Robert Patrick Maaskant was born on 10 January 1969 in Schiedam, the Netherlands, to a family with football traditions. His father, Gerbrand Maaskant, was a famous footballer who became a coach at the end of his career as a player.

An ex-football midfielder, Robert Maaskant played with such clubs as Go Ahead Eagles, FC Emmen, Motherwell FC, FC Zwolle and Excelsior Rotterdam.

He did not break up with football after he finished his career as a footballer. Maaskant took up head coaching first with RBC Roosendaal to move to Go Ahead Eagle. He returned to Roosendaal Maaskant twice - in 2003 and 2006 and twice he and his team were promoted to the first Dutch league. In the meantime, he moved on to Willem II (2004-2005) and MVV Maastricht (2007-2008). Since 2008, until yesterday, he was coaching the first Dutch league team, i.e. NAC Breda.

In the first season with NAC Breda, Maaskant and his team were qualified for the UEFA Cup. In the 3rd round, the Dutch team faced Polonia Warszawa. In the first match in Warsaw, NAC Breda won modestly 1:0 to make an overwhelming 3:1 victory as hosts in the rematch. In the 4th round, Breda lost to the Spanish Villareal.

Wisła Kraków SA Press Office