Bert Konterman
A hardman defender remembered for one thunderous, title-clinching strike, embodying the passion and chaos of Scottish football.
Born 1971 (age 55)·Dutch football manager·Birthday: January 14·Generation X
Biography
In the Netherlands, Bert Konterman was a reliable, no-nonsense center-back with a respectable career at Feyenoord and a handful of national team caps. In Scotland, however, he became a folk hero. His transfer to Rangers in 2000 placed him in the white-hot glare of the Old Firm rivalry, where his physical style was both celebrated and critiqued. While his time at Ibrox was inconsistent, it was immortalized by a single, seismic moment in February 2002. In a tense Scottish League Cup semi-final against Celtic, with the score tied and penalties looming, Konterman collected the ball 30 yards from goal and unleashed a ferocious, swerving drive that ripped into the net. The iconic 'Konterman Rocket' sent Rangers to the final, which they won, and cemented his place in club lore. After his playing days, he transitioned into management and punditry in the Netherlands, but for a generation of football fans, he remains forever frozen in that cathartic instant of pure, unexpected brilliance.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Bert was born in 1971, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bert Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Bert's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored a legendary 30-yard winning goal for Rangers against Celtic in the 2002 Scottish League Cup semi-final.
- Won the 2002 Scottish League Cup with Rangers, contributing decisively with his famous semi-final strike.
- Made over 150 appearances for Feyenoord in the Eredivisie and won the Johan Cruijff Shield with the club in 1999.
- Earned 12 caps for the Netherlands national football team between 1999 and 2000.
Did You Know?
His winning goal against Celtic was voted by Rangers fans as the greatest Old Firm goal of all time in a 2016 poll.
He began his professional career with FC Zwolle in the Dutch second division.
After retiring, he served as the technical director for the Dutch club SC Heerenveen.
He is a noted pundit for the Dutch television channel ESPN.
“In Glasgow, you either handle the pressure or you get eaten alive.”
