Marco van Basten

Born 31 October 1964, Marco van Basten broke through at Ajax with close control and a gift for headers and volleys that seemed to defy physics. He won three Eredivisie titles and a Cup Winners' Cup before moving to AC Milan, where he collected four Serie A titles and two European Cups. In 1988 he carried the Netherlands to Euro victory, finishing with five goals and the Golden Boot; the final against the Soviet Union produced his arcing volley from an impossible angle, a strike still taught in highlight reels. He was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1992, the same year he claimed his third Ballon d'Or, and finished with over 300 goals at the highest levels. A recurring ankle injury forced his last match at 28 and retirement at 30, after two years of failed treatment. He later coached both Ajax and the national team, but it's the abrupt ending that defines him: in 2007, Sky Sports ranked him first among great athletes whose careers were cut short.