Jan Jongbloed, Porter 'Clockwork Orange’ He is playing with 8

Figure Jan Jongbloed It draws attention from the outset. When one begins to see images of the mythical 'Mechanical orange’, that selection astonished the world in World Championship 1974 held in Germany, the goalkeeper without gloves and the dorsal 8 the back is most striking.

The combined orange, masterfully directed by the legendary Rinus Michels, he went to the finals with his big star Johan Cruyff willing to change football. His novel way to play a passing game based on possession and pressure on rival afixiante had never seen. In that team everything it worked as an orchestra and both the coach and the captain revolutionized the game with the call 'Total soccer'.

Focusing on the figure in question in this article, Jan Jongbloed already had 33 when he was called up. Van Beveren, Tulip goalkeeper and combined with big star Johan Cruyff, He had suffered an injury that sent him very fair (but in time) to the World 1974. But nevertheless, his discussion with Rinus Michels It led not to enter the call.

JAN JONGBLOED Y Johan Cruyff

It is unclear what was the exact reason for the absence of from Bevere, but the gossips suggest Cruyff as the main culprit. In the same way, the presence of Jan Jongbloed, a veteran goalkeeper inexperienced in selection (He had played only 4 minutes in a friendly in 1962), his friendship with 'El Flaco' is also blamed.

Anyway, the point is that Jongbloed It fit well in that perfect machine. The goalkeeper defended better footwork with hands, something which at that time was not usual. Was practically the Libero and his companions will rely on more than one occasion. And if that was not enough, that selection decided to divide the numbers in alphabetical order (except Cruyff I had assigned the 14 Yes or yes) and goalkeeper played with 8 in the back.

Most critics soon had to keep knives and even the quarter-finals of this World 1974, only the keeper conceded a goal and it was an own goal (also Holland He beats 4-1 a Bulgaria so it had no greater importance). The gamble seemed to have Jan Jongbloed It was all a success.

But nevertheless, at the end of that World Cup 1974 in which Holland It was higher but ended up losing to hosts Germany, the two goals conceded by the keeper got a lot to talk. The first was a penalty scored by Breitner in which Jongbloed He made the statue. The second, work of Torpedo Muller, acute angle, Light and center, nor let him in good stead.

Holland, and without Johan Cruyff, It was again a finalist in the Argentina in World 1978. To everyone's surprise, Jan Jongbloed He repeated in the Dutch goal. Again, the loss 3-1 against another host, goalkeeper left noted as one of the culprits. Most critics say tulips with another goalkeeper had won two world followed.

Fame 'antihero’ of Jan Jongbloed He continued to grow with the passage of time. already 46 year old (He holds the record for oldest player to have played in the Eredivisie) I had to retire from football because he suffered a heart attack in training. And if that was not enough, his son Erik, also a footballer, He died at the 21 years while going for a match after being struck by lightning. His father was present at the stadium that tragic day.