Johan Neeskens

The tireless midfield engine of Total Football

Johannes Jacobus Neeskens (15 September 1951 – 6 October 2024) was a Dutch football manager and player. A midfielder, he was an important member of the Netherlands national team that finished as runners-up in the 1974 and 1978 FIFA World Cups and is considered one of the greatest midfielders of all time. In 2004, he was named one of the 125 Greatest Living Footballers at a FIFA Awards Ceremony, while in 2017 he was included in the FourFourTwo list of the 100 all-time greatest players, at the 64th position.

Quick Facts

Full name: Johannes Jacobus Neeskens
Born: 15 September 1951
Birthplace: Heemstede, Netherlands
Died: 6 October 2024
Place of death: Algeria
Height: 1.78 m / 5 ft 10 in
Position: Midfielder

Lore & Background

Neeskens was born in Heemstede in North Holland on 15 September 1951. In his childhood, marked by his parents' divorce, he slept in a corridor due to lack of space. He was gifted at sports as a child, including gymnastics and baseball. He represented the Netherlands at a youth European Championship in baseball. He died while in Algeria on 6 October 2024, at the age of 73, as part of a KNVB coaching project, having suffered a heart attack.

Reader's Guide

Neeskens started his career at Racing Club Heemstede in 1968, before being spotted by Rinus Michels and signed for Ajax in 1970. He impressed at right-back, playing in that position for Ajax in the 1971 European Cup Final win against Panathinaikos. During the 1971–72 season, he took up more of a central midfield role, in support of Johan Cruyff. Ajax completed a hat-trick of European Cup wins between 1971 and 1973, and Neeskens moved on to FC Barcelona in 1974.

There he was nicknamed Johan Segon (Johan the Second). He later played for New York Cosmos, FC Groningen, South Florida Sun, Kansas City Comets, FC Baar, and FC Zug, retiring in 1991. He was capped 49 times for the Netherlands, scoring 17 goals, and played in the 1974 and 1978 World Cups. After retirement, he was assistant manager to Guus Hiddink with the Dutch and Australian national teams, and to Frank Rijkaard for the Netherlands, Barcelona and Galatasaray. He was also head coach of NEC Nijmegen, the Netherlands B national team, and Mamelodi Sundowns.

Did You Know?

Neeskens scored the opening goal of the 1974 World Cup final against West Germany with a penalty kick after only two minutes of play.
Neeskens was married twice and had four sons and two daughters.