Netherlands legend Johan Neeskens dies at 73
October 7, 2024, 4:07 PM
Johan Neeskens, a key midfielder for the Netherlands' "Clockwork Orange" teams in the 1970s, who played alongside Johan Cruyff, has passed away at the age of 73.
On Monday, the KNVB, the Dutch football association, announced that Neeskens had passed away the day before in Algeria. He was involved in a coaching initiative organized by the association at the time. Details regarding the cause of his death have not been revealed yet.
"The magnitude and unexpectedness of this loss is beyond expression," the KNVB expressed in a statement on its website. "We are keeping his wife Marlis, his children, family, and friends in our thoughts."
"The world is not just bidding farewell to a talented athlete, but also to a caring, dedicated, and remarkable individual."
Neeskens experienced back-to-back defeats in the World Cup finals.
He converted a penalty to put his team ahead 1-0 early in the 1974 final. However, despite their reputation for playing an impressive style of "total football," the Netherlands ultimately fell to West Germany, losing 2-1 in Munich.
He mentioned later, as reported by the KNVB, "Playing the most beautiful football doesn't guarantee a win. Yet, it's amazing to me that people around the globe still discuss that Dutch squad. It was the finest and most captivating style of play, total football."
Neeskens was part of the squad once more four years later when the Netherlands narrowly missed out on the world championship, losing 3-1 to the home team, Argentina, after extra time in Buenos Aires.
Neeskens represented the Netherlands in 49 international matches, which included 12 appearances in World Cups, and netted a total of 17 goals.
Neeskens triumphed in the European Cup, which was the earlier version of the Champions League, three times with the powerful Ajax squad of the early 1970s. He later played for Barcelona and the New York Cosmos, among other clubs.
"We are heartbroken by the news of Johan Neeskens' death. Our condolences go out to his family during this difficult time. May he rest in peace, Ajax legend," shared the club on X, previously known as Twitter.
Barcelona, in honor of the club's nickname, referred to Neeskens as "a blaugrana legend who will always hold a place in our hearts. Rest in peace."
During a gathering of the players from the 1974 World Cup final, Neeskens shared his thoughts on what he felt was essential for a team's success.
"It's all about the group," he stated, as reported by the KNVB. "You rely on one another when you're on the pitch. A team is the only way to achieve championship success. The only standout is the team itself."
Following his time as a player, Neeskens took on the role of assistant coach for the national teams of both the Netherlands and Australia.
