A tall and intelligent midfielder, Cocu arrived in Barcelona during a special season for the club: the 1998–99 centenary year. By the end of that campaign, he had already lifted the La Liga title under Van Gaal. He landed on his feet, quickly becoming a key figure in the squad, eventually playing 292 official matches and scoring 37 goals. Reliable and composed, he was a regular starter under all five managers during his time at the club. Though those years were not the most successful in sporting terms, Barça fans still remember him fondly. After six seasons, he returned to PSV Eindhoven, where he won three consecutive league titles before retiring in Abu Dhabi with Al Jazira Club at nearly 38 years of age.

Honours with Barça:

• 1 Liga: (1999)

100 caps for the Netherlands, with 10 goals.

• Played in the 1998 and 2006 World Cups, and the 1996, 2000, and 2004 European Championships.