Netherlands star Johan Neeskens, who played in 2 World Cup finals, dies at age 73

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10:52 AM on Monday, October 7, 2024

By MIKE CORDER

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Johan Neeskens has died. He was 73. He was one of the midfield stars in the Netherlands’ “Clockwork Orange” teams of the 1970s alongside Johan Cruyff. The Dutch soccer association KNVB says Neeskens died Sunday in Algeria, where he was taking part in a coaching project it organized. No cause of death was announced. Neeskens lost two successive World Cup finals. He scored from the penalty spot to give his team an early 1-0 early in the 1974 showpiece but the Netherlands went on to lose 2-1 to West Germany in Munich. Neeskens was again in the team four years later when the Dutch fell agonizingly short of the world title, losing 3-1 to host Argentina after extra time.