title: Glycolysis

text: If glycolysis were to continue indefinitely, all of the NAD would be used up, and glycolysis would stop. To allow glycolysis to continue, organisms must be able to oxidize NADH back to NAD. How this is performed depends on which external electron acceptor is available.


title: Glycolysis

text: One method of doing this is to simply have the pyruvate do the oxidation; in this process, pyruvate is converted to lactate (the conjugate base of lactic acid) in a process called lactic acid fermentation:


title: Glycolysis

text: This process occurs in the bacteria involved in making yogurt (the lactic acid causes the milk to curdle). This process also occurs in animals under hypoxic (or partially anaerobic) conditions, found, for example, in overworked muscles that are starved of oxygen. In many tissues, this is a cellular last resort for energy; most animal tissue cannot tolerate anaerobic conditions for an extended period of time.


title: Glycolysis

text: Some organisms, such as yeast, convert NADH back to NAD in a process called ethanol fermentation. In this process, the pyruvate is converted first to acetaldehyde and carbon dioxide, and then to ethanol.


title: Glycolysis

text: Lactic acid fermentation and ethanol fermentation can occur in the absence of oxygen. This anaerobic fermentation allows many single-cell organisms to use glycolysis as their only energy source.


title: Glycolysis

text: Anoxic regeneration of NAD is only an effective means of energy production during short, intense exercise in vertebrates, for a period ranging from 10 seconds to 2 minutes during a maximal effort in humans. (At lower exercise intensities it can sustain muscle activity in diving animals, such as seals, whales and other aquatic vertebrates, for very much longer periods of time.) Under these conditions NAD is replenished by NADH donating its electrons to pyruvate to form lactate. This produces 2 ATP molecules per glucose molecule, or about 5% of glucose's energy potential (38 ATP molecules in bacteria). But the speed at which ATP is produced in this manner is about 100 times that of oxidative phosphorylation. The pH in the cytoplasm quickly drops when hydrogen ions accumulate in the muscle, eventually inhibiting the enzymes involved in glycolysis.


title: Glycolysis

text: The burning sensation in muscles during hard exercise can be attributed to the release of hydrogen ions during the shift to glucose fermentation from glucose oxidation to carbon dioxide and water, when aerobic metabolism can no longer keep pace with the energy demands of the muscles. These hydrogen ions form a part of lactic acid. The body falls back on this less efficient but faster method of producing ATP under low oxygen conditions. This is thought to have been the primary means of energy production in earlier organisms before oxygen reached high concentrations in the atmosphere between 2000 and 2500 million years ago, and thus would represent a more ancient form of energy production than the aerobic replenishment of NAD in cells.


title: Glycolysis

text: The liver in mammals gets rid of this excess lactate by transforming it back into pyruvate under aerobic conditions; see Cori cycle.


title: Glycolysis

text: Fermentation of pyruvate to lactate is sometimes also called "anaerobic glycolysis", however, glycolysis ends with the production of pyruvate regardless of the presence or absence of oxygen.


title: Glycolysis

text: In the above two examples of fermentation, NADH is oxidized by transferring two electrons to pyruvate. However, anaerobic bacteria use a wide variety of compounds as the terminal electron acceptors in cellular respiration: nitrogenous compounds, such as nitrates and nitrites; sulfur compounds, such as sulfates, sulfites, sulfur dioxide, and elemental sulfur; carbon dioxide; iron compounds; manganese compounds; cobalt compounds; and uranium compounds.


title: Glycolysis

text: In aerobic eukaryotes, a complex mechanism has developed to use the oxygen in air as the final electron acceptor. Aerobic prokaryotes, which lack mitochondria, use a variety of simpler mechanisms.


title: Glycolysis

text: The pyruvate produced by glycolysis is an important intermediary in the conversion of carbohydrates into fatty acids and cholesterol. This occurs via the conversion of pyruvate into acetyl-CoA in the mitochondrion. However, this acetyl CoA needs to be transported into cytosol where the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol occurs. This cannot occur directly. To obtain cytosolic acetyl-CoA, citrate (produced by the condensation of acetyl CoA with oxaloacetate) is removed from the citric acid cycle and carried across the inner mitochondrial membrane into the cytosol. There it is cleaved by ATP citrate lyase into acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetate. The oxaloacetate is returned to mitochondrion as malate (and then back into oxaloacetate to transfer more acetyl-CoA out of the mitochondrion). The cytosolic acetyl-CoA can be carboxylated by acetyl-CoA carboxylase into malonyl CoA, the first committed step in the synthesis of fatty acids, or it can be combined with acetoacetyl-CoA to form 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) which is the rate limiting step controlling the synthesis of cholesterol. Cholesterol can be used as is, as a structural component of cellular membranes, or it can be used to synthesize the steroid hormones, bile salts, and vitamin D.


title: Glycolysis

text: Pyruvate molecules produced by glycolysis are actively transported across the inner mitochondrial membrane, and into the matrix where they can either be oxidized and combined with coenzyme A to form , acetyl-CoA, and NADH, or they can be carboxylated (by pyruvate carboxylase) to form oxaloacetate. This latter reaction "fills up" the amount of oxaloacetate in the citric acid cycle, and is therefore an anaplerotic reaction (from the Greek meaning to "fill up"), increasing the cycle's capacity to metabolize acetyl-CoA when the tissue's energy needs (e.g. in heart and skeletal muscle) are suddenly increased by activity.


title: Glycolysis

text: In the citric acid cycle all the intermediates (e.g. citrate, iso-citrate, alpha-ketoglutarate, succinate, fumarate, malate and oxaloacetate) are regenerated during each turn of the cycle. Adding more of any of these intermediates to the mitochondrion therefore means that that additional amount is retained within the cycle, increasing all the other intermediates as one is converted into the other. Hence the addition of oxaloacetate greatly increases the amounts of all the citric acid intermediates, thereby increasing the cycle's capacity to metabolize acetyl CoA, converting its acetate component into and water, with the release of enough energy to form 11 ATP and 1 GTP molecule for each additional molecule of acetyl CoA that combines with oxaloacetate in the cycle.


title: Glycolysis

text: To cataplerotically remove oxaloacetate from the citric cycle, malate can be transported from the mitochondrion into the cytoplasm, decreasing the amount of oxaloacetate that can be regenerated. Furthermore, citric acid intermediates are constantly used to form a variety of substances such as the purines, pyrimidines and porphyrins.


title: Glycolysis

text: This article concentrates on the catabolic role of glycolysis with regard to converting potential chemical energy to usable chemical energy during the oxidation of glucose to pyruvate. Many of the metabolites in the glycolytic pathway are also used by anabolic pathways, and, as a consequence, flux through the pathway is critical to maintain a supply of carbon skeletons for biosynthesis.


title: Glycolysis

text: The following metabolic pathways are all strongly reliant on glycolysis as a source of metabolites: and many more.


title: Glycolysis

text: Although gluconeogenesis and glycolysis share many intermediates the one is not functionally a branch or tributary of the other. There are two regulatory steps in both pathways which, when active in the one pathway, are automatically inactive in the other. The two processes can therefore not be simultaneously active. Indeed, if both sets of reactions were highly active at the same time the net result would be the hydrolysis of four high energy phosphate bonds (two ATP and two GTP) per reaction cycle.


title: Glycolysis

text: NAD is the oxidizing agent in glycolysis, as it is in most other energy yielding metabolic reactions (e.g. beta-oxidation of fatty acids, and during the citric acid cycle). The NADH thus produced is primarily used to ultimately transfer electrons to to produce water, or, when is not available, to produced compounds such as lactate or ethanol (see "Anoxic regeneration of NAD" above). NADH is rarely used for synthetic processes, the notable exception being gluconeogenesis. During fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis the reducing agent is NADPH. This difference exemplifies a general principle that NADPH is consumed during biosynthetic reactions, whereas NADH is generated in energy-yielding reactions. The source of the NADPH is two-fold. When malate is oxidatively decarboxylated by “NADP-linked malic enzyme" pyruvate, and NADPH are formed. NADPH is also formed by the pentose phosphate pathway which converts glucose into ribose, which can be used in synthesis of nucleotides and nucleic acids, or it can be catabolized to pyruvate.


title: Glycolysis

text: Cellular uptake of glucose occurs in response to insulin signals, and glucose is subsequently broken down through glycolysis, lowering blood sugar levels. However, the low insulin levels seen in diabetes result in hyperglycemia, where glucose levels in the blood rise and glucose is not properly taken up by cells. Hepatocytes further contribute to this hyperglycemia through gluconeogenesis. Glycolysis in hepatocytes controls hepatic glucose production, and when glucose is overproduced by the liver without having a means of being broken down by the body, hyperglycemia results.


title: Glycolysis

text: Glycolytic mutations are generally rare due to importance of the metabolic pathway, this means that the majority of occurring mutations result in an inability for the cell to respire, and therefore cause the death of the cell at an early stage. However, some mutations are seen with one notable example being Pyruvate kinase deficiency, leading to chronic hemolytic anemia.


title: Glycolysis

text: Malignant tumor cells perform glycolysis at a rate that is ten times faster than their noncancerous tissue counterparts. During their genesis, limited capillary support often results in hypoxia (decreased O2 supply) within the tumor cells. Thus, these cells rely on anaerobic metabolic processes such as glycolysis for ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Some tumor cells overexpress specific glycolytic enzymes which result in higher rates of glycolysis. Often these enzymes are Isoenzymes, of traditional glycolysis enzymes, that vary in their susceptibility to traditional feedback inhibition. The increase in glycolytic activity ultimately counteracts the effects of hypoxia by generating sufficient ATP from this anaerobic pathway. This phenomenon was first described in 1930 by Otto Warburg and is referred to as the Warburg effect. The Warburg hypothesis claims that cancer is primarily caused by dysfunctionality in mitochondrial metabolism, rather than because of the uncontrolled growth of cells.


title: Glycolysis

text: A number of theories have been advanced to explain the Warburg effect. One such theory suggests that the increased glycolysis is a normal protective process of the body and that malignant change could be primarily caused by energy metabolism.


title: Glycolysis

text: This high glycolysis rate has important medical applications, as high aerobic glycolysis by malignant tumors is utilized clinically to diagnose and monitor treatment responses of cancers by imaging uptake of 2-F-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) (a radioactive modified hexokinase substrate) with positron emission tomography (PET).


title: Glycolysis

text: There is ongoing research to affect mitochondrial metabolism and treat cancer by reducing glycolysis and thus starving cancerous cells in various new ways, including a ketogenic diet.


title: Glycolysis

text: The diagram below shows human protein names. Names in other organisms may be different and the number of isozymes (such as HK1, HK2, ...) is likely to be different too.


title: Glycolysis

text: Some of the metabolites in glycolysis have alternative names and nomenclature. In part, this is because some of them are common to other pathways, such as the Calvin cycle.


title: Glycolysis

text: The intermediates of glycolysis depicted in Fischer projections show the chemical changing step by step. Such image can be compared to polygonal model representation. Another comparation of Fischer projections and Poligonal Model in glycolysis is shown in a video. Video animations in the same channel in YouTube can be seen for another metabolic pathway (Krebs Cycle) and the representation and applying of Polygonal Model in Organic Chemistry


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, is inflammation of the outermost layer of the white part of the eye and the inner surface of the eyelid. It makes the eye appear pink or reddish. Pain, burning, scratchiness, or itchiness may occur. The affected eye may have increased tears or be "stuck shut" in the morning. Swelling of the white part of the eye may also occur. Itching is more common in cases due to allergies. Conjunctivitis can affect one or both eyes.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: The most common infectious causes are viral followed by bacterial. The viral infection may occur along with other symptoms of a common cold. Both viral and bacterial cases are easily spread between people. Allergies to pollen or animal hair are also a common cause. Diagnosis is often based on signs and symptoms. Occasionally, a sample of the discharge is sent for culture.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Prevention is partly by handwashing. Treatment depends on the underlying cause. In the majority of viral cases, there is no specific treatment. Most cases due to a bacterial infection also resolve without treatment; however, antibiotics can shorten the illness. People who wear contact lenses and those whose infection is caused by gonorrhea or chlamydia should be treated. Allergic cases can be treated with antihistamines or mast cell inhibitor drops.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: About 3 to 6 million people get acute conjunctivitis each year in the United States. In adults, viral causes are more common, while in children, bacterial causes are more common. Typically, people get better in one or two weeks. If visual loss, significant pain, sensitivity to light, signs of herpes, or if symptoms do not improve after a week, further diagnosis and treatment may be required. Conjunctivitis in a newborn, known as neonatal conjunctivitis, may also require specific treatment.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Red eye, swelling of the conjunctiva, and watering of the eyes are symptoms common to all forms of conjunctivitis. However, the pupils should be normally reactive, and the visual acuity normal.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Conjunctivitis is identified by inflammation of the conjunctiva, manifested by irritation and redness. Examination using a slit lamp (biomicroscope) may improve diagnostic accuracy. Examination of the palpebral conjunctiva, that overlying the inner aspects of the eyelids, is usually more diagnostic than examination of the bulbal conjunctiva, that overlying the sclera.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Viral conjunctivitis is often associated with an infection of the upper respiratory tract, a common cold, or a sore throat. Its symptoms include excessive watering and itching. The infection usually begins in one eye but may spread easily to the other eye.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Viral conjunctivitis manifests as a fine, diffuse pinkness of the conjunctiva which may be mistaken for iritis, but corroborative signs on microscopy, particularly numerous lymphoid follicles on the tarsal conjunctiva, and sometimes a punctate keratitis are seen.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Allergic conjunctivitis is inflammation of the conjunctiva due to allergy. The specific allergens may differ among patients. Symptoms result from the release of histamine and other active substances by mast cells, and consist of redness (mainly due to vasodilation of the peripheral small blood vessels), swelling of the conjunctiva, itching, and increased production of tears.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Bacterial conjunctivitis causes the rapid onset of conjunctival redness, swelling of the eyelid, and a sticky discharge. Typically, symptoms develop first in one eye, but may spread to the other eye within 2–5 days. Conjunctivitis due to common pus-producing bacteria causes marked grittiness or irritation and a stringy, opaque, greyish or yellowish discharge that may cause the lids to stick together, especially after sleep. Severe crusting of the infected eye and the surrounding skin may also occur. The gritty or scratchy feeling is sometimes localized enough that patients may insist that they have a foreign body in the eye.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Common bacteria responsible for nonacute bacterial conjunctivitis are "Staphylococcus", "Streptococcus", and "Haemophilus" species. Less commonly, "Chlamydia" spp. may be the cause.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Bacteria such as "Chlamydia trachomatis" or "Moraxella" spp. can cause a nonexudative but persistent conjunctivitis without much redness. Bacterial conjunctivitis may cause the production of membranes or pseudomembranes that cover the conjunctiva. Pseudomembranes consist of a combination of inflammatory cells and exudates and adhere loosely to the conjunctiva, while true membranes are more tightly adherent and cannot be easily peeled away. Cases of bacterial conjunctivitis that involve the production of membranes or pseudomembranes are associated with "Neisseria gonorrhoeae", β-hemolytic streptococci, and "Corynebacterium diphtheriae". "C. diphtheriae" causes membrane formation in conjunctiva of unimmunized children.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Chemical eye injury may result when an acidic or alkaline substance gets in the eye. Alkali burns are typically worse than acidic burns. Mild burns produce conjunctivitis, while more severe burns may cause the cornea to turn white. Litmus paper may be used to test for chemical causes. When a chemical cause has been confirmed, the eye or eyes should be flushed until the pH is in the range 6–8. Anaesthetic eye drops can be used to decrease the pain.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Irritant or toxic conjunctivitis is primarily marked by redness. If due to a chemical splash, it is often present in only the lower conjunctival sac. With some chemicals, above all with caustic alkalis such as sodium hydroxide, necrosis of the conjunctiva marked by a deceptively white eye due to vascular closure may occur, followed by sloughing off of the dead epithelium. A slit lamp examination is likely to show evidence of anterior uveitis.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Inclusion conjunctivitis of the newborn is a conjunctivitis that may be caused by the bacterium "Chlamydia trachomatis", and may lead to acute, purulent conjunctivitis. However, it is usually self-healing.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Infective conjunctivitis is most commonly caused by a virus. Bacterial infections, allergies, other irritants, and dryness are also common causes. Both bacterial and viral infections are contagious, passing from person to person or spread through contaminated objects or water. Contact with contaminated fingers is a common cause of conjunctivitis. Bacteria may also reach the conjunctiva from the edges of the eyelids and the surrounding skin, from the nasopharynx, from infected eye drops or contact lenses, from the genitals or the bloodstream. Infection by human adenovirus accounts for 65% to 90% of cases of viral conjunctivitis.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Adenoviruses are the most common cause of viral conjunctivitis (adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis). Herpetic keratoconjunctivitis, caused by herpes simplex viruses, can be serious and requires treatment with aciclovir. Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis is a highly contagious disease caused by one of two enteroviruses, enterovirus 70 and coxsackievirus A24. These were first identified in an outbreak in Ghana in 1969, and have spread worldwide since then, causing several epidemics.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: The most common causes of acute bacterial conjunctivitis are "Staphylococcus aureus", "Streptococcus pneumoniae", and "Haemophilus influenzae". Though very rare, hyperacute cases are usually caused by "Neisseria gonorrhoeae" or "Neisseria meningitidis". Chronic cases of bacterial conjunctivitis are those lasting longer than 3 weeks, and are typically caused by "S. aureus", "Moraxella lacunata", or Gram-negative enteric flora.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Conjunctivitis may also be caused by allergens such as pollen, perfumes, cosmetics, smoke, dust mites, Balsam of Peru, or eye drops. The most frequent cause of conjunctivitis is allergic conjunctivitis and it affects 15% to 40% of the population. Allergic conjunctivitis accounts for 15% of eye related primary care consultations; most including seasonal exposures in the spring and summer or perpetual conditions.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Cultures are not often taken or needed as most cases resolve either with time or typical antibiotics. If bacterial conjunctivitis is suspected, but no response to topical antibiotics is seen, swabs for bacterial culture should be taken and tested. Viral culture may be appropriate in epidemic case clusters.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Although conjunctival scrapes for cytology can be useful in detecting chlamydial and fungal infections, allergy, and dysplasia, they are rarely done because of the cost and the general dearth of laboratory staff experienced in handling ocular specimens. Conjunctival incisional biopsy is occasionally done when granulomatous diseases ("e.g.", sarcoidosis) or dysplasia are suspected.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Neonatal conjunctivitis is often grouped separately from bacterial conjunctivitis because it is caused by different bacteria than the more common cases of bacterial conjunctivitis.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Blepharoconjunctivitis is the dual combination of conjunctivitis with blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids).


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Blepharokeratoconjunctivitis is the combination of conjunctivitis with blepharitis and keratitis. It is clinically defined by changes of the lid margin, meibomian gland dysfunction, redness of the eye, conjunctival chemosis and inflammation of the cornea.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Some more serious conditions can present with a red eye, such as infectious keratitis, angle-closure glaucoma, or iritis. These conditions require the urgent attention of an ophthalmologist. Signs of such conditions include decreased vision, significantly increased sensitivity to light, inability to keep the eye open, a pupil that does not respond to light, or a severe headache with nausea. Fluctuating blurring is common, due to tearing and mucoid discharge. Mild photophobia is common. However, if any of these symptoms is prominent, considering other diseases such as glaucoma, uveitis, keratitis, and even meningitis or carotico-cavernous fistula is important.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: The most effective prevention is good hygiene, especially avoiding rubbing the eyes with infected hands. Vaccination against adenovirus, "Haemophilus influenzae", pneumococcus, and "Neisseria meningitidis" is also effective.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Povidone-iodine eye solution has been found to prevent neonatal conjunctivitis. It is becoming more commonly used globally because of its low cost.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Conjunctivitis resolves in 65% of cases without treatment, within 2–5 days. The prescription of antibiotics is not necessary in most cases.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Viral conjunctivitis usually resolves on its own and does not require any specific treatment. Antihistamines (e.g., diphenhydramine) or mast cell stabilizers (e.g., cromolyn) may be used to help with the symptoms. Povidone-iodine has been suggested as a treatment, but as of 2008, evidence to support it was poor.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: For allergic conjunctivitis, cool water poured over the face with the head inclined downward constricts capillaries, and artificial tears sometimes relieve discomfort in mild cases. In more severe cases, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications and antihistamines may be prescribed. Persistent allergic conjunctivitis may also require topical steroid drops.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Bacterial conjunctivitis usually resolves without treatment. Topical antibiotics may be needed only if no improvement is observed after 3 days. No serious effects were noted either with or without treatment. Because antibiotics do speed healing in bacterial conjunctivitis, their use may be considered. Antibiotics are also recommended for those who wear contact lenses, are immunocompromised, have disease which is thought to be due to chlamydia or gonorrhea, have a fair bit of pain, or have copious discharge. Gonorrheal or chlamydial infections require both oral and topical antibiotics.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: The choice of antibiotic varies based on the strain or suspected strain of bacteria causing the infection. Fluoroquinolones, sodium sulfacetamide, or trimethoprim/polymyxin may be used, typically for 7–10 days. Cases of meningococcal conjunctivitis can also be treated with systemic penicillin, as long as the strain is sensitive to penicillin.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: When investigated as a treatment, povidone-iodine ophthalmic solution has also been observed to have some effectiveness against bacterial and chlamydial conjunctivitis, with a possible role suggested in locations where topical antibiotics are unavailable or costly.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Conjunctivitis due to chemicals is treated via irrigation with Ringer's lactate or saline solution. Chemical injuries, particularly alkali burns, are medical emergencies, as they can lead to severe scarring and intraocular damage. People with chemically induced conjunctivitis should not touch their eyes to avoid spreading the chemical.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Conjunctivitis is the most common eye disease. Rates of disease is related to the underlying cause which varies by the age as well as the time of year. Acute conjunctivitis is most frequently found in infants, school-age children and the elderly. The most common cause of infectious conjunctivitis is viral conjunctivitis.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Some seasonal trends have been observed for the occurrence of different forms of conjunctivitis. The occurrence of bacterial conjunctivitis peaks from December to April, viral conjunctivitis peaks in the summer months and allergic conjunctivitis is more prevalent throughout the spring and summer.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: An adenovirus was first isolated by Rowe "et al." in 1953. Two years later, Jawetz "et al." published on epidemic keratoconjunctivitis. "Madras eye" is a colloquial term that has been used in India for the disease.


title: Conjunctivitis

text: Conjunctivitis imposes economic and social burdens. The cost of treating bacterial conjunctivitis in the United States was estimated to be $377 million to $857 million per year. Approximately 1% of all primary care office visits in the United States are related to conjunctivitis. Approximately 70% of all people with acute conjunctivitis present to primary care and urgent care.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Dennis Nicolaas Maria Bergkamp (; born 10 May 1969) is a Dutch professional football coach and former player. Originally a wide midfielder, Bergkamp was moved to main striker and then to second striker, where he remained throughout his playing career. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation and one of Ajax's and Arsenal's greatest ever players.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: The son of an electrician, Bergkamp was born in Amsterdam and played as an amateur in the lower leagues. He was spotted by Ajax at age 11 and made his professional debut in 1986. Prolific form led to an international call-up with the Netherlands a year later, attracting the attention of several European clubs. Bergkamp signed for Italian club Inter Milan in 1993, where he had two underwhelming seasons. After joining Arsenal in 1995, he rejuvenated his career, helping the club to win three Premier League titles, four FA Cup trophies, and reach the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final, which marked his last appearance as a player. Despite noting a desire to not go into coaching, Bergkamp served as an assistant at Ajax between 2011 and 2017.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: With the Netherlands national team, Bergkamp was selected for Euro 1992, where he impressed, scoring three goals as his country reached the semi-finals. At the 1998 FIFA World Cup, he scored a memorable winning goal in the final minute of the quarterfinal against Argentina which has been regarded as one of the greatest FIFA World Cup goals. Bergkamp surpassed Faas Wilkes's record to become the country's top scorer of all time in 1998, a record later eclipsed by Patrick Kluivert, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, and Robin van Persie.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Bergkamp has been described by Jan Mulder as having "the finest technique" of any Dutch international and a "dream for a striker" by teammate Thierry Henry. Bergkamp finished third twice in the FIFA World Player of the Year award and was selected by Pelé as one of the FIFA 100 greatest living players. In 2007, he was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame, the first and only Dutch player ever to receive the honour. Bergkamp was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2021. In 2017, Bergkamp's goal against Newcastle United in 2002 was voted as the best Premier League goal of all-time in the league's 25-year history, involving a flick around Newcastle defender Nikos Dabizas before calmly tapping the ball into the net.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Born in Amsterdam, Bergkamp was the last of Wim and Tonnie Bergkamp's four sons. He was brought up in a working-class suburb, in a family aspiring to reach middle-class status. His father, an electrician and amateur footballer in the lower leagues, named him in honour of Scottish striker Denis Law. To comply with Dutch given name customs, an extra "n" was inserted in Bergkamp's first name by his father after it was not accepted by the registrar. Bergkamp was raised as a Roman Catholic by his family and regularly attended church during his childhood. Although in later years he said visits to church did not appeal to him, Bergkamp still maintains his faith. According to Bergkamp, his childhood footballing heroes were Glenn Hoddle, whom he admired for his soft precise touch, and Johan Cruyff, who once coached him when he was twelve.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Bergkamp was brought up through Ajax's youth system, joining the club at age 11. Manager Johan Cruyff gave him his professional debut on 14 December 1986 against Roda JC; the match ended in a 2–0 victory for Ajax. Bergkamp scored his first senior goal for the club against HFC Haarlem on 22 February 1987 in a match Ajax won 6–0. He went on to make 23 appearances in the 1986–87 season, including a European debut against Malmö FF in the 1986–87 European Cup Winners' Cup, earning him praise. Ajax won the competition, beating Lokomotive Leipzig 1–0 as Bergkamp made an appearance as a substitute.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: In later seasons, Bergkamp established himself as a first-team player for Ajax. This culminated in a period of success for the club, which won the Eredivisie title in the 1989–90 season for the first time in five years. Bergkamp scored 29 goals in 36 matches the following season and became the joint top scorer in the league, sharing the accolade with PSV striker Romário.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Ajax won the 1992 UEFA Cup Final, beating Torino through the away goals ruling. They then defeated Heerenveen 6–2 in the final of the KNVB Cup on 20 May 1993. Bergkamp was the top scorer in the Eredivisie from 1991 to 1993 and was voted Dutch Footballer of the Year in 1992 and 1993. In total, he scored 122 goals in 239 matches for his hometown club.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Bergkamp attracted the attention of several European clubs as a result of his performances for Ajax. Johan Cruyff advised him not to join Real Madrid, one of the teams said to have been interested in him. But Bergkamp was insistent on playing in Italy. He considered Serie A "the biggest league at the time" and preferred a move to either Juventus or Inter Milan. On 16 February 1993, Bergkamp agreed a £7.1 million move to the latter club in a deal which included his Ajax teammate Wim Jonk. Upon signing, Bergkamp said Inter "met all my demands. The most important thing for me was the stadium, the people at the club and their style of play."


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Bergkamp made his debut against Reggiana on 29 August 1993 at the San Siro in a 2–1 victory. He scored his first goal for the club against Cremonese in September 1993 but had a difficult time against the highly organised and resolute Italian defences, scoring a further seven goals in the league. This was partly due to manager Osvaldo Bagnoli's inability to find a stable forward partnership, preferring Bergkamp in a three with Rubén Sosa and Salvatore Schillaci. Inter's poor league form culminated in the sacking of Bagnoli in February 1994 and his replacement by Gianpiero Marini, a member of Italy's 1982 FIFA World Cup-winning squad. The club finished 13th in Serie A, one point away from relegation, but enjoyed success in the UEFA Cup, beating Austria Salzburg in the final over two legs. Bergkamp was the competition's joint top scorer with eight goals and scored a hat-trick against Rapid București in the first round.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: In Bergkamp's second season at Inter, the club changed managers again, appointing Ottavio Bianchi. Bergkamp endured a disappointing campaign, troubled with stress injuries and fatigue from the 1994 World Cup. He managed to score 5 goals in 26 appearances. Off the field, Bergkamp's relationship with the Italian press and fans became uncomfortable. His shy persona and his propensity to go home after matches was interpreted as apathy. Because of his poor performance on the pitch, one Italian publication renamed their award given to the worst performance of the week, "L'asino della settimana" (Donkey of the Week) to "Bergkamp della settimana". Inter ended the league season in sixth position and failed to retain the UEFA Cup, with the club eliminated in the second round. In February 1995, the club was purchased by Italian businessman and fan Massimo Moratti, who promised to invest heavily in the squad. Bergkamp's future in the first team was uncertain following the signing of Maurizio Ganz a month after the takeover.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: As Moratti prepared to make wholesale changes at the club, Bergkamp left Inter and signed with Arsenal in June 1995 for a transfer fee estimated at £7.5 million. He became manager Bruce Rioch's first signing at Arsenal and broke the club's transfer fee record set at £2.5 million. Bergkamp's arrival at the club was significant not only because he was an established international footballer who looked to have his best years ahead of him but also because he was a major contributor to Arsenal's return to success after much decline in the mid-1990s. On the opening day of the 1995–96 league season, Bergkamp made his full debut against Middlesbrough. He struggled to adapt to the English game and failed to score in the club's next six league matches, prompting ridicule by the national press. On 23 September 1995, Bergkamp scored his first and second goals for Arsenal against Southampton at Highbury. Bergkamp ended his first season with 33 appearances and 11 goals, helping Arsenal finish fifth and earn a place in the UEFA Cup by scoring the winner against Bolton Wanderers on the final day of the season.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: The appointment of Arsène Wenger as Arsenal manager in September 1996 marked a turning point in Bergkamp's career. Wenger, who had been a successful manager in France and Japan, recognised Bergkamp's talent and wanted to use him as a fulcrum of the team's forward play. Both were advocates of a continental style of attacking football, and Wenger's decision to impose a strict fitness and health regimen pleased Bergkamp. Despite making fewer appearances in the 1996–97 season, Bergkamp was more influential in the first team, creating 13 assists. Against Tottenham Hotspur in November 1996, he set up an 88th-minute winner for captain Tony Adams to volley in using his left foot. He then scored in injury time, controlling a high ball with his left foot and evading his marker Stephen Carr in a tight area to set up his shot. Bergkamp received his first red card against Sunderland in January 1997 for a high tackle on midfielder Paul Bracewell in the 26th minute. Arsenal went on to lose the match 1–0, but a run of 8 wins in their final 16 matches gave the club a third-place finish, missing out on a spot in the UEFA Champions League via goal difference.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Bergkamp was instrumental the following season in helping Arsenal complete a domestic league and cup double. He became the club's top scorer with 22 goals and recorded a strike rate of 0.57. Arsenal's achievement was all the more astonishing given the team, written off by many in December 1997, had made ground on reigning Premier League champions Manchester United. Early in the season away to Leicester City at Filbert Street on 23 August 1997, Bergkamp scored his first hat-trick for the club. The third goal, which he regarded as his favourite for Arsenal, required just one touch to control the ball in the penalty box, another to flick it past his marker Matt Elliott before juggling it with his feet and shooting past goalkeeper Kasey Keller. After the match, Leicester manager Martin O'Neill was gracious enough to admit Bergkamp's was "the best hat-trick I've ever seen". In an FA Cup quarter-final replay against West Ham United on 17 March 1998, Bergkamp was sent off for elbowing midfielder Steve Lomas and missed three matches due to suspension. He played no further part in Arsenal's season after overstretching his hamstring against Derby County on 29 April 1998, missing the 1998 FA Cup Final. Bergkamp was consoled with the PFA Players' Player of the Year award, becoming only the third non-British player to be recognised by his fellow professionals as the outstanding performer in English football.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: After an effective 1998 World Cup campaign with the national team, Bergkamp had another productive season in 1998–99. Although Arsenal failed to retain the Premier League after losing the title on the final day of the season to Manchester United, Bergkamp was the club's second-top scorer in all competitions, with 16 goals, and finished the season as the top assist provider in the Premier League, alongside Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, with 13 assists. Arsenal were also defeated in a FA Cup semi-final replay against Manchester United in April 1999. With the score 1–1 heading into injury time, Arsenal were awarded a penalty after midfielder Ray Parlour was brought down by Phil Neville inside the 18-yard box. Bergkamp took the penalty shot but it was saved by goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel. In the second half of extra time, Ryan Giggs scored the winner, a goal regarded by many as the greatest in the competition's history. After this miss, Bergkamp did not take another penalty for the remainder of his career.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: The 1999–2000 season proved to be a frustrating one for both Arsenal and Bergkamp. The club finished second in the league, 18 points behind Manchester United, and lost in the 2000 UEFA Cup Final to Turkish opponents Galatasaray on penalties. The departure of compatriot Marc Overmars and French midfielder Emmanuel Petit in the close season led to speculation over Bergkamp's future. He ultimately agreed terms on a contract extension in December 2000. Despite an array of new signings made in the 2000–01 season, Arsenal were runners-up in the league for a third year in succession. The emergence of Thierry Henry and Sylvain Wiltord as the main strikers saw Bergkamp's first-team opportunities limited as a result. He was used as a late substitute in Liverpool's win over Arsenal in the 2001 FA Cup Final.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Success finally came in the 2001–02 season. Arsenal regained the league, beating Manchester United at Old Trafford in the penultimate game of the season to complete the club's second double under Wenger; Arsenal defeated Chelsea 2–0 to win the FA Cup four days prior. Bergkamp played in 33 league matches, setting up 15 goals, one of which was against Juventus in the second group stage of the Champions League. Holding off two markers, he twisted and turned before feeding the ball to Freddie Ljungberg in the penalty box to score. Bergkamp headed in the winner against Liverpool in a FA Cup fourth-round tie on 27 January 2002, but was shown a red card for a two-footed lunge on defender Jamie Carragher, who himself was sent off for throwing a coin into the crowd. He was subsequently banned for three matches (two league, one FA Cup round). Bergkamp appealed for his ban, but was unsuccessful. He made his return against Newcastle United on 3 March 2002. Early in the match, Arsenal midfielder Robert Pires played a low pass from the left flank to Bergkamp in the edge of the opponent area with his back to goal. Under pressure from his marker Nikos Dabizas, Bergkamp controlled the ball with one flick and went around the other side before placing the ball precisely into the bottom right-hand corner to score. Wenger described the goal as "unbelievable", adding "It was not only a magnificent goal but a very important one – I enjoyed it a lot". Bergkamp featured in nine out of the last ten league games, forming a productive partnership with Ljungberg.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Bergkamp reached a personal landmark during the 2002–03 season, scoring his 100th goal for Arsenal against Oxford United in a FA Cup third-round tie on 4 January 2003. In the league, Arsenal failed to retain the championship despite having led by eight points in March 2003. However, they did win the FA Cup for a second successive year, beating Southampton in the 2003 FA Cup Final. On 20 July 2003, Bergkamp signed a one-year extension at the club. The 2003–04 season ended on a high point for Bergkamp as Arsenal reclaimed the league title, becoming the first English team in more than a century to go through the entire domestic league season unbeaten. Against Leicester City in the final league match of the campaign with the score tied at 1–1, Bergkamp set up the winner with a pass to captain Patrick Vieira. Vieira rounded the goalkeeper and scored. The team, dubbed "The Invincibles" did not achieve similar dominance in Europe; Arsenal were beaten by Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the Champions League over two legs. Bergkamp committed himself to Arsenal at the end of the season, signing a further extension to his contract.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Bergkamp started in 29 league matches in the 2004–05 season, but Arsenal's title defence ended unsuccessfully. The team finished second, 12 points behind Chelsea. At home against Middlesbrough on 22 August 2004, Bergkamp acted as captain for the injured Vieira in a match where Arsenal came back from 1–3 down to win 5–3 and equal Nottingham Forest's record of 42 league matches undefeated. Against Sheffield United in the FA Cup on 19 February 2005, Bergkamp was shown a straight red card by referee Neale Barry for shoving defender Danny Cullip. His appeal of the decision was rejected by The Football Association (FA), meaning he missed the club's next three domestic games. In Arsenal's final home match of the season, against Everton, Bergkamp had a man of the match game, scoring once and assisting three of the goals in a 7–0 win. Bergkamp was moved by Arsenal supporters chanting "one more year", describing it as "quite special". "They obviously feel there is another year left in me, so that's great as it shows they're really behind me," he said. Following Arsenal's penalty shootout victory over Manchester United in the 2005 FA Cup Final, he signed a one-year contract extension.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: The team finished fourth in the league in Bergkamp's final season at Arsenal. Bergkamp scored an injury-time winner against Thun on Matchday 1 of the Champions League, having come on as a substitute in the 72nd minute. After much campaigning from Arsenal supporters, the club designated one of its Highbury matchday themes, organised to commemorate the stadium's final season as home of Arsenal, to Dennis Bergkamp. "Bergkamp Day" took place on 15 April 2006 and saw Arsenal up against West Bromwich Albion. It celebrated the player's contribution to Arsenal; fans were given commemorative orange "DB10" T-shirts – the colour of his national team, his initials and his squad number. Bergkamp himself came on as a second-half substitute and set up the winning Robert Pires goal moments after Nigel Quashie had levelled the scoreline. Fittingly, Bergkamp's 89th-minute goal proved to be his last for Arsenal in competitive football. Bergkamp was an unused substitute in his final match for Arsenal against Barcelona in the Champions League final; Barcelona scored twice in the last 13 minutes to overturn Arsenal's early lead and win the competition.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Bergkamp was the focus of the first match at Arsenal's new ground, the Emirates Stadium. On 22 July 2006, a testimonial was played in his honour at the new stadium as Arsenal played his old club Ajax. Bergkamp kicked off the match with his father, Wim, and son, Mitchel. All four children acted as the match's mascots. The first half was played by members of Arsenal and Ajax's current squads, while the second was played by famous ex-players from both sides, including Ian Wright, Patrick Vieira, Marc Overmars, Emmanuel Petit and David Seaman for Arsenal; and Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten, Danny Blind, Frank and Ronald de Boer for Ajax. Arsenal won the match 2–1 with goals from Henry and Nwankwo Kanu. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar had earlier opened the scoring for Ajax, making him the first goalscorer at the Emirates Stadium.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Bergkamp made his international debut for the Netherlands national team against Italy on 26 September 1990 as a substitute for Frank de Boer. He scored his first goal for the team against Greece on 21 November 1990. Bergkamp was selected for Euro 1992, where his national team were the defending champions. Although Bergkamp impressed, scoring three goals in the tournament, the team lost on penalties to eventual champions Denmark in the semi-final.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: In the qualification for the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Bergkamp scored five goals and was selected for the finals, staged in the United States. He featured in every game for the national team, getting goals against Morocco in the group stages and the Republic of Ireland in the round-of-16. Bergkamp scored the second goal for the Netherlands against Brazil, but the team lost 3–2, exiting in the quarter-finals. At Euro 1996, Bergkamp scored against Switzerland and set up striker Patrick Kluivert's consolation goal against England, who advanced into the quarter-finals as first in their group while the Dutch finished second and faced France, being eliminated after a penalty shootout.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Against Wales in the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification on 9 November 1996, he scored his first hat-trick for the national team. The Netherlands finished first in their group and qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, held in France. Bergkamp scored three times in the competition, including a memorable winning goal in the final minute of the quarterfinal against Argentina.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: He took one touch to control a long 60-yard aerial pass from Frank de Boer, brought the ball down through Argentine defender Roberto Ayala's legs, and finally finished by firing a volley with the outside of his right foot, past keeper Carlos Roa at a tight angle from the right.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: The goal, cited by Bergkamp as his favourite in his career, was his 36th for the national team, overtaking Faas Wilkes as the record scorer. In the semi-finals, the Netherlands lost to Brazil on penalties after drawing 1–1 in normal time. Bergkamp made the All-Star team of the tournament, alongside Frank de Boer and Edgar Davids.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: On 9 October 1999, Bergkamp scored his final goal for the Netherlands, against Brazil. As the Netherlands were co-hosts for Euro 2000, the team automatically qualified for the tournament and were considered favourites. In the semi-finals, the Netherlands lost 3–1 on penalties to Italy. Following the defeat, Bergkamp announced his retirement from international football, choosing to focus on his club career. His final goal tally of 37 goals in 79 appearances was overtaken by Patrick Kluivert in June 2003.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Bergkamp was schooled in Total Football, a playing style and philosophy which relied on versatility. This was primarily to maximise the footballer's potential; players tried out every outfield position before finding one that suited them best. Every age group at Ajax played in the same style and formation as the first team – 3–4–3 – to allow individuals to slot in without effort when moving up the pyramid. Bergkamp "played in every position apart from goalie" and believed he benefited from the experience of playing as a defender, as it helped him "know how they think and how to beat them". When he made his debut as a substitute against Roda JC, Bergkamp was positioned on the right wing, where he remained for three years.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: During his time at Inter Milan, Bergkamp was switched to the position of a main striker, but failed to cooperate with his offensive partner Rubén Sosa, whom he later called "selfish". Furthermore, due to his introverted character, he was accused of lacking consistency and leadership skills by the Italian press, and struggled to replicate his previous form during his time with Inter. When Bergkamp joined Arsenal in 1995, he enjoyed a successful strike partnership with Wright, and in later seasons Anelka and Henry, playing in his preferred position as a creative second striker. The arrival of Overmars in the 1997–98 season enhanced Bergkamp's play, as he was getting more of the ball. Between August and October 1997, he scored seven goals in seven league matches. A similar rapport developed between him and Ljungberg during the 2001–02 season.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Although he was known for his composure and ability to score several goals for his team as a forward, Bergkamp was also capable of playing in a free role behind a lone striker, where he essentially functioned in the number 10 role as a playmaking attacking midfielder or deep-lying forward, due to his ball skills and creative ability, which enabled him to drop deep between the lines and link-up play, and operate across all attacking areas of the pitch. As such, Sam Tighe of "Bleacher Report" has retroactively compared Bergkamp's role as a free centre-forward to that of the modern false-9. A quick, elegant, intelligent, and gifted player, who was regarded as one of the most technically accomplished players of all time, he possessed an excellent first touch, which – allied with his quick feet, dribbling ability, and agility, enabled him to beat defenders in one on one situations, while his attacking movement, physique, balance, and close control allowed him to hold up the ball and create space for teammates; his vision and passing range with both feet, despite being naturally right-footed, subsequently allowed him to provide assists for on-running strikers. Bergkamp often stated he preferred playing in this deeper role, as he derived more pleasure from assisting goals, rather than scoring them himself.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Throughout his playing career, Bergkamp was accused of diving, and was referred to as a "cheat" and "dirty player" for retaliating against players who had previously challenged him, something his former manager Wenger denied. In an interview with "The Times" in 2004, he said that while he was at Inter, he realised the importance of being mentally tough in order to survive: "A lot of people there try to hurt you, not just physically but mentally as well, and coming from the easygoing culture in Holland, I had to adopt a tougher approach. There, it was a case of two strikers up against four or five hard defenders who would stop at nothing." Bergkamp says his aggression often stems from frustration.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Bergkamp has received several accolades during his playing career. He twice finished in third place for the 1993 and 1996 FIFA World Player of the Year award and was named in FIFA 100, a list compiled by footballer Pelé of the 125 greatest living footballers. In his club career, Bergkamp won two successive Dutch Footballer of the Year awards in 1991 and 1992 and was the Eredivisie top scorer for three consecutive seasons (1990–91 to 1992–93). He was named the FWA Footballer of the Year and PFA Players' Player of the Year in April and May 1998 and made the PFA Team of the Year for the 1997–98 season. Bergkamp also achieved a unique feat in being voted first, second and third on Match of the Day's Goal of the Month competition in August 1997. For his national team, Bergkamp was the top scorer at Euro 1992 and was selected in the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team for the 1998 World Cup.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: In April 2007, Bergkamp was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame by viewers of BBC's "Football Focus". A year later, he was voted second by Arsenal fans behind Thierry Henry in a list of the "50 Gunners Greatest Players". In February 2014, Arsenal unveiled a statue of Bergkamp outside the Emirates Stadium to honour his time at the club. A statue of Dennis Bergkamp will be erected outside the KNVB headquarters in Zeist, as he has been chosen as the best Dutch international player from 1990 to 2015. The statue will join those of "the eleven of the century", erected in 1999, alongside statues of Johan Cruyff, Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard and Marco van Basten, amongst others.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Upon retiring, Bergkamp insisted he would not move into coaching. He turned down an offer to scout for Arsenal and instead concentrated on travelling and spending time with his family. However, in April 2008, he began a fast-track coaching diploma for former Dutch international footballers and undertook a trainee role at Ajax. Having completed the Coach Betaald Voetbal course by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB), Bergkamp was appointed assistant to Johan Neeskens for the newly formed Netherlands B team on 26 October 2008. For the 2008–09 season, Bergkamp returned to Ajax in a formal coaching position with responsibility for the D2 (U12) youth team. Following the promotion of Frank de Boer as manager of Ajax in December 2010, Bergkamp was appointed assistant manager to Fred Grim, dealing with Ajax' flagship A1 (U19) youth team.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: In August 2011, Bergkamp was named De Boer's assistant at Ajax. However, after the arrival of Peter Bosz as the new head coach at Ajax, Bergkamp's role at Ajax slightly changed. He no longer sat on the bench during first-team matches, but instead focused more on field training and on helping youth players reach the first team. He and fellow assistant Hennie Spijkerman were sacked from their roles in December 2017.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Bergkamp has been married to Henrita Ruizendaal since 16 June 1993. The couple have four children: Estelle Deborah, Mitchel Dennis, Yasmin Naomi and Saffron Rita. His son Mitchel joined Watford U23 in February 2021. His daughter Estelle is the partner of Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek, the couple's first daughter having been born on 9 April 2022.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Bergkamp's nickname is the "Non-Flying Dutchman" due to his fear of flying. Contemporary sources believed that this stemmed from incidents with the Netherlands national team at the 1994 World Cup where the engine of the plane cut out during a flight, and when a flight was delayed because a journalist made a joke about having a bomb in his bag. In his 2013 autobiography, Bergkamp stated that his phobia was in fact caused during his first season at Inter Milan, in which the team regularly travelled to away games in small aeroplanes. Bergkamp decided he would never fly again after the 1994 World Cup, but did consider seeking psychiatric help in 1996:I've got this problem and I have to live with it. I can't do anything about it, it is a psychological thing and I can't explain it. I have not flown on a plane for two years. The Dutch FA has been sympathetic, so have Arsenal, so far. I am considering psychiatric help. I can't fly. I just freeze. I get panicky. It starts the day before, when I can't sleep.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: The condition severely limited his ability to play in away matches in European competitions and to travel with the national team. In some cases, he would travel overland by car or train, but the logistics of some matches were such that he would not travel at all. In the build-up to Arsenal's Champions League match against Lyon in February 2001, Wenger spoke of his concerns for Bergkamp travelling by train and car, because of the exertions involved.


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Bergkamp features in EA Sports' "FIFA" video game series; he was on the cover for the International edition of "FIFA 99", and was named in the Ultimate Team Legends in "FIFA 14".


title: Dennis Bergkamp

text: Includes cup competitions: the KNVB Cup, Coppa Italia, Football League Cup and FA Cup. Super Cups such as the FA Community Shield are not included.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: Despicable Me 2 is a 2013 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Illumination Entertainment and distributed by Universal Pictures. The sequel to "Despicable Me" (2010), it is directed by Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin, and written by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. It stars the voices of Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt, Miranda Cosgrove, Russell Brand, and Ken Jeong. The film follows Gru as he is recruited by secret agent Lucy Wilde, who is investigating a theft of the mutagen PX-41, stolen from the Arctic Circle. During their investigations, they extract El Macho, a supervillain with the goal of achieving world domination after faking his death.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: "Despicable Me 2" debuted in Australia on June 5, 2013, and was theatrically released in the United States on July 3, by Universal Pictures. It received generally positive reviews from critics and earned $970.8 million worldwide, becoming the third-highest-grossing film of 2013 and the most profitable film in the 101-year history of Universal Pictures. It was nominated for two awards at the 86th Academy Awards, and received numerous other accolades. It is the second entry in the "Despicable Me" franchise, which includes "Minions" (2015), "Despicable Me 3" (2017), "" (2022), and "Despicable Me 4" (2024).


title: Despicable Me 2

text: A mysterious aircraft, in the form of a giant magnet, steals a highly potent mutagen known as PX-41 from a secret laboratory in the Arctic Circle. Director Silas Ramsbottom of the Anti-Villain League (AVL) sends one of their agents, Lucy Wilde, to recruit former supervillain Gru. Forcibly brought to the AVL headquarters, Gru is asked by Silas to help them track down the culprit and recover the mutagen. However, Gru refuses, claiming that he is now a legitimate father and business owner. Longing to resume his criminal life, Dr. Nefario, Gru's friend and assistant, leaves him for new employment. This causes a reluctant Gru to investigate the theft and work with Lucy. The pair are stationed at the Paradise Shopping Mall, with a cupcake store as their front.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: Gru immediately suspects Mexican restaurant owner Eduardo Pérez might be "El Macho", a supervillain who supposedly died by riding a shark into an active volcano with 250 pounds of TNT strapped to his chest. Gru and Lucy break into Eduardo's restaurant at night but find no proof. Meanwhile, Gru's three adopted daughters, Margo, Edith, and Agnes, who dream of having a mother one day, believe that Gru will fall in love with Lucy. Gru denies it, saying his relationship with Lucy is only professional.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: Despite holding Eduardo as his prime suspect, Gru agrees to pursue other leads, including the shop of wig merchant Floyd Eaglesan, where Lucy discovers traces of PX-41. After witnessing Eduardo's son Antonio woo Margo and invite everyone to his Cinco de Mayo party, Gru renews his focus on Eduardo. After a neighbor sets Gru up on a bad blind date, Lucy helps him escape, and the two begin to bond. The next day, the AVL arrests Floyd after finding an almost-empty jar of the mutagen in his shop. Silas closes the investigation and reassigns Lucy to Australia.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: At the Cinco de Mayo party, Gru follows Eduardo and discovers that he is indeed El Macho. Having faked his death, El Macho has hired Dr. Nefario, and had abducted most of Gru's Minions, using the stolen PX-41 mutagen to transform them into an army of indestructible and savage purple beasts. El Macho plans to launch rockets full of the evil Minions into major cities to dominate the world. He offers Gru the chance to team up with him, but Gru walks away with the girls. Suspicious, El Macho sends an evil Minion, Kevin, after them.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: Lucy, having decided to disobey orders and return home to Gru, arrives at the party right after Gru leaves. Realizing that Lucy and Gru are working for the AVL, El Macho kidnaps her. Dr. Nefario, feeling guilty for changing sides, informs Gru of the situation. Gru returns to El Macho's fortress with two of his own disguised Minions. The evil Minions see through the disguise and attack them. Meanwhile, Kevin breaks into Gru's house and attacks the girls. Margo and Agnes lure him to the lab, where Dr. Nefario arrives with an antidote and turns Kevin normal again. Dr. Nefario puts the antidote in Gru's jelly reserves, and he and the girls hurry to Gru's aid. Gru, Dr. Nefario, the girls, and the surviving Minions use jelly guns to restore all the other evil Minions to their normal state. El Macho threatens to kill Lucy, and uses the PX-41 to become a monster himself, but is defeated by Gru and Dr. Nefario.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: Gru starts to rescue Lucy from El Macho's TNT-loaded shark rocket, but El Macho's pet chicken Pollito launches it, sending them toward a volcano. Lucy accepts Gru's invitation for a date, and they jump into the ocean before the rocket explodes in the volcano. 147 dates later, Gru and Lucy eventually get married, giving Margo, Edith, and Agnes a mother.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: Additionally, Elsie Fisher voices Agnes, the youngest of the three girls, Dana Gaier voices Edith, the middle of the three girls, Moisés Arias voices Antonio Pérez, Margo's first love interest and Eduardo's son, Nasim Pedrad voices Jillian, Gru's irritating matchmaking neighbor who wants Gru to date her friends, Kristen Schaal voices Shannon, Jillian's superficial friend, and Pierre Coffin voices the Minions. According to Coffin, he lent his voice to 899 Minions.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: Other cast members include Chris Renaud as additional Minions and an Italian waiter, Vanessa Bayer as a flight attendant, and Nickolai Stoilov as the Arctic lab guards.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: Chris Meledandri, CEO of Illumination Entertainment, said in July 2010 that a sequel was in the works. In June 2011, Universal Pictures announced that the sequel would be released on July 3, 2013. Meledandri confirmed in February 2012 that they had started working on the film.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: In October 2011, "The Hollywood Reporter" reported that Javier Bardem was negotiating to voice a villain, named El Macho, but the negotiations failed. By February 2012, Al Pacino had joined the cast to voice the villain. In April 2012, producers confirmed that Steve Carell, Russell Brand, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier and Elsie Fisher were returning to reprise their roles. Kristen Wiig, who voiced Miss Hattie in the first film, voices Lucy Wilde, an agent of the Anti-Villain League who recruits Gru to track and take down a tough, Mexican villain named El Macho. Steve Coogan joined the cast as Silas Ramsbottom, the head of the Anti-Villain League.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: In May 2013, producers announced that Al Pacino had left the film over creative differences about how his character should come to life. At the time of his departure, Pacino's character had already been fully voiced and animated. Chris Renaud, co-director of the film, commented on Pacino's departure: "So we don't want an unhappy actor, and we want something that is well-realized on all sides. If you don't see eye to eye, sometimes it's easier to (part company) and move on from there." Benjamin Bratt, who had already been considered before Pacino, stepped in to voice Eduardo. Chris Meledandri, producer of the film, admitted that he was not "aware of any of the major animated films of the last 15 years that has brought an actor in at such a late stage". Due to the finished animation, Bratt had to match his timing exactly to the character's mouth movement. Initially, during his five-day recording, he tried to imitate Pacino's voice, but found it impossible, saying "no one can out-Al Pacino Al Pacino". He ended up only using Pacino as an inspiration, and resolved to go with his own interpretation of the character. His work was commended by "Variety", saying: "You'd never guess he wasn't the filmmakers' first choice."


title: Despicable Me 2

text: The animation was developed in Paris, France by Illumination Mac Guff using Autodesk Maya, over 400 to 650 artists worked on the sequel, in contrast of the team of 100 artists the first film required.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: One of the biggest challenges for the animation team was creating visual effects (such as water and jelly), which led to the crashing and replacement of some of the studio's drives.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: Following the success of the , the composers, Heitor Pereira and Pharrell Williams collaborated again for the music of "Despicable Me 2". The soundtrack to the film, titled "Despicable Me 2: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" was released on July 2, 2013, through Back Lot Music. The album featured eight songs and 16 score tracks, combining for 24 tracks in the album. The songs consisted of three original and five incorporated tracks, with two of the songs were already featured in the predecessor.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: Williams' original song "Happy" was the only single from the album, released five months after the film's release, on November 21, 2013. It was accompanied by a 24-hour music video upon release, a first for any film, which received a viral response, contributing to the song's global success. It topped the charts in over 19 countries, became the best-selling song in United Kingdom and United States, with over 1.5 and 6.45 million copies sold in 2014, and was nominated for Best Original Song at the 86th Academy Awards.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: The soundtrack additionally debuted at US "Billboard" 200 in number 86, while also featured at the Independent Albums (number 19) and Top Soundtracks (top-three) charts. It also listed in Official Charts Company's Compilation Chart (number 48) and Soundtracks Chart (number 8). A single "Just a Cloud Away" released on March 25, 2022, eight years after the film and soundtrack release.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: In March 2013, a blimp dressed to appear as a Minion, named "Despicablimp", in which Universal and Van Wagner Communications owns an American Blimp Corporation A-150 model, traveled through the United States for a tour to promote the film's release. As one of the largest airships in the world, it measured in length, in height, and weighed . Universal Pictures partnered the film with licensing and promotional partners valued at an unprecedented $200—$250 million in the next three years. One of the partners was McDonald's, which included in its Happy Meals various Minion toys, some of them unique to a specific country. To take advantage of banana-loving Minions, Chiquita Brands International ran various sweepstakes, and a Minion, voiced by Pierre Coffin, performed the song "Chiquita Banana" in the film. Thinkway Toys released various toys and figures, and Hasbro made special games.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: "Despicable Me 2" debuted on June 5, 2013, at Event Cinemas in Bondi Junction, Sydney, Australia, followed by a premiere on June 12, at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival. In the United States, the film's premiere took place on June 22, at the Universal CityWalk in Los Angeles, and was released in theaters on July 3. It was digitally re-mastered into IMAX 3D format and released in select international IMAX theatres.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: As with the first film, which did not have a theatrical release in China, the film's distributor Universal Pictures had troubles releasing the sequel. When it was reported in July 2013 that the film had been denied a theatrical release in China, then the second-largest film market in the world, some analysts attributed this to the protection of locally produced animation. There were also rumors that the film's release was banned in China because the film's minions too much resembled former Chinese president Jiang Zemin. China's Film Bureau was "furious" about the negative comments, stating that the film was not submitted for censorship approval. In fact, there was reportedly a "commercial conflict" between Universal and Edko Films, the film's local distributor, over which titles are to be imported. Edko had decided that the film "would not do well in China and decided against using one of the precious quota slots for the film." In December 2013, a few weeks after the Universal Pictures' announcement that it would open a Beijing office, it was reported that "Despicable Me 2" would be theatrically released in China on January 10, 2014.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment released "Despicable Me 2" for digital download on November 26, and on Blu-ray and DVD on December 10. Physical copies contain three short films: "Puppy", "Panic in the Mailroom", and "Training Wheels".


title: Despicable Me 2

text: "Despicable Me 2" earned $368 million in the United States and Canada and $602.7 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $970.8 million. It was the third-highest-grossing film of 2013. "Deadline Hollywood" calculated the film's net profit as $394.5 million, placing it third on their list of 2013's "Most Valuable Blockbusters". With a budget of $76 million, the film is the most profitable film in the 101-year history of Universal.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: The film was released with "The Lone Ranger" on July 3, 2013, leading into the Independence Day holiday weekend. "Despicable Me 2" earned $35 million on its first day, including $4.7 million from Tuesday night previews. It made $24.5 million the following Thursday, the third highest ever total for the holiday behind "" ($25.1 million in 2019) and "Transformers" ($29 million in 2007). The film debuted earning $142.1 million from 3,957 theaters, and grossed $82.5 million on its three-day opening weekend. Its second weekend earnings dropped by 56 percent to $43 million, and followed by another $25 million the third weekend. "Despicable Me 2" completed its theatrical run in the United States and Canada on January 16, 2014.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: Worldwide, on its first weekend, "Despicable Me 2" opened only in Australia with $6.66 million, ahead of "Monsters University" (2013) which opened on the same weekend. The film set an opening-day record in Latvia. In total, it opened at number one in 67 territories, and set opening-weekend records among animated films in Latin America, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and Lebanon, as well as opening-weekend records among all films in South Africa and Venezuela. In Japan, it topped the box office ($3.3 million) beating "Elsyium" (2013). The film remained in the first position at the box office for two consecutive weekends during July 2013. The film's largest openings occurred in the United Kingdom ($22.5 million), China ($15.4 million), and Mexico ($14.9 million). In total earnings, its largest markets were the United Kingdom ($72.2 million), China ($53.0 million), and Mexico ($47.7 million).


title: Despicable Me 2

text: "Despicable Me 2" has an approval rating of based on professional reviews on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, with an average rating of . Its critical consensus reads, ""Despicable Me 2" offers plenty of eye-popping visual inventiveness and a number of big laughs." Metacritic (which uses a weighted average) assigned "Despiable Me 2" a score of 62 out of 100 based on 39 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: Michael Phillips of the "Chicago Tribune" gave the film two and a half stars out of four, saying "Steve Carell's Slavic inflections as Gru do the trick, as before. Wiig's clever hesitations and comic timing help save the day." Michael Rechtshaffen of "The Hollywood Reporter" gave the film a negative review, saying "The new edition doesn't quite catch that inspired spark." Stephen Whitty of "The Star-Ledger" gave the film three stars out of four, saying "Not only a fun cartoon but—that rare thing—a sequel which actually improves on the original." Soren Anderson of "The Seattle Times" gave the film two and a half stars out of four, saying "It's fun. It's cheerful. It's lollipop colorful. Best of all, it features lots of minion mischief, which guarantees plenty of laughs. But what it doesn't have is an edge."


title: Despicable Me 2

text: Stephen Holden of "The New York Times" gave the film two and a half stars out of five, saying "It is consistently diverting and so cute you'll want to pet it. Yet it is also weightless and lacks a center." Tirdad Derakhshani of "The Philadelphia Inquirer" gave the film two and a half stars out of five, saying "If you're looking for quality prepackaged, predigested Hollywood family fun this summer, you could do a lot worse than "Despicable Me 2"." Alonso Duralde of "TheWrap" gave the film a negative review, saying "The minions are still wacky scene-stealers—and once again, we don't get nearly enough of them—but Gru and his daughters have been blanded down to bad-sitcom level." Claudia Puig of "USA Today" gave the film two stars out of four, saying "With its predecessor having made a whopping $540 million globally, it's no wonder that Universal saw fit to order a sequel. But it's not enough just to trot out legions of minions and cobble together a plot. Audiences deserve more imagination and inventiveness than this wan recycling." Owen Gleiberman of "Entertainment Weekly" gave the film a 'C' grade, saying "By the end, every child in the audience will want his or her own monster-minion toy. Adults will just regret the way that "Despicable Me 2" betrays the original film's devotion to bad-guy gaiety."


title: Despicable Me 2

text: Tom Russo of "The Boston Globe" gave the film a positive review, saying "The scope of the 'toon espionage-adventure goings-on is surprisingly limited. But the filmmakers so clearly love working on these characters, their creative joy is infectious." Stephanie Merry of "The Washington Post" gave the film three stars out of four, saying "The animation is beguiling, particularly when Lucy drives her car into the ocean, transforming it into a submarine that scoots around sharks and fish." Peter Debruge of "Variety" gave the film a positive review, saying "While not quite as charming or unique as the original, "Despicable Me 2" comes awfully close, extending co-directors Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin's delightfully silly sensibility to a bit larger universe." Peter Hartlaub of the "San Francisco Chronicle" gave the film three stars out of four, saying "It's a credit that the writing can be so funny in the moment, that it takes time to realize there's no cohesive story, zero dramatic tension and nary a practical lesson for either the characters in the film or the people watching in the theater."


title: Despicable Me 2

text: Mary Pols of "Time" gave the film a positive review, saying "As a sequel it stands level with the first film, and may have the edge on it." Peter Travers of "Rolling Stone" gave the film three stars out of four, saying "Co-directors Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin, who do Minion voices expertly, never let up on the laughs. A fart joke in 3-D may not be three times as wacky, but the high spirits of "Despicable Me 2" are irresistible fun." A.A. Dowd of "The A.V. Club" gave the film a 'C' grade, saying "What's missing—and this was the crucial component of part one—is a little sour to undercut the sweet. Like its protagonist, a bad guy gone boringly good, "Despicable Me 2" has no edge. It's fatally nice and insufficiently naughty."


title: Despicable Me 2

text: At the 86th Academy Awards, "Despicable Me 2" received nominations for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song. Among the film's nominations include ten Annie Awards (winning one), a British Academy Film Award, two Critics' Choice Movie Awards, and a Golden Globe Award.


title: Despicable Me 2

text: "Despicable Me 2" was followed by "Despicable Me 3" (2017) and the upcoming "Despicable Me 4" (2024). The second film's cast, including Carell, Wiig, Coogan, Cosgrove, and Gaier, reprised their roles, alongside a new character voiced by Carell. Nev Scharrel was appointed to the role of Agnes in "Despicable Me 3". "Minions" (2015) and "" (2022) were also released after "Despicable Me 2". The films chronicle the history between the Minions and Gru.


title: Bloody Mary (folklore)

text: Bloody Mary is a legend of a ghost, phantom, or spirit conjured to reveal the future. She is said to appear in a mirror when her name is chanted repeatedly. The Bloody Mary apparition may be or , depending on historic variations of the legend. Bloody Mary appearances are mostly witnessed in group participation play or by a man who is about to die.


title: Bloody Mary (folklore)

text: Historically, the divination ritual encouraged young women to walk up a flight of stairs backward holding a candle and a hand mirror, in a darkened house. As they gazed into the mirror, they were supposed to be able to catch a view of their future husband's face. There was, however, a chance that they would see a skull (or the face of the Grim Reaper) instead, indicating that they were going to die before they would have the chance to marry.


title: Bloody Mary (folklore)

text: In the ritual of today, Bloody Mary allegedly appears to individuals or groups who ritualistically invoke her name in an act of catoptromancy. This is done by repeatedly chanting her name into a mirror placed in a dimly-lit or candle-lit room. The name must be uttered thirteen times (or some other specified number of times). The Bloody Mary apparition allegedly appears as a corpse, witch, or ghost that can be friendly or evil, and is sometimes seen covered in blood (hence the name). The lore surrounding the ritual states that participants may endure the apparition screaming at them, cursing them, strangling them, stealing their soul, drinking their blood, or scratching their eyes out. Some variations of the ritual call Bloody Mary by a different name—"Hell Mary" and "Mary Worth" are popular examples. The modern legend of Hanako-san in Japan strongly parallels the Bloody Mary mythology.


title: Bloody Mary (folklore)

text: Staring into a mirror in a dimly-lit room for a prolonged period can cause one to hallucinate. Facial features may appear to "melt", distort, disappear, and rotate, while other hallucinatory elements, such as animal or strange faces, may appear. Giovanni Caputo of the University of Urbino writes that this phenomenon, which he calls the "strange-face illusion", is believed to be a consequence of a "dissociative identity effect", which causes the brain's facial-recognition system to misfire in a currently unidentified way. Other possible explanations for the phenomenon include illusions attributed, at least partially, to the perceptual effects of Troxler's fading, and possibly self-hypnosis, or apophenia.


title: Bloody Mary (folklore)

text: There is some debate on the identification of Bloody Mary and if she is based on a real woman. A number of historical figures have been put forward as candidates for 'Mary' including Mary I of England (daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon), who had around 300 religious dissenters burned at the stake during her reign, earning her the nickname 'Bloody Mary'; Elizabeth Báthory, a 17th-century Hungarian countess who allegedly tortured and killed around 650 girls and women, bathed in their blood, and was accused of vampirism; and Mary Worth, who has been identified as either a woman who killed slaves escaping the American South via the Underground Railroad or a woman who was burned at the stake during the Witch trials in the early modern period.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: Rocky Balboa is a 2006 American sports drama film written and directed by Sylvester Stallone, who also stars. It is the sequel to "Rocky V" (1990) and the sixth installment in the "Rocky" franchise. Burt Young and Antonio Tarver also star. It was Tarver's first and only film, and Stallone's first film as director since "Rocky IV" (1985). In the film, Rocky Balboa (Stallone), now an aging small restaurant owner, is challenged to an exhibition fight by hothead boxer Mason Dixon (Tarver).


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: Development for a sixth "Rocky" film began after Stallone expressed regret of the outcome of "Rocky V", which was viewed as a disappointing conclusion to the end of the franchise. "Rocky Balboa" includes references to characters and objects from previous installments, and Stallone was inspired by recent personal struggles and triumphs when writing the film. Principal photography began in December 2005 and lasted until January 2006, with filming locations including Las Vegas, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. In contrast to previous entries in the franchise, the fight choreography in "Rocky Balboa" was less scripted, featuring real punches thrown by Stallone and Tarver.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: "Rocky Balboa" was theatrically released by MGM Distribution Co. in the United States on December 20, 2006, thirty years after the release of the first film. "Rocky Balboa" received generally positive reviews, with praise for its screenplay, Stallone's performance, and heartfelt exploration of Balboa's character, with many critics labelling the film one of the best entries in the franchise. It grossed over $156 million worldwide, subverting expectations to rebound from the box office performance of its predecessor. A sequel and spin-off, " Creed", was released in 2015 and kickstarted its own trilogy.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: In 2006, Rocky Balboa, now 60 years old is retired from boxing, lives a quiet life as a widower, his wife Adrian having died from cancer four years prior. He now runs a small but successful Italian restaurant named after her, where he regales patrons with tales from his past. He also battles personal demons involving his grief over Adrian's death and his eroding relationship with his son Robert, now a struggling corporate employee. Paulie, Rocky's best friend and brother-in-law, continues to support him whenever he can, but is guilt-ridden over his past poor treatment toward his late sister and accuses Rocky of living in the past.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: Late one night, Rocky meets a woman named Marie, who was once a troublesome young girl Rocky had escorted home 30 years ago. Marie now is a single parent of a teenage son named Stephenson and nicknamed "Steps", born out of wedlock. Rocky's friendship with Marie quickly blossoms over the following weeks and he meets and bonds with Steps, providing him with a much-needed buffer for his anguish.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: Meanwhile, on the professional boxing circuit, Mason "The Line" Dixon reigns as the undefeated yet unpopular heavyweight world champion, often ridiculed for having never fought a true contender. This leads to tension with the public and his promoters, and encourages him to return to his roots: the small gym he first trained in and his old trainer who sagely tells him that, inevitably, he will earn back his respect through a true opponent that will test him. ESPN later broadcasts a computer simulation of a fight between a younger Rocky and Mason—likened to a modern-day version of The Super Fight—that ends in a disputed KO victory for Balboa, further riling the champ. In contrast, the simulation inspires Rocky to take up boxing again, an intention that goes public when he successfully renews his boxing license. Dixon's promoters pitch the idea of holding a charity exhibition bout at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas to bolster Dixon's floundering popularity. In the midst of this chaos, two men fire Paulie from his job.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: With some hesitation, both men agree to the match, creating a media buzz that stabs at Rocky's age and Dixon's credibility. Robert later makes an effort to discourage Rocky from fighting, blaming his own personal failings on his father's celebrity shadow, but Rocky rebukes him with some profound advice: to succeed in life, "it ain't about how hard you hit – it's about how hard you can "get" hit and keep moving forward," and blaming others will not help him. The next day, father and son meet over Adrian's grave and reconcile; Robert has quit his job to be at Rocky's side.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: Rocky sets straight to training with Apollo Creed's (and later his) old trainer, Duke, who quickly surmises that Rocky can only compete by building his strength and punching power as much as possible. On the day of the match, Dixon easily dominates the first round, only to injure his left hand on Rocky's hip in the second. Rocky then makes a dramatic comeback, knocking Mason down, and surprising the audience with his prowess and chin despite his age. The two combatants beat each other severely throughout the full 10 rounds, ending with both men still standing, although Rocky gets the last punch. Rocky thanks an appreciative Dixon for the match and tells him that he is a great champion, while the audience applauds the two fighters. The result is announced as Rocky exits the ring with his family and friends: a win for Dixon by a close split decision, but Rocky does not mind the outcome, and the crowd gives him a final standing ovation. Rocky returns home and visits Adrian's grave again, thanking her for helping him in spirit; "Yo Adrian, we did it. We did it."


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: As the credits roll, an inset features people running up the Rocky Steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in response to a call from the director to do so for the film.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: A plot element from the fifth film is not addressed in "Rocky Balboa"s plot. In the previous film, Rocky was diagnosed with brain damage and advised never to fight again. Stallone clarified this apparent inconsistency in an interview, remarking:


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: When Rocky was diagnosed with brain damage, it must be noted that many athletes have a form of brain damage including football players, soccer players, and other individuals in contact sports such as rugby, etc. Rocky never went for a second opinion and yielded to his wife's wishes to stop. So with the advent of new research techniques into brain damage, Rocky was found to be normal among fighters, and he was suffering the results of a severe concussion. By today's standards Rocky Balboa would be given a clean bill of health for fighters.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: "Rocky Balboa" gives nods to previous installments via the casting. The most obvious is the return of Stallone, Young, and Burton—the only actors to portray the same characters in all six installments. Tarver's appearance in the film marks the sixth time an active professional boxer has appeared in the series. Previously, Joe Frazier ("Rocky"), Pedro Lovell ("Rocky"), Roberto Durán ("Rocky II"), Tommy Morrison ("Rocky V") and Michael Williams ("Rocky V") have appeared in the series. Stallone initially wanted Roy Jones, Jr. to portray Dixon, but after Jones did not return Stallone's phone calls, he tapped Antonio Tarver to fill the role. Tarver accidentally knocked out Stallone during the filming of one of the segments of the fight.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: The character Marie appeared in the original "Rocky"; she was portrayed by Jodi Letizia. For the final film, Marie is portrayed by Geraldine Hughes. (Although Letizia did reprise the role for "Rocky V", the sole scene in which she appeared was deleted. In it, Marie was homeless on the streets of Philadelphia.) Another recognizable character who appeared in the previous five films, sportscaster Stu Nahan, provided the commentary for the computer-generated fight between Dixon and Balboa. Nahan was part of the ringside commentary team during all the bouts in the first three films and the Apollo Creed-Ivan Drago fight in "Rocky IV". He was diagnosed with lymphoma during the "Rocky Balboa" filming, though, and died on December 26, 2007. Finally, Pedro Lovell, who portrayed Spider Rico in the original film, returns to the role in "Rocky Balboa" as a guest and later employee at Rocky's restaurant.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: A number of sports personalities portray themselves. Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant, and Max Kellerman comprise the ringside broadcast team (all three are commentators for "HBO Boxing"). Sportswriters such as Bert Sugar, Bernard Fernandez and Steve Springer also appear. As for actual boxers, Mike Tyson (who had retired by the film's release) makes a cameo appearance, taunting Dixon as the fighter enters the ring. Lou DiBella, a real-life boxing promoter, portrays himself as Dixon's promoter. Several of ESPN's personalities also portray themselves. "SportsCenter" anchor Brian Kenny is the host of the fictional "Then and Now" series, while "Cold Pizza" and "1st and 10" hosts Jay Crawford, Dana Jacobson, Skip Bayless and Woody Paige also appear. Ring announcer Michael Buffer appeared as himself, as did referee Joe Cortez.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: Regarding his decision not to have Talia Shire reprise her role as Adrian, Stallone told "USA Today" that, "in the original script, she was alive. But it just didn't have the same dramatic punch. I thought, 'What if she's gone?' That would cut Rocky's heart out and drop him down to ground zero." Shire herself said that, in her view, "The film has great regard for the process of mourning. Sly utilizes mourning to empower Rocky, and Adrian is made very mythical."


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: Principal photography began in December 2005 in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2006, it moved to Los Angeles, California and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: Scenes in Philadelphia were set in staples such as the Rocky Steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and South Philadelphia, while Center City was featured more prominently due to Rocky Jr.'s job as an attorney. The scene where Rocky and his son were talking while walking down a quiet block was filmed between 20th–21st Streets on Walnut, just after dawn on a Sunday morning.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: While the dramatic portions of the movie are shot in an obviously cinematic style, the bout between Balboa and Dixon is shot in a number of different ways. The lead-in to the bout, as well as the first two rounds, are shot in a style similar to a major pay-per-view broadcast. Clips from fights in previous "Rocky" movies are used during the introductory teaser to introduce Balboa, while stock footage from actual Tarver fights, as well as footage from Dixon's previous fight (shown at the beginning of the film) are used as clips for Dixon's part of the teaser. The fight itself was shot in High Definition to further enhance the TV-style look of the fight.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: After the first two rounds, the bout is shot in a more "cinematic" style, reminiscent of the way the fights in the other "Rocky" films were shot. However, unlike the other films in the series, the fight is less choreographed and more improvised than previous installments and is closer to an actual boxing match than a choreographed fight. This is a departure from the previous films, where every punch, feint, and step was carefully scripted and practiced.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: According to the behind-the-scenes documentary portions of the film's DVD, there were slight continuity problems during the filming of the fight. This was said to have been due to the fact that real punches were thrown by both Stallone and Tarver, resulting in some swelling and nosebleeds earlier than scripted. The DVD release features an alternate ending in which Rocky wins the fight.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: Composed by Academy Award winner Bill Conti, the "Rocky Balboa" film score is both an updated composition of "Rocky" music and a tribute to the music that has been featured in previous Rocky films. Conti, who has acted as composer on every Rocky film except "Rocky IV", chose to compose the score almost entirely from musical themes used in the previous movies. Only one original theme was written specifically for "Rocky Balboa" and that is the theme written to represent the character of Marie.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: The roughly 40-minute score was recorded in the summer of 2006 at Capitol Studios in Hollywood, California. Conti chose to pre-record the string, brass and piano tracks and then have those tracks mixed with the work of a 44 piece orchestra which he conducted. He also performed all of the piano work himself which is something he has done with each movie for which he has composed the score. Stallone also was involved in every part of the process and attended several of the recording sessions.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: In addition to the score, the film features original tracks performed by Natasha Bedingfield, Three 6 Mafia, and Frank Stallone as well as classic tracks such as Frank Sinatra's "High Hopes" and The Miracles' "Ooh Baby Baby". Of the original tracks the most significant is the Diane Warren song "Still Here", performed by Bedingfield, which was reported to be the film's theme in early articles. Though it is still listed in the credits the song was dropped from the film.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: Whether the film "Rocky Balboa" has a soundtrack is subject to some debate. On December 26, 2006, Capitol Records released a CD titled "" which had a logo and cover art that was identical to the film's theatrical poster.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: The CD itself contains short dialogue clips and musical tracks, some of which are remixes, from all the "Rocky" films. Notable though is that only three of its nineteen total tracks are from the "Rocky Balboa" film: two dialogue tracks and the Three 6 Mafia song "It's a Fight" (the UK version contains the additional track "Still Here" by Natasha Bedingfield). This has led some to categorize the CD as a compilation while others suggest that it is a soundtrack and that the use of past material simply reflects the film's extensive use of flashbacks.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: Relevant to this debate is the absence of any compositions by "Rocky IV" composer Vince DiCola, except for the song "Hearts on Fire", co-written by DiCola, Ed Fruge and Joe Esposito. DiCola is the only person, other than Bill Conti, to act as composer on a "Rocky" film and his work was used extensively on the 1991 compilation CD "The Rocky Story: Songs from the Rocky Movies". The missing DiCola tracks are the only tracks on the 1991 CD that are not present on the new CD which indicates an effort to use only "Rocky Balboa" composer Conti's tracks.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: "Rocky Balboa" represents a partnership between Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Revolution Studios, and Columbia Pictures (Columbia's corporate parent Sony held a 20% stake in MGM). Since the "Rocky" series was originally produced and distributed by United Artists (now MGM's subsidiary studio), the partners jointly decided that the film could and should take advantage of MGM's newly reinvigorated domestic distribution apparatus. 20th Century Fox handles its theatrical and DVD distributions outside of the United States and Canada, while Sony Pictures Home Entertainment handled its American and Canadian video distributions. In the Philippines and Switzerland, Fox released the film through joint ventures with Warner Bros. Entertainment. In Japan, the film was promoted by Fox as "Rocky The Final". It opened across Japan on April 20, 2007.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: In late March 2006, the first movie teaser was released on the Internet. The full-length trailer accompanied the theatrical release of "" on July 7 in select theaters.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: The film was scheduled for release during the Presidents' Day holiday in 2007, but was moved up to right before Christmas 2006.


title: Rocky Balboa (film)

text: "Rocky Balboa" is available in three formats: Blu-ray Disc, DVD and UMD. It was released in Region 1 on March 20 and Region 2 on May 21, 2007. The film has made $35,622,998 in DVD sales. Features on the Blu-ray Disc and DVD include deleted scenes along with an alternate ending (where Rocky wins the split decision), bloopers, a commentary and several featurettes. In addition, the Blu-ray version features all of the DVD's content in 1080p high definition video.