Who is Willem van Hanegem?

I. Early Life – The Crucible of Breskens

Willem van Hanegem was born on 20 February 1944 in the small fishing village of Breskens, in the Dutch province of Zeeland, during one of the darkest chapters of modern European history.

Breskens in late 1944 was a village directly in the line of the Battle of the Scheldt, a pivotal but brutal Allied campaign aimed at opening the port of Antwerp to Allied supply lines. On 11 September 1944, an Allied bombardment struck near the village, killing many civilians — including Willem’s father, Lo van Hanegem. In a haunting twist of fate, Lo reportedly died shielding a baby from the blast with his body; that baby survived and would go on to become a medical professor and oncologist.

Willem also lost his older brother and a sister in the conflict. These early experiences with loss, war, and randomness left an indelible mark on his psyche — a backdrop of tragedy against which his later achievements would seem all the more remarkable.

Soon after, his mother, Anna van Grol, moved the family to Utrecht, where young Willem would grow up and begin a life far removed from the horrors of war, but shaped by them.

II. The Origins of a Footballer — Velox and Xerxes

Van Hanegem’s football journey began in earnest with Velox SC, a local club in Utrecht. Though humble, Velox proved fertile ground for discovering this gifted midfielder. His skill with the ball quickly drew attention: even in casual play, his left foot — unorthodox yet lethal — revealed an innate understanding of how to shape the ball’s movement.

In 1963, Van Hanegem’s talent led to a move to Xerxes/DHC, a club where his unique style began to blossom. While not yet a national star, he showed glimpses of a conceptual player — someone who saw the game differently, who read unfolding play with a blend of intuition and experience that would soon make him indispensable.

III. Feyenoord — A Club, a Culture, a Calling

The defining chapter of Van Hanegem’s playing career began in 1968, when he joined Feyenoord Rotterdam, one of the Netherlands’ premier clubs. It would be here that his legend would be forged — not just as a player of great skill, but as a figure who embodied the gritty resilience and triumphal ambition of a club seeking global recognition.

A. National Glory — Eredivisie Triumphs

With Feyenoord, Van Hanegem won multiple Eredivisie titles, anchoring midfield with a blend of maturity and mettle. Among his most noteworthy domestic successes were the Dutch championships of 1969, 1971, and 1974 — trophies that brought Feyenoord back to the summit of Dutch football.

But Van Hanegem’s contributions went beyond these silverware tallies. He brought tactical intelligence to midfield: a capacity for long, bending passes that opened defenses; a knack for finding space in congested pitch areas; and a defensive awareness that made him a sturdy presence even when attacking flair tempted him elsewhere.

B. European Triumph — The 1970 European Cup

Van Hanegem’s crowning achievement with Feyenoord came in 1970, when the club won the European Cup (now the UEFA Champions League) — making Feyenoord the first Dutch club to lift Europe’s most prestigious club trophy. They defeated Celtic FC 2–1 in the final in Milan — a moment etched forever in Dutch football history.

That same year, Feyenoord also claimed the Intercontinental Cup, showcasing Dutch club football on the world stage by defeating Argentina’s Estudiantes. It was a remarkable period for Dutch club football — one in which Van Hanegem’s consistency, leadership, and technical quality were central to Feyenoord’s rise.

C. UEFA Cup Glory — 1974

In 1974, Feyenoord conquered Europe again, this time winning the UEFA Cup (now the UEFA Europa League). Van Hanegem’s pivotal role in that campaign — both in dictating tempo and in producing decisive contributions — remains a testament to his enduring brilliance across multiple European competitions.

IV. Oranje — The National Team and the 1974 World Cup

International football presented Van Hanegem with a new canvas — one that allowed him to test his abilities among the greatest of his generation.

A. Orange Revolution

Willem van Hanegem earned 52 caps for the Netherlands, scoring six international goals. He became a central figure in the national team’s golden era under the coaching philosophies of Rinus Michels and the playing ethos later called Total Football.

Though he played alongside luminaries like Johan Cruyff and Johan Neeskens, Van Hanegem carved a unique tactical identity: a defensive midfielder who could also create, a cerebral presence amid the Dutch flair. His grit balanced innovation — an embodiment of an era where technique and toughness coexisted.

B. The 1974 World Cup — A Final Lost but a Legacy Won

At the 1974 FIFA World Cup in West Germany, the Dutch squad reached the final, advancing with confidence and imagination. Their run electrified the footballing world. Though ultimately falling 2–1 to West Germany in the final, the Netherlands announced itself as a footballing powerhouse — and Van Hanegem was a cornerstone.

More than the result, the manner of play — though contested and debated, even by Van Hanegem himself — left a legacy of footballing evolution. His own reflections on that tournament show a man willing to speak honestly about his team’s strengths and missteps, rather than indulge in mythology.

V. Beyond the Pitch — Character, Controversy, and Commentary

Willem van Hanegem’s influence did not end with the final whistle of his playing career. In many ways, his life after active play demonstrated the same blunt, unapologetic integrity that defined his footballing ethos.

A. Coaching Career

After retiring from playing in 1983, Van Hanegem stepped into coaching and managerial roles. He returned to Feyenoord as an assistant coach and later as head coach, where he led the club to another Eredivisie title in 1993 and consecutive KNVB Cup victories in 1994 and 1995.

He also managed other Dutch and international clubs — including AZ ’67, Sparta Rotterdam, and FC Utrecht — and worked as an assistant coach for the Netherlands national team, including during the UEFA Euro 2004 campaign.

His managerial style was as forthright as his playing style: direct, unapologetically demanding, and rooted in a belief that football should be contested with both the heart and the mind. While not always universally embraced, his coaching stints reflected the sincerity of his convictions and his desire to teach the game as he saw it.

B. The Columnist and Commentator

In addition to his roles in coaching and football administration, Van Hanegem found a second life as a journalist and pundit. He has written regularly for leading newspapers, offering candid opinions that often sparked debate.

Van Hanegem’s commentary is known for its blunt clarity and lack of pretense — whether dissecting modern tactics, critiquing players, or reminiscing on the evolution of the sport. He reminds readers that football is not just entertainment, but a culture deeply intertwined with identity, artistry, and competition.

VI. The Human Element — Illness, Reflection, and Resilience

In 2017, Van Hanegem revealed he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer — a moment that confronted him with mortality in much the same way his early childhood losses had.

Rather than retreat, he addressed the diagnosis with stoicism and humor, reflecting on life with characteristic candor and eventually undergoing successful treatment. That period demonstrates not just Van Hanegem’s resilience, but also his ability to find perspective amid adversity — something that resonated with supporters and critics alike.

VII. Style, Legacy, and Lasting Impact

A. The Player’s Style

Van Hanegem was not the fastest or flashiest player. He was often judged as slow or unorthodox, but such labels miss the essence of his brilliance: spatial intelligence, technical precision, and an understanding of tempo that prefigured modern midfield play.

His ability to play the ball with curve and cunning — literally bending passes with his left foot — earned him both admiration and the fitting nickname “De Kromme.”

B. A Legacy Beyond Trophies

Willem van Hanegem’s legacy is not measured solely in medals, but in influence:

For Feyenoord, he remains a club icon, so revered that a stand in De Kuip — Feyenoord’s stadium — was named in his honor.
For the Netherlands, he is one of the central figures of a generation that redefined international football.
For fans and players alike, he symbolizes a period when football married physicality with imagination.

VIII. Conclusion – A Life Less Ordinary

Willem van Hanegem’s story is neither simplistic nor easily categorized. He was born into war; he rose to footballing glory; he played with intelligence and grit; he coached with passion and intensity; and he spoke with honesty and wit. Through every chapter, he demonstrated a rare authenticity – a readiness to bend the game, bend expectations, and bend history to his will.