Gert Bals facts for kids
Bals in 1968
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gerrit Bals | ||
| Date of birth | 18 October 1936 | ||
| Place of birth | Utrecht, Netherlands | ||
| Date of death | 20 May 2016 (aged 79) | ||
| Place of death | Veenendaal, Netherlands | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Velox | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1955–1957 | Zeist | ||
| 1957–1961 | 't Gooi | ||
| 1961–1965 | PSV | ||
| 1965–1970 | Ajax | ||
| 1970–1973 | Vitesse | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Gerrit "Gert" Bals (born October 18, 1936 – died May 20, 2016) was a famous Dutch footballer. He was best known for being a fantastic goalkeeper for several top clubs in the Netherlands, especially Ajax.
Contents
Who Was Gert Bals?
Gert Bals was a talented goalkeeper who played professional football in the Netherlands for many years. He was known for his skills in goal and became a very important player for the teams he joined.
Early Career and First Steps
Gert Bals started his football journey with youth club Velox. He then played for Zeist from 1955 to 1957. After that, he moved to 't Gooi, where he played until 1961. These early years helped him develop his skills as a goalkeeper.
Becoming a Star at PSV
From 1961 to 1965, Gert Bals played for PSV. This was a big step up for him, as PSV is one of the biggest football clubs in the Netherlands. His strong performances there caught the eye of even bigger clubs.
Glory Days with Ajax
In 1965, Gert Bals joined Ajax, another giant of Dutch football. He quickly became their number one goalkeeper. He played 216 official matches for Ajax during his time there. With Ajax, he won four league titles, showing how successful the team was with him in goal.
Making History in Europe
Gert Bals made history in 1969 when he became the first Dutch goalkeeper to play in a European Cup final. This was a huge achievement for him and for Dutch football. Ajax played against Milan in the 1969 European Cup Final. Even though Ajax didn't win that match, it was a very important moment in Bals's career.
Dutch Footballer of the Year
In the same year, 1969, Gert Bals was recognized for his amazing performances. He won the prestigious Dutch Footballer of the Year Award. This award showed that he was considered the best player in the Netherlands at that time.
Final Years in Football
After his successful time at Ajax, Gert Bals moved to Vitesse in 1970. He played for Vitesse until 1973, when he decided to end his professional playing career. He had a long and successful career, playing for some of the top clubs in the Netherlands.
