Suzanne Bakker

Suzanne Bakker (born 9 July 1986) is a Dutch football manager and former footballer who manages AC Milan. She played briefly for the Netherlands women's national team. She coached Ajax for two seasons, winning the 2022–23 Eredivisie title and 2023–24 KNVB Women's Cup.

Suzanne Bakker

Personal information
Date of birth	(1986-07-09) 9 July 1986 (age 39)
Place of birth	Hensbroek, the Netherlands
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position	Midfielder
Youth career
	Apollo '68 [nl]
0000–2007	VV Reiger Boys [nl]
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2007–2008	FC Utrecht	17	(1)
2008–2014	ASV Wartburgia [nl]
International career‡
2004–2005	Netherlands	5	(0)
Managerial career
2014–2017	ASV Wartburgia [nl]
2017–2018	Excelsior Rotterdam (assistant)
2018–2022	Jong AFC Ajax
2022–2024	AFC Ajax
2024–	AC Milan
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 1 December 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 1 December 2024

Career

Bakker started her managerial career with Dutch side ASV Wartburgia [nl]. In 2017, she was appointed as an assistant manager of Dutch side Excelsior Rotterdam, before being appointed as manager of the reserve team of Dutch side AFC Ajax in 2022. Two years later, she was promoted to manager of the club's first team, helping them win the Eredivisie and 2023–24 KNVB Women's Cup.^[1] Despite this, she left them at the end of the 2023–24 season.^[2] Ahead of the 2024–25 season, she was appointed manager of Italian side AC Milan. While managing the club, she was regarded to have preferred the 4–3–3 formation.^[3]

Controversy

Nadia Nadim, a Danish player from Afganistan, who played football in a refugee camp, said that "training in the refugee camp was better" than training under Bakker in Milan in 2024.^[4][5]