Puck van Heel
Encyclopedia
Gerardus Henricus "Puck" van Heel (21 January 1904 – 19 December 1984) was a Dutch
footballer born in Rotterdam
. He earned 64 caps for the Netherlands national football team
, and played in the 1934
and 1938
World Cups
. During his club career, he played for his home town club of Feyenoord.
He held the Dutch caps record from 4 April 1937(when he equaled the total of Harry Dénis
) until 22 May 1979 (when his total was surpassed by Ruud Krol
).
Van Heel was born on the southside of Rotterdam, the fourth of eleven children, into a Roman Catholic
family. His father worked in the shipyards of Rotterdam. He joined the amateur club Sportclub Feyenoord, a youth academy for Feyenoord Rotterdam, and made his amateur debut in the red and white on 12 October 1919.
, winning five Dutch Eredivisie Championships
and two KNVB Cup
s. During his time there, he become the team captain and a figurehead for the club. He was also one of the 11 Feyenoord players, (Adri van Male
, Pleun de Groot, Joop van der Heide
, Bas Paauwe
, Gerard Kuppen, van Heel, Jan Linssen
, Piet Smits, Manus Vrauwdeunt
, Leen Vente
, Piet Kantebeen) chosen to play at the inauguration of their new stadium on 27 March 1937. The stadium was christened Feijenoord Stadion
but would become known as "De Kuip". The game was against Belgian
side Beerschot
and watched by 37,825 spectators. Feyenoord were runaway victors with a final scoreline of 5–2.
Van Heel earned his first international cap at 21 years of age, on 19 April 1925. He would be part of the Dutch
team for the next 13 years, until his retirement from international duty on 23 October 1938. His final game, a 2–2 draw with Denmark
, would be his 64th cap for the Dutch national side. He equaled Harry Dénis's
record of 56 caps on 4 April 1937 and would earn his 57th on 2 May 1937, both of these games were against Belgium. He would remain the most capped Dutch player until 1979 when Ruud Krol
would exceed his total.
Van Heel played in the 1934
and 1938
FIFA World Cup
s under British
manager Bob Glendenning
.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
footballer born in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
. He earned 64 caps for the Netherlands national football team
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
, and played in the 1934
1934 FIFA World Cup
The 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934....
and 1938
1938 FIFA World Cup
The 1938 FIFA World Cup was the third staging of the World Cup, and was held in France from 4 June to 19 June. Italy retained the championship, beating Hungary 4–2 in the final.-Host selection:...
World Cups
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
. During his club career, he played for his home town club of Feyenoord.
He held the Dutch caps record from 4 April 1937(when he equaled the total of Harry Dénis
Harry Dénis
Henri Léonard Barthélémi Dénis was a football defender from the Netherlands, who represented his home country at three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1920....
) until 22 May 1979 (when his total was surpassed by Ruud Krol
Ruud Krol
Rudolf Jozef Krol is a retired Dutch footballer who was capped 83 times for his native country. Playing the vast majority of his career with his home town club of Ajax before traveling the world as both a player and a coach...
).
Van Heel was born on the southside of Rotterdam, the fourth of eleven children, into a Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
family. His father worked in the shipyards of Rotterdam. He joined the amateur club Sportclub Feyenoord, a youth academy for Feyenoord Rotterdam, and made his amateur debut in the red and white on 12 October 1919.
Playing career
Van Heel was a cornerstone of the Feyenoord success preceding World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, winning five Dutch Eredivisie Championships
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
and two KNVB Cup
KNVB Cup
The KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...
s. During his time there, he become the team captain and a figurehead for the club. He was also one of the 11 Feyenoord players, (Adri van Male
Adri van Male
Adrianus "Adri" van Male was a Dutch football goalkeeper.He played 221 matches for Feyenoord from 1930 to 1939, and 15 matches for the Netherlands national football team from 1932 to 1940, and participated in the 1934 FIFA World Cup and the 1938 FIFA World Cup.-References:...
, Pleun de Groot, Joop van der Heide
Joop van der Heide
Joop van der Heide is a former Dutch footballer. Born in Rotterdam, Van der Heide played his whole career at Feijenoord and won one cap for the Netherlands.-Honours:* 1935-36 : Eredivisie winner with Feijenoord...
, Bas Paauwe
Bas Paauwe
Bastiaan Jacob Paauwe is a former Dutch footballer who was active as a midfielder. Paauwe played his whole career at Feijenoord and won 31 caps for the Netherlands, scoring one goal.-Honours:...
, Gerard Kuppen, van Heel, Jan Linssen
Jan Linssen
Jan Linssen was a Dutch footballer who was active as a forward. Linssen played his whole career at Feijenoord and is known as the player who has never made a single foul. The only referee that fouled him during a match was Dirk Nijs who did this as a joke and to become the only referee that ever...
, Piet Smits, Manus Vrauwdeunt
Manus Vrauwdeunt
Hermanus Lodevicus Willebrordus "Manus" Vrauwdeunt is a former Dutch footballer who was active as a midfielder and forward...
, Leen Vente
Leen Vente
Leendert Roelof Jan "Leen" Vente was a Dutch footballer born in Rotterdam. He earned 21 caps and scored 19 goals for the Netherlands national football team, and played in the 1934 and 1938 World Cups....
, Piet Kantebeen) chosen to play at the inauguration of their new stadium on 27 March 1937. The stadium was christened Feijenoord Stadion
Feijenoord Stadion
The Feijenoord Stadion, better known by its nickname De Kuip , is a stadium in Rotterdam, Netherlands that was completed in 1937. The name is derived from the area "Feijenoord" in Rotterdam, and from the club with the same name .Capacity at completion: 64,000. Maximum capacity: 69,000...
but would become known as "De Kuip". The game was against Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
side Beerschot
K. Beerschot V.A.C.
Koninklijke Beerschot Voetbal en Atletiek Club is a former Belgian football club from Antwerp. The club was founded in 1899 when most players of R. Antwerp F.C. left the club. It played in the 1920 Olympic Games Stadium named the "Kiel". After many financial problems over the years, the club was...
and watched by 37,825 spectators. Feyenoord were runaway victors with a final scoreline of 5–2.
Van Heel earned his first international cap at 21 years of age, on 19 April 1925. He would be part of the Dutch
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
team for the next 13 years, until his retirement from international duty on 23 October 1938. His final game, a 2–2 draw with Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
, would be his 64th cap for the Dutch national side. He equaled Harry Dénis's
Harry Dénis
Henri Léonard Barthélémi Dénis was a football defender from the Netherlands, who represented his home country at three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1920....
record of 56 caps on 4 April 1937 and would earn his 57th on 2 May 1937, both of these games were against Belgium. He would remain the most capped Dutch player until 1979 when Ruud Krol
Ruud Krol
Rudolf Jozef Krol is a retired Dutch footballer who was capped 83 times for his native country. Playing the vast majority of his career with his home town club of Ajax before traveling the world as both a player and a coach...
would exceed his total.
Van Heel played in the 1934
1934 FIFA World Cup
The 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934....
and 1938
1938 FIFA World Cup
The 1938 FIFA World Cup was the third staging of the World Cup, and was held in France from 4 June to 19 June. Italy retained the championship, beating Hungary 4–2 in the final.-Host selection:...
FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
s under British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
manager Bob Glendenning
Bob Glendenning
Robert "Bob" Glendenning was a professional footballer, who played as a half back for several English sides prior to and just after the First World War. He later went on to coach in the Netherlands, including coaching the Dutch national side.-Club career:He started his career at home side...
.
Club
Feyenoord- EredivisieEredivisieThe Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
- Winner (5): 1923-24, 1927–28, 1935–36, 1937–38, 1939–40
- Runner-up (4): 1930-31, 1931–32, 1932–33, 1936–37
- KNVB CupKNVB CupThe KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...
- Winner (3): 1930, 1935
- Runner-up (1): 1934
International
- FIFA World CupFIFA World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
- Appearances (2): 19341934 FIFA World CupThe 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934....
, 19381938 FIFA World CupThe 1938 FIFA World Cup was the third staging of the World Cup, and was held in France from 4 June to 19 June. Italy retained the championship, beating Hungary 4–2 in the final.-Host selection:...
- Appearances (2): 1934