Jan van Beveren

Van Beveren was born in Amsterdam, where he spent his first years.[2] His father was Wil van Beveren, a sprinter who appeared at the 1936 Olympic Games, competing against Jesse Owens in the 200 metres event.[3] His mother was a regional athlete.[4][5] Van Beveren immediately started playing football as a goalkeeper at age 3 with his brother Wil.[3] His first footballing years were spent on the Stadionplein, next to the Olympic Stadium. In 1958, the Van Beveren family moved to Emmen, where father Wil could get a job at the local newspaper. The two sons Jan and Wil subsequently joined amateur club VV Emmen.[6] Van Beveren was placed in the seventh squad of the under-14s, but his talent was recognized and he quickly rose through the youth ranks.

He made his debut for Emmen's first team at age 15.[2][4] A year later, Van Beveren decided to try his luck with a professional team: he had set his eyes on Sparta Rotterdam, where his brother Wil had left to play for earlier. The Emmen board refused to let him leave, though. Even when Van Beveren quit his school and travelled to Rotterdam, the club refused to sign the necessary papers for months, preventing Van Beveren to play.[6][7]

Jan van Beveren (left) and Johan Cruyff (right) travelling for a match between The Netherlands and England in 1969.

After playing only 17 games at the highest level, Van Beveren debuted for the Netherlands national football team at age 19.[10] His first match was a 3–1 victory over the Soviet Union.[8] In the following years, Van Beveren became the first goalkeeper for the national team. But to his discontent, he faced the problem of playing with unmotivated Ajax and Feyenoord players who could achieve considerable more success and bigger financial gain at their clubs.[18][5] After failing to qualify for the 1970 FIFA World Cup, Van Beveren lashed out against his teammates: "we lost because some players didn't want to put themselves out. They were only talking about money. (…) If you play for your nation, who cares about money?"[2][9] In the Euro 1972 qualification, Van Beveren appeared in six matches, but the Netherlands again failed to qualify.[2][19] For the 1974 World Cup, he played four qualification matches, but a groin injury sidelined him for the final matches.

Weeks before the World Cup, Van Beveren almost regained full fitness and he was tested by coach Rinus Michels in a friendly match against Hamburger SV. Van Beveren insisted on playing only one half, but Michels refused to give in to his demands and sends him home, later citing a 'lack of character'.[6] The World Cup was played with Jan Jongbloed in the goal instead.[20] Behind the scenes, Van Beveren faced a different issue. A problem emerged with the division of sponsorship money: for the World Cup, the KNVB decided to allocate a greater amount to Johan Cruyff, Johan Neeskens, Willem van Hanegem and Piet Keizer, leaving smaller amounts for the remaining team members. When Van Beveren found out, he informed the team. Subsequently, Cruyff pressured Michels and the KNVB to remove Van Beveren.[18]

After the World Cup, Van Beveren returned to the national team, but the feud with Cruyff remained. With the 'Total Football' successes by Ajax and the Dutch national team, Cruyff amassed considerable influence; most players who sided with him in the national team were managed by his father-in-law Cor Coster. But Van Beveren's refusal to follow suit was deemed insulting by Cruyff.[21] The Cruyff clan, who were backed by then-coach George Knobel, proceeded to antagonize Van Beveren and the other PSV players. Some of them contemplated of quitting the team, but Van Beveren persuaded them to stay.[22] In October 1975, the Dutch team lost a first leg qualification match against Poland with 4–1. In the aftermath, Cruyff publicly blamed the PSV players for the loss, while Van Beveren criticized Cruyff's superstar behavior: before the Poland match, Cruyff personally decided to arrive to the training session a few days late.[4] When Cruyff showed up, Willy van der Kuijlen openly criticized his actions, prompting Cruyff to angrily approach Knobel. He forced him to choose between him or Van der Kuijlen and Van Beveren. Knobel sided with Cruyff and on 13 October, Van Beveren and Van der Kuijlen decided to leave the national team.[3][22][4]

Van Beveren refused to play for the national team after these incidents and therefore missed UEFA Euro 1976. He only appeared once more for the national team. In 1977, coach Jan Zwartkruis convinces him to play in a qualifying match against Iceland. It turned out to be his last match in the national team; in the lead-up to the 1978 World Cup, Van Beveren was repeatedly benched during matches. When he approached Zwartkruis about his decisions, the coach responded with "Jan, I'm just being manipulated".[6] It prompted him to announce his international retirement yet again.[9][19][2]

Van Beveren was known as a goalkeeper who would seldom leave his direct goal area; he would rely on his reflexes to catch the ball once it was shot on target.[21] Journalist Matty Verkamman described his style as "gracious and elegant; athletic and stoic".[9] His reflexes were considered his strongest point.[8][4] Writer David Winner claimed in the New York Times that he was "a wonderfully agile 'line keeper,' a shot stopper of the old school".[21] Van Beveren about himself: "I could not play football, I was a born goalkeeper. Reflexes, jumping, strength; people are born with it."[7] He was equally efficient with both hands, and also kicked with both feet.[23]

Jan van Beveren marrying Petra Warringa on 26 August 1968

After retiring, Van Beveren remained in Texas where he unsuccessfully tried a collectible postage stamp business.[24][21] He also served as goalkeeping coach at the Dallas Texans Soccer Club.[25] In December 1999, he was invited by Cruyff to play in the 'Game of the Century'; a match between the Netherlands' best players ever and the best foreign players ever to have appeared in the Eredivisie.[18] In 2007, he became the training coordinator for the Spindletop Select Soccer Club in Beaumont, Texas, training youth players aged 9 to 18.[1][21] Van Beveren died at age 63 at his home in Beaumont.[1] Tributes were held by the Spindletop Select players two days later.[26] PSV Eindhoven commemorated Van Beveren during the Eredivisie match between PSV and NAC Breda in December 2011.[27] That day, a sculpture of Van Beveren was also revealed at the Philips Stadion.[18][27]

On 26 August 1968 Van Beveren married Petra Warringa.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jan van Beveren.

• Jan van Beveren at National-Football-Teams.com
• Profile at PSV Eindhoven
• NASL/MISL stats