Ruud Krol remembers Johan Neeskens movingly.

Ruud Krol remembers Johan Neeskens

Speaking to 'Radio CRC' in the aftermath of Johan Neeskens's passing, Ruud Krol recalled the experiences he shared with Neeskens himself at Ajax and in the Dutch national team of Total Football, which came close to winning the World Cup twice, in 1974 and 1978, losing in both cases to the home team (West Germany first, Argentina later).

"Neeskens was a very serious man with great qualities as a halfback,” said Krol, who in his career è also remembered for his four years in Naples in the early 1980s. He scored goals with his head, with his feet, he was strong in attack and defense, he was someone who fought to win together with everyone. Outside, he was a fun, sunny person: we were great friends and è he was always that way.

"I shared the room at the ’78 World Cup in Argentina, I played with him in the ’Ajax,” added Krol. “We played against each other, we were always in touch. We were always talking about our history in ’Ajax and in the national team. He was a great man, è very sad that he passed away soì young".

Neeskens had a long and successful career, which began in the late 1960s with RCH and ended more than 20 years later in Switzerland, at Zug. In between, the unforgettable experiences with Ajax and Barcelona, as well as the trip to America to wear the New York Cosmos jersey and the career finale between Holland (Groningen), again the United States (South Florida Sun) and Switzerland (Baar before Zug).

In the national team he played 49 games between 1970 and 1981, scoring 17 goals, five of them at the 1974 World Cup. He was also a semifinalist at Euro 1976, although his match against Czechoslovakia (won by the latter 3-1 in extra time) ended after 76' due to one of the match's three expulsions ruled by Welsh referee Thomas.