Jan Bens facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 15 April 1921 | ||
| Place of birth | Rotterdam, Netherlands | ||
| Date of death | 12 May 2012 (aged 91) | ||
| Place of death | Rotterdam, Netherlands | ||
| Playing position | Winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1933–1938 | Feyenoord | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1940–1947 | Feyenoord | 76 | (25) |
| 1947–1955 | EBOH | ||
| Teams managed | |||
| 1962–1964 | DFC | ||
| 1964–1966 | Cambuur | ||
| 1968–1970 | Cambuur | ||
| 1970–1972 | SVV | ||
|
|||
Jan Bens (born 15 April 1921 – died 12 May 2012) was a Dutch professional football player and coach. He was also an amateur boxer and a boxing trainer. Bens was known for his skills as a winger in football and for his long career in the sport.
Contents
Jan Bens' Football Journey
Playing as a Winger
Jan Bens was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands. He started playing football at a young age. When he was 12, he joined his hometown club, Feyenoord. He made his first team debut for Feyenoord when he was 17 years old.
On 6 December 1942, during a match against Ajax, Bens made history. He became the first player ever to be sent off in a famous rivalry match known as De Klassieker. He was sent off after a heated moment during the game.
As a winger, Bens was good at scoring goals. He scored 25 goals in 76 games for Feyenoord's first team. In 2007, he was the last living Feyenoord player who had played for the club before World War II. In 1947, he left Feyenoord to play for another club called EBOH.
Becoming a Football Manager
After he stopped playing football, Jan Bens became a manager and coach. He worked with several teams in both the Netherlands and Australia. Some of the clubs he managed include Go Ahead Eagles, EBOH, DFC, SC Cambuur, Ringwood City Wilhelmina, and SVV.
Bens' Boxing Career
Besides football, Jan Bens also had a career as an amateur boxer. He boxed at the same time he played football. He also used his boxing knowledge to train others. He even trained a professional boxer named Lolle van Houten.
Later Years and Passing
Jan Bens lived a long life filled with sports. He passed away on 12 May 2012, at the age of 91.
