Wim Suurbier

Wilhelmus Lourens Johannes Suurbier () (16 January 1945 – 12 July 2020) was a Dutch professional footballer and among others assistant coach of the Albania national team. He played as a right back and was part of the Netherlands national team and AFC Ajax teams of the 1970s. He was known for his urge to attack, pace, crosses and stamina, widely considered as one of the best defenders of his era during the 1970s. 

Club career
Suurbier was born in Eindhoven. He made his debut for Ajax Amsterdam when he was 19 and played with them for 13 years, all throughout the most successful era until 1977 when he was 32 years old. Usually a right back, Suurbier was renowned for his pace and stamina. Suurbier was a big part of the 70's "total football" team the "Twelve Apostles" of Ajax Amsterdam led by Johan Cruijff, which lifted the UEFA European Cup three times in a row. In 1977, he moved to FC Schalke 04 for one season.Zwei Schalker kamen bisher zu WM-Finalehren . Schalke04.de. Retrieved on 5 June 2017.

In 1979, Suurbier transferred to the Los Angeles Aztecs of the North American Soccer League. He played three seasons in Los Angeles before moving to the San Jose Earthquakes for the 1982 season. In the fall of 1982, the team was renamed the Golden Bay Earthquakes and entered the Major Indoor Soccer League. He retired at the end of the season to become an assistant coach with the Earthquakes. He later resumed his playing career as a player-coach of the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the American Indoor Soccer Association.

International career
Wim Suurbier made his debut for the Netherlands national team on November 6, 1966 in a friendly match against Czechoslovakia, which ended with a score of 2-1. In 1974, Suurbier took part in the 1974 FIFA World Cup as part of the national team, where he played in all seven matches of his national team and won silver medals after the Dutch lost 2-1 against Germany. In 1976, he took part in the 1976 UEFA European Championship, where he won bronze medals after a 3-2 victory against Yugoslavia. In 1978, Suurbier took part in the 1978 FIFA World Cup for the second time as part of the national team, where he played in four matches of his team and again won silver medals. The final match with the Argentina, the Netherlands lost with a score of 3-1, was Suurbier's last match in the national team. In total, Wim Suurbier played 60 matches for the Netherlands national team, in which he scored 3 goals.

Personal life
During his football career, Suurbier was known for his jokes and pranks. At the 1974 World Cup, he and Ruud Krol regularly performed acts for TV such as the duo Snabbel en Babbel. 

In 2005 the municipality of Amsterdam named the Wim Suurbier Bridge after him.

On April 25, 2020, he suffered a brain haemorrhage. On July 12, 2020, he died as a result of this. 

Honours
Ajax
 Eredivisie: 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1976–77
 KNVB Cup: 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972
 European Cup: 1971, 1972, 1973; runner-up: European Cup: 1969
 European Super Cup: 1972, 1973
 Intercontinental Cup: 1972

Netherlands
 FIFA World Cup runner-up: 1974, 1978
 UEFA European Championship third place: 1976

Individual
Top Ajax defenders 1970s
1974 FIFA World Cup All-Star Team
1979 NASL All-Stars

References

Other websites

`Suurbier Appreciated`
1974 FIFA World Cup final appearance
1978 FIFA World Cup final appearance
1976 Euro 3rd Place winners
NASL/MISL stats
Profile – FC Metz

Category:1945 births
Category:2020 deaths
Category:Footballers from Eindhoven
Category:Dutch football managers
Category:1974 FIFA World Cup players
Category:1978 FIFA World Cup players