History Marker Former Sundowns Coach Has Passed Away

Former Mamelodi Sundowns history-maker coach Johan Neeskens has passed away, Ajax Amsterdam, Neeskens’ former club, announced the sad news.

Neeskens coached Sundowns from 2011 until early 2013 when he was dismissed following their loss in the Carling Knockout Cup final to Clinton Larsen’s Bloemfontein Celtic at the Moses Mabhida Stadium via a controversial goal.

He was much loved at Sundowns by some players such as Katlego Mphela and Siyanda Xulu. He was at the side when they also lost the Nedbank Cup in 2011/12 season against SuperSport United.

However, he will forever be remembered when Sundowns crushed Powerlines in that season’s tournament when they won 24-0, the biggest scoreline in the PSL in the cup competitions.

He was replaced by Pitso Mosimane after the TKO final loss, who achieved significant success with the team.

As a player, Neeskens was a key figure in the “total football” revolution at Ajax and the Netherlands national team in the 1970s, alongside former Orlando Pirates coach Rudi Krol.

The KNVB federation described Neeskens as a legend in Dutch and international football. He earned 49 caps for the Netherlands and played in the 1974 and 1978 World Cup finals.

At Ajax, Neeskens won three European Cups and two domestic league titles. He also spent five seasons at Barcelona, winning the Copa del Rey and European Cup Winners’ Cup.

The KNVB praised Neeskens for his contributions to European football and the Dutch national team. His tackles, insights, and iconic penalties made him one of the most prominent and beloved players in Dutch football history.

After retiring as a player in 1991, Neeskens coached several clubs and served as an assistant coach with the Dutch national team from 1995 to 2000.