Rob Rensenbrink

Pieter Robert Rensenbrink (born July 3, 1947, in Amsterdam) was a Dutch football player. This left-sided striker was instrumental as Holland reached two World Cup finals in 1974 and 1978.

Born in Amsterdam, Rensenbrink started his career at DWS, before moving to Belgium with R.S.C. Anderlecht. Here he enjoyed his greatest club successes, winning the Cup Winners' Cup in 1976 and 1978 (and runners-up in 1977), alongside fellow Total Footballer Arie Haan. He made his international debut for Holland against Scotland in 1968, but picked up relatively few caps - playing in Belgium limited his international chances, as did competing with Johan Cruyff and Piet Keizer for the left-hand side forward positions. However, the appointment of Rinus Michels for the 1974 World Cup Finals campaign by the KNVB helped Rensenbrink establish himself and he was included in the squad that travelled to West Germany.

The Holland side that took part in the Template:Wc were the pinnacle of Total Football. Developed at Ajax Amsterdam by Rinus Michels and further refined by Stefan Kovacs (when Michels left for FC Barcelona), it consisted of footballers being extremely tactically aware, allowing them to change positions at high tempo - in its simplest terms, every player was comfortable in any other position. It also put high technical and physical demands on the players. Most of the 1974 team were made up of players from Ajax and Feyenoord, so Rensenbrink was an outsider and was unfamiliar with playing the system. His preferred position was up front on the left, but that was already Johan Cruyff's domain, he had to settle for the left-wing position in midfield, taking over from Ajax great Piet Keizer. He adapted well to the system, and missed only one game in the tournament (when Keizer played instead) and was only half-fit for the final after picking up an injury in what was effectively the semi-final against Brazil. Rinus Michels gambled on Rensenbrink's fitness and played him from start - however he only lasted until half-time and was replaced by René van de Kerkhof. Holland took an early lead through a Johan Neeskens penalty, but goals from Paul Breitner and Gerd Müller gave West Germany a famous 2-1 victory.

Rensenbrink stayed in the Holland side during the qualifiers and finals of the 1976 European Football Championship. However, Holland fell at the semi-final stage to Czechoslovakia, as much victims of infighting within the squad and with the coach George Kessler as the skill of the eventual winners.

In the Template:Wc tournament in Argentina, Holland again reached the final, but this time without Cruyff (who decided to retire from international football) and under the guidance of Ernst Happel rather than Michels. Out of the shadow of Cruyff, Rensenbrink found more room to showcase his own considerable talent, playing on the left-hand side of a front three alongside Johnny Rep and René van de Kerkhof. He scored a hat-trick in the opening game against Iran, another against Scotland which was goal number 1000 in World Cup history and a penalty in the 5-1 hammering of Austria. In the final itself, Holland yet again met the hosts. In a tumultous match, Holland fell behind to a first-half Mario Kempes strike. After Dirk Nanninga's equalizer 9 minutes from time, a long pass from Holland's captain Ruud Krol in the last 30 seconds of normal time put Rensenbrink in the clear with only Ubaldo Fillol, the Argentinian keeper, to beat but with Rensenbrink at a poor shooting angle. Nevertheless, he managed to put the shot in - however the shot was deflected onto the post and bounced clear. Argentina profited from the let-off and scored twice in extra-time for a 3-1 victory and Holland again had to settle for the runners-up spot. Rensenbrink played some of the qualifiers for the 1980 European Football Championship, but after earning his 46th cap in 1979 (against Argentina in the FIFA anniversary match - which Holland lost in a penalty shootout), he retired from international football at the age of 32. In 1980, he left Anderlecht and wound down his career with a lucrative spell at Portland Timbers in the NASL, followed by a brief stay with Toulouse in France in 1981.

He was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004.de:Rob Rensenbrink