René van de Kerkhof

René van de Kerkhof

Personal information
Full name	Reinier Lambertus van de Kerkhof
Date of birth	(1951-09-16) 16 September 1951
Place of birth	Helmond, Netherlands
Playing position	Right Winger
Youth career
	FC Twente
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1970–1973	FC Twente	99	(34)
1973–1983	PSV	278	(85)
1983–1984	Apollon Smyrnis	23	(3)
1984–1985	Seiko
1985–1988	Helmond Sport	61	(8)
1988–1989	FC Eindhoven	30	(3)
Total		491	(133)
National team
1973–1982	Netherlands	47	(5)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Reinier "René" Lambertus van de Kerkhof (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈrɛi̯.nir rəˈneː lɑm.ˈbɛr.tʏs vɐn də ˈkɛrk.ɦɔf]) (born 16 September 1951) is a former Dutch football player, who played for FC Twente and PSV Eindhoven.

Van de Kerkhof and his twin brother Willy were squad members of the Dutch national team that made the World Cup final in 1974 and became key players in the team that made the 1978 final. Overall, van de Kerkhof appeared 47 times for his country, scoring five goals.

He is well remembered due to the incident before the 1978 World Cup final, when the opponent Argentinians objected to the cast he wore on his injured forearm since it could have injured an Argentinian player. Despite the bandage having been passed by FIFA and worn in previous matches, the referee, Italian Sergio Gonella vacillated, while the Dutch players threatened to walk off the field. Finally an extra layer of padding was applied to the bandage as a solution, and the match could start.

1978 was his most successful year anyway, besides becoming runners-up at the FIFA 1978 World Cup tournament, he also won the UEFA Cup, the Dutch championship and the Dutch Cup with PSV that year: "we had won everything possible – the title, the Dutch Cup and the UEFA Cup, and we had five or six players who had been runners-up at the FIFA World Cup in Argentina with the Netherlands. It was a beautiful period under coach Kees Rijvers", van de Kerkhof later would tell to Berend Scholten.

René van de Kerkhof was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004.

Career statistics

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Netherlands			League		KNVB Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total
1970–71	Twente	Eredivisie	33	12
1971–72			32	10
1972–73			34	12
1973–74	PSV Eindhoven	Eredivisie	31	20
1974–75			30	9
1975–76			34	8
1976–77			28	9
1977–78			29	10
1978–79			27	8
1979–80			29	3
1980–81			18	1
1981–82			29	9
1982–83			23	8
Greece			League		Greek Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total
1983–84	Apollon Smyrnis	Alpha Ethniki	23	3
Hong Kong			League		FA Cup & Shield		League Cup		Asia		Total
1984–85	Seiko	First Division
Netherlands			League		KNVB Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total
1985–86	Helmond Sport		14	4
1986–87			23	3
1987–88			24	1
1987–88	FC Eindhoven		11	1
1988–89			19	2
Total	Netherlands		468	130
	Italy		0	0
	Greece		23	3
	Hong Kong
Career total