Eredivisie to play with 'Rembrandt ball' during 2019/20 season
First ball presented to Willem van Hanegem at the Rijkmuseum on Monday morning.
Football icon Willem van Hanegem received the first official Eredivisie (Dutch Premier League) ball for the 2019/2020 season at the Rijksmuseum on Monday morning. The design of the ball is made up of etchings by Dutch master Rembrandt to celebrate 'The Year of Rembrandt’.
Exceptional creativity
According to Taco Dibbits (General Director of the Rijksmuseum), the choice of Rembrandt as ‘designer’ of the ball is a wonderful addition to the activities celebrating ‘The Year of Rembrandt’. Football and Rembrandt may be a surprising combination for some, but Dibbits believes there is an important similarity: ‘Rembrandt was an artist, just like the best players in the Eredivisie. And exceptional creativity is an absolute must when you want to be the best, both on the field and on canvas.’
Willem van Hanegem received the first ball at the Rijksmuseum on Monday morning. ‘Rembrandt and “De Kromme” are both Dutch masters celebrating an anniversary this year. That is why we wanted to give Van Hanegem the very first Rembrandt ball as a present for his 75th birthday, on behalf of the Rijksmuseum and the Eredivisie', explains Alex Tielbeke (CEO Eredivisie).
28 April: Debut in the Eredivisie
Every season, the Eredivisie commissions a new design for the official ball in collaboration with partner Derbystar. The ball will be rolling across the fields for the first time during the penultimate game in the Eredivisie on Sunday 28 April. It will then be used during the 2019/2020 Eredivisie season. The design of ‘The Rembrandt’ came together under the supervision of designer Irma Boom.
Johnny de Mol and Henk Schiffmacher
The Eredivisie ball that is currently being used was designed by Johnny de Mol. De Mol created the ball together with eleven children after taking over from tattoo king Henk Schiffmacher, who was the first guest designer of the Eredivisie ball in 2017.
