Former Dutch midfield star Johan Neeskens dies at the age of 73. He played in the 1974 and 1978 World Cup finals with the "Elftal".
07.10.2024, 16:12
07.10.2024, 16:50
SDA
The Dutch Football Association announced the "unexpected death" of Neeskens on X. He died on Sunday from an unspecified illness.
Neeskens was a member of the great team of the 1970s and scored 17 goals in 49 international matches. However, the Dutch were denied the crowning glory, losing to the hosts in the World Cup final in both 1974 (against West Germany) and 1978 (against Argentina). In the 2-1 defeat in Munich, he scored the early 1-0 lead with a penalty in the 2nd minute.
Neeskens won the Champions Cup three times in a row with Ajax Amsterdam from 1971 to 1973, and the Cuspieger Cup with FC Barcelona in 1979. Both at Ajax and Barcelona, as well as in the national team, he was the congenial midfield partner of his great namesake Johan Cruyff, who died eight years ago.
He ended his playing career in central Switzerland, with FC Baar and FC Zug. He also began his - not very successful - coaching career in Zug and Stäfa.
