- Born
- Died
- Birth nameJohannes Jacobus Neeskens
- Height5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
- Johan Neeskens is a Dutch football player and coach. Neeskens was gifted at sports as a child, including gymnastics and baseball. He represented the Netherlands at a youth European Championship in the latter sport.
Johan began his career at the local club Racing Club Heemstede in 1968. In 1970, 19-year-old Neeskens signed a contract with AFC Ajax, and then-coach Rinus Michels was impressed by the young right-back's performance. Immediately becoming a member of the main team, Neeskens won the 1971 Champions Cup, defeating Panathinaikos F.C. in the final. In the 1971/72 season, Neeskens played as a central midfielder, supporting Johan Cruijff. In 1974, Neeskens went to FC Barcelona, where striker Johan Cruyff and Ajax head coach Rinus Michels had previously moved. Since only Johan had already played for Barca, the fans immediately dubbed Neskens 'Johan the Second'. With Barcelona, Johan only won the 1978 Copa del Rey and won the UEFA Cup WInners' Cup final. In 1979, Johan accepted an offer from the American club New York Cosmos. Neskens spent 5 years in Cosmos, having played with such players as Franz Beckenbauer, Carlos Alberto, Vladislav Bogicevic and others. In 1980, Johan became US champion. At the end of 1991, Johan ended his football career.
Worked for the Netherlands National Football Team as an assistant coach during the qualifying tournament for the 1998 World Cup and at the World Cup itself. After Guus Hiddink's departure from the national team, Neeskens did the same job, but this time under Frank Rijkaard as head coach, until 2000. In December 2005, Neeskens was appointed assistant coach of the Australia National Football Team, led by Guus Hiddink. After a successful performance at the 2006 World Cup, Johan returned to Barcelona, with whom he had previously signed a three-year contract.
- IMDb mini biography by: Tango Papa
- SpouseMarlis von Reding(? - October 6, 2024) (his death, 2 children)
- Between 1970 and 1981, he played 49 matches for the Dutch national soccer team in which he scored 17 goals.
- Johan Neeskens 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.
- Johan Neeskens, a native of Heemstede, started his career at Racing Club Heemstede in 1968, before being spotted by Rinus Michels and signed for Ajax in 1970.
- After his retirement in 1991, Neeskens became the assistant manager to Frank Rijkaard at Barcelona in 2006 but was sacked along with Rijkaard at the end of the 2007-08 season.
- Neeskens was described on the UEFA website as having the "steel-hard midfielder was a tireless runner yet also had nice technique and scored goals, helping to set the stage for Cruyff to shine.
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