Jakob "Jaap" Stam (born 17 July 1972) is a Dutch football manager, current head coach of Major League Soccer side FC Cincinnati and former professional player. Stam played primarily as a centre-back. He was known for possessing "a rare combination of speed, strength and ball-playing ability", as well as an excellent positional sense. Due to his wide range of skills, in his prime he was also capable of playing as a full-back on the right flank.
Stam played for several European clubs including PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Lazio, Milan and Ajax before retiring in October 2007. As well as club trophies, he won several personal awards, including being voted the best defender in the 1998–99 and 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League. Stam played 67 international matches for the Netherlands, scoring three goals. He was in their squads for three UEFA European Championships and the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
After retiring as a player, Stam worked as a coach at PEC Zwolle and Ajax before making his managerial debut with Reading in 2016. He later managed Feyenoord in 2019.
