PHOTO: TT News Agency
He was part of “total football” and an important co-player for Johan Cruyff.
Now Dutch Johan Neesken is dead.
He was 73 years old.
– He was an intelligent footballer, they were all so schooled in their system, says Claes Cronqvist, who was part of the Swedish national team during the World Cup in 1974.
Johan Neeskens and Johan Cruyff were the leading players when the Netherlands introduced the so-called total football in the 1970s.
He scored the national team’s only goal in the World Cup final against West Germany in 1974 – on a penalty after 80 seconds – but the championship still ended with silver as the home team turned around and won 2–1.
– The most beautiful football does not always win, he later said of the final in Munich, according to the Dutch confederation.
– But it’s incredible that people all over the world are still talking about the team. The best and most beautiful football, total football.
Neesken’s death
Neeskens, who died on Sunday, played for Ajax for much of his career. After the World Cup in 1978, he moved to Spain to continue his career in Barcelona – where he was reunited with Johan Cruyff.
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Johan Neeskens scored 17 goals in 49 A international matches. In his club team career, he won, among other things, the European Cup – now the Champions League – three times.
– The Netherlands had a lot of good players then, he was one of them. They had a nice bunch. Everyone could move all over the pitch, that’s what was brilliant about their game. It takes enormous understanding of the game to play that way, not least when you are a midfielder like Neeskens was. It was impressive, says Claes Cronqvistwho was part of the Swedish national team during the World Cup in 1974.
“With Johan Neesken’s passing, the Netherlands and international football are losing a legend,” the Dutch Football Association wrote in a statement.
“His name is forever linked to European success with clubs such as Ajax and Barcelona and two World Cup finals for the Dutch national team.”
Rest in peace, Johan Neeskens! 🌹
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