2024-10-07 16:46:08
The former Dutch footballer Johan Neeskens died at the age of 73, as reported this Monday by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB), which did not specify the circumstances of the death of the coach, who was participating in a training program in Algeria in recent days. training of young coaches.
The KNVB assured that it has received “with great regret” the news of the “unexpected death” of Neeskens, whom it described as “one of the greatest (Dutch female soccer players).” “We are going to miss him enormously,” added the association, which wished “a lot of strength” to the coach’s family “to cope with this great loss.”
Neeskens was 73 years old and died this Sunday in Algeria, where he was as part of the KNVB’s WorldCoaches project, a program that trains young people from around the world to become soccer coaches in their own community. “There are no words to describe this enormous and sudden loss. The world not only says goodbye to a talented athlete, but above all to a committed, passionate and wonderful person,” the association stressed.
As an international with his national team, he played 49 matches and is remembered for his great role in the Clockwork Orange, such as in the 1974 World Cup final against West Germany, when he opened the scoring from a penalty, although the Netherlands later lost 2-1 in that game. meeting. They also played in the final against Argentina in the World Cup four years later, with a 3-1 defeat in overtime.
As a club footballer, Neeskens shone for Ajax between 1968 and 1973, and was one of Barcelona‘s favorite players between 1974-1979). He arrived at the Catalan club under the guidance of coach Johan Cruyff and lived a golden age, becoming known as “Johan Segundo”. He then embarked on an adventure in the United States, to finish his career in Switzerland, where he continued to live while taking part in international projects.
“He fought his hardest in every game, never gave up, covered the entire field, frequently appeared in the opponent’s area and scored regularly. He was loved in Amsterdam, Barcelona, New York and around the world. And above all, he was proud to have worn the Oranje jersey for eleven years,” noted the KNVB.
As a coach, he was assistant coach of the Dutch team for several years, working alongside stars such as Guus Hiddink and Frank Rijkaard, and in 2000 he made the leap as head coach at local team NEC Nijmegen.
The former soccer player dedicated the last years of his life to traveling around the world, training young coaches in low-income countries, a project that allowed him to use “football as a tool to improve life, was perfect for him: being in the field with other football lovers, with the idea of achieving something beautiful together, he was Johan Neeskens in his essence,” according to the Dutch association, which dedicated an obituary to him with images of his career.