Wilhelmus Lourens Johannes Suurbier (; 16 January 1945 – 12 July 2020) was a Dutch professional footballer. He played as a right back and was part of the Netherlands national team and AFC Ajax teams of the 1970s.

Club career Suurbier was born in Eindhoven, but moved to Amsterdam with his family at a young age. He made his debut for Ajax Amsterdam when he was 19 and played with them for 13 years, all throughout the most successful era until 1977 when he was 32 years old. He played more than 500 official matches for Ajax and is part of the informal Club van 100 at the club. Usually a right back, Suurbier was renowned for his pace and stamina. Suurbier was a big part of the 70's "total football" team the "Twelve Apostles" of Ajax Amsterdam led by Johan Cruijff, which lifted the UEFA European Cup three times in a row. In 1977, he moved to FC Schalke 04 for one season.Zwei Schalker kamen bisher zu WM-Finalehren . Schalke04.de. Retrieved on 5 June 2017.

In 1979, Suurbier transferred to the Los Angeles Aztecs of the North American Soccer League. He played three seasons in Los Angeles before moving to the San Jose Earthquakes for the 1982 season. In the fall of 1982, the team was renamed the Golden Bay Earthquakes and entered the Major Indoor Soccer League. He retired at the end of the season to become an assistant coach with the Earthquakes. He later resumed his playing career as a player-coach of the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the American Indoor Soccer Association.

International career Suurbier played 60 matches and scored three goals for the Netherlands national team from 1966 to 1978. He played in both the 1974 and 1978 World Cups where the Dutch finished second, and also the 1976 UEFA European Football Championship.

Managerial career In 1983, Suurbier was an assistant coach with the Golden Bay Earthquakes."Quakes Still Alive ... And Kicking". San Jose Mercury News (CA). 13 April 1986 In 1984, the Tulsa Roughnecks of the North American Soccer League hired Suurbier as head coach."Can NASL came to terms with stability?" Evening Tribune (San Diego). 8 May 1984 He took the team to a 10–14 record.The Year in American Soccer – 1984. Homepages.sover.net (31 January 2010). Retrieved on 5 June 2017. In 1986, he became the head coach of the Los Angeles Heat of the Western Soccer League."QUAKES TO BATTLE HEAT, FORMER COACH SUURBIER" San Jose Mercury News (CA). 14 June 1986 In the fall of 1986, he was hired by the Tampa Bay Rowdies as the team entered the American Indoor Soccer Association. In November 1987, Suurbier became the head coach of the newly established Fort Lauderdale Strikers in preparation of the team's first season in 1988.Lazzarino, Chris (5 November 1987) "Robbie To Own Asl Team As Strikers Try Once Again" . Sun-Sentinel. That season, the Strikers finished and went to the American Soccer League championship before falling to the Washington Diplomats. In January 1989, Suurbier resigned as coach of the Strikers."Suurbier Resigns As Strikers Coach". Miami Herald. 31 January 1989 In February 1989, he was named the new head coach of the Miami Sharks."Ex-striker Coach Suurbier Joins Sharks" Miami Herald. 2 February 1989 After starting the season at 2–3, the Sharks fired Suurbier."Sharks (2–3) Fire Suurbier" Miami Herald. 23 May 1989 In 1994, he became the head coach of the St. Petersburg Kickers."Dutch Legend Coaches Amateurs" The Palm Beach Post. 3 April 1994 In 1999 Suurbier joined Al Etehad (Qatar) as an assistant coach to Rene Meulensteen. Together they won the Arab Cup and H.H. Apparent Cup that season. The year after they joined Al Sadd (Qatar) and in season 2000–01 they won the Emir cup. From 2001 to 2002 Suurbier worked for Heerenveen as an assistant for the U-20 squad. In 2017, he was a part of the coaching staff for the pre-season preparations of the Indian Super League club Kerala Blasters in Spain, where he served as a mentor to the Blasters' head coach René Meulensteen during the preseason.

Personal life Suurbier married Maya Verkaart in 1967 and divorced in the 1980s; he had one daughter from this marriage.

When playing in the United States, Suurbier befriended George Best, and called Best's lifestyle a "bit boring".

Suurbier was known for his humor and practical jokes, most notably during the 1974 FIFA World Cup when he and Ruud Krol (nicknamed Snabbel and Babbel) kept making fun of Ruud Geels, much to the frustration of the latter.

In May 2020, it was reported that Suurbier was in intensive care after having suffered a "major" intracerebral haemorrhage. He died on 12 July 2020.

Career statistics International

+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsNetherlands1966201967521968301969401970201971211972101973601974120197560197640197760197870Total603

Scores and results list the Netherlands' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Suurbier goal.

+ List of international goals scored by Wim SuurbierNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1 10 May 1967 Népstadion, Budapest, Hungary 1–2 1–2 UEFA Euro 1968 qualification2 4 October 1967 Københavns Idrætspark, Copenhagen, Denmark 1–3 2–3 UEFA Euro 1968 qualification3 24 February 1971 De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands 6–0 6–0 UEFA Euro 1972 qualification

Honours Ajax Eredivisie: 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1976–77 KNVB Cup: 1966–67, 1969-1970, 1970–71, 1971–72 European Cup: 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73; runner-up: 1968-69 European Super Cup: 1972, 1973 Intercontinental Cup: 1972

Netherlands FIFA World Cup runner-up: 1974, 1978 UEFA Euro third place: 1976 Tournoi de Paris: 1978

Individual Sport Ideal European XI: 1972, 1974

References

External links

1974 FIFA World Cup final appearance 1978 FIFA World Cup final appearance 1976 Euro 3rd Place winners NASL/MISL stats Profile – FC Metz