Johan Neeskens
Johannes Jacobus Neeskens (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈjoːɦɑn ˈneːskə(n)s]; born 15 September 1951) is a Dutch football manager and former 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 has been included in the FourFourTwo list of the 100 all-time greatest players, at the 64th position.
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Neeskens in 1974 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Johannes Jacobus Neeskens | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 15 September 1951 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Heemstede, Netherlands | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1968–1970 | RCH | 68 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1970–1974 | Ajax | 124 | (33) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1974–1979 | Barcelona | 140 | (35) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1979–1984 | New York Cosmos | 94 | (17) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1985 | Groningen | 7 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1985 | South Florida Sun | 1 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1985–1986 | Kansas City Comets (indoor) | 23 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1986–1987 | Löwenbrau (amateurs) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1990 | Baar | 23 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1991 | FC Zug | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1970–1981 | Netherlands | 49 | (17) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1993 | FC Zug | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1995 | Stäfa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | Singen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–2000 | Netherlands (assistant manager) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2004 | NEC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | Australia (assistant manager) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2008 | Barcelona (assistant manager) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | Netherlands B | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Galatasaray (assistant manager) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Mamelodi Sundowns | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
After his retirement in 1991, Neeskens was the assistant manager to Frank Rijkaard at Barcelona but was sacked along with Rijkaard at the end of the 2007–08 season. He later became head coach of the Netherlands B national team until June 2009, when he became assistant manager to Frank Rijkaard at Galatasaray, a job he held until 2010.