverpool, while Filip Kostic won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt and moved to Juventus. But the coaching staff’s evolution is equally poetic. Erwin van de Looi would take over as head coach shortly after this season, leading FC Groningen to their historic KNVB Cup victory in 2015. And Dick Lukkien, after a highly successful stint building FC Emmen, would eventually return to his roots to become the head coach of FC Groningen in the 2020s. This single page from 2013 is essentially the blueprint for the next decade of northern Dutch football.