Giovanni van Bronckhorst handed his Europa League final runners-up medal to the family of late Rangers kitman Jimmy Bell, according to former Ibrox coach Roy Makaay. The gesture came after Rangers lost the 2022 final on penalties to Eintracht Frankfurt in Seville.
Van Bronckhorst's Gesture Revealed
Makaay, a former Bayern Munich striker who served as van Bronckhorst's assistant at Rangers, disclosed the story in an interview. He said: "Gio is a gentleman. That gesture at Rangers sums him up best. He handed his medal from the final to the wife of our late kitman Jimmy Bell after the game."
Bell, a beloved figure at Ibrox, had worked for the club for decades before his death in 2022. Van Bronckhorst, who managed Rangers from 2021 to 2023, led the team to the Europa League final in his first full season.
A Selfless Act
Makaay emphasized the significance of the act, noting van Bronckhorst's character. "Giving away that medal is the perfect example of it. He didn’t have to do it, but he did. And that's simply because his moral compass is always well-tuned. He is social, empathetic and loyal. You can always count on Gio."
Van Bronckhorst has since returned to manage Feyenoord for a second time, the club where he began and ended his playing career. Makaay expressed confidence in his former boss: "He's not going back to Feyenoord at the easiest of times. But if there is one man who can make Feyenoord lead the way again, it is him."
