Professional Dutch football pays tribute to Johan Neeskens

This weekend, several matches are scheduled in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie, and a full fixture list will be played in the Azerion Women's Eredivisie. Regular rounds in the Eredivisie and Keuken Kampioen Divisie will follow from the 18th to the 20th of October. The Dutch national team, Jong Oranje, and the national youth teams will also observe a minute of silence before their next match.

Professional football clubs are free to wear mourning armbands during matches as well. For amateur football, there will be no collective minute of silence, but clubs have the option to pay their respects to Johan Neeskens in their own way.

He passed away suddenly on Sunday, October 6, at the age of 73. Born in Heemstede, Johan Neeskens played for clubs such as Ajax, FC Barcelona, and New York Cosmos. Between 1970 and 1981, he earned 49 caps for the Dutch national team, scoring 17 goals. Neeskens played in two World Cup finals and became the first player to score for the Netherlands in a World Cup final with his iconic penalty in the 1974 final.

After his remarkable playing career, which took him all over the world, he became a club coach, coached national youth teams, and served as assistant coach under Guus Hiddink and Frank Rijkaard. In later years, Johan Neeskens became the flag-bearer of KNVB WorldCoaches, the Dutch Football Association's international program focused on sports and social development.

The professional football league management consists of the Dutch Football Association (KNVB), Eredivisie CV, and Coöperation First Division (Keuken Kampioen Divisie).