Willi Lippens
Encyclopedia
Willi Lippens is a former Dutch
football player. He is nicknamed "Ente" (German for "duck") due to his waddling.
Born near the German-Dutch border to a Dutch father and a German mother, Lippens spent most of his career playing for German clubs. He played for Rot-Weiss Essen
from 1965–76 and in 1980–81. Between 1976 and 1979 he played for Borussia Dortmund
before leaving to play one season for the Dallas Tornado
in the NASL
(North American Soccer League).
Lippens played in 242 Bundesliga
matches, scoring 92 goals, making him the player who appeared most often for Rot-Weiss at that level of play, as well as their top scorer. Lippens also played an international match for the Netherlands, making him one of only six Dutch football players to have been selected for the Dutch national team
while never having played in the Dutch Eredivisie
. The other capped players are Jeffrey Bruma
, Jordi Cruyff
, Jerrel Hasselbaink, Rob Reekers
and Wim Hofkens
.
Lippens, who spoke only very basic Dutch
, is the only native German-speaker ever to have played for the Dutch national team. Lippens received several invitations to join the German National selection as well, but always declined as his Dutch father had forbidden him to play for Germany. Lippens has said that he would have liked to have played for Germany, but that his respect for his father, and the experiences his family lived through during the Second World War outweighed this.
Lippens was known for his imaginative footwork, which earned him the nickname Ente (Duck), and was a fan favorite because of his irreverent good humour. One particular anecdote about Lippens has become a cliché in German football culture: A referee once gave Lippens a yellow card, saying: Ich verwarne Ihnen! ("I book you!"), in defective German grammar, using a dative pronoun instead of accusative. Lippens replied: Herr Schiedsrichter, ich danke Sie! ("Sir, I thank you!"), sarcastically using an accusative pronoun instead of a correct dative this time. Lippens was immediately sent off by the referee.
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
football player. He is nicknamed "Ente" (German for "duck") due to his waddling.
Born near the German-Dutch border to a Dutch father and a German mother, Lippens spent most of his career playing for German clubs. He played for Rot-Weiss Essen
Rot-Weiss Essen
Rot-Weiss Essen is a German association football club based in Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia.- Early years :The club was formed as SV Vogelheim on 1 February 1907 out of the merger of two smaller clubs: SC Preussen and Deutsche Eiche. In 1910, Vogelheim came to an arrangement with Turnerbund...
from 1965–76 and in 1980–81. Between 1976 and 1979 he played for Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
before leaving to play one season for the Dallas Tornado
Dallas Tornado
Dallas Tornado were a soccer team based in Dallas that played in the NASL. They played from 1967 to 1981. Their home fields were Cotton Bowl , P.C. Cobb Stadium , Franklin Field , Texas Stadium and Ownby Stadium on the SMU campus...
in the NASL
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
(North American Soccer League).
Lippens played in 242 Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
matches, scoring 92 goals, making him the player who appeared most often for Rot-Weiss at that level of play, as well as their top scorer. Lippens also played an international match for the Netherlands, making him one of only six Dutch football players to have been selected for the Dutch national 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...
while never having played in the Dutch Eredivisie
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....
. The other capped players are Jeffrey Bruma
Jeffrey Bruma
Jeffrey Kevin van Homoet Bruma , commonly known as Jeffrey Bruma, is a Dutch association football player who plays for Chelsea as a centre back. He is currently on a one-year loan deal at Hamburger SV. His older brother, Marciano, is also a football player. His cousin Kyle Ebecilio plays for Arsenal...
, Jordi Cruyff
Jordi Cruyff
Johan Jordi Cruijff , anglicised as Jordi Cruyff is a Dutch former footballer and currently AEK Larnaca's Director of Football. He played from 1992 through to 2010, his clubs including Barcelona and Manchester United. He gained nine caps for the Netherlands national football team, playing in the...
, Jerrel Hasselbaink, Rob Reekers
Rob Reekers
Robert "Rob" Reekers is a retired Dutch football player who played in the Netherlands for FC Twente and in Germany for ASC Schöppingen, VfL Bochum and FC Gütersloh. He earned four caps for the Dutch national side between 1988 and 1989...
and Wim Hofkens
Wim Hofkens
Wim Hofkens is a former Dutch football player who played 5 games for the Dutch national side.Hofkens is one of only six Dutch football players to be selected for the Dutch national team while never having played in the Dutch Eredivisie...
.
Lippens, who spoke only very basic Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, is the only native German-speaker ever to have played for the Dutch national team. Lippens received several invitations to join the German National selection as well, but always declined as his Dutch father had forbidden him to play for Germany. Lippens has said that he would have liked to have played for Germany, but that his respect for his father, and the experiences his family lived through during the Second World War outweighed this.
Lippens was known for his imaginative footwork, which earned him the nickname Ente (Duck), and was a fan favorite because of his irreverent good humour. One particular anecdote about Lippens has become a cliché in German football culture: A referee once gave Lippens a yellow card, saying: Ich verwarne Ihnen! ("I book you!"), in defective German grammar, using a dative pronoun instead of accusative. Lippens replied: Herr Schiedsrichter, ich danke Sie! ("Sir, I thank you!"), sarcastically using an accusative pronoun instead of a correct dative this time. Lippens was immediately sent off by the referee.
Statistics
- 107 goals in 155 regional league games Rot-Weiss EssenRot-Weiss EssenRot-Weiss Essen is a German association football club based in Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia.- Early years :The club was formed as SV Vogelheim on 1 February 1907 out of the merger of two smaller clubs: SC Preussen and Deutsche Eiche. In 1910, Vogelheim came to an arrangement with Turnerbund...
(1965–1966, 1967–1969, 1971–1973) - 79 goals in 172 Bundesliga games for Rot-Weiss EssenRot-Weiss EssenRot-Weiss Essen is a German association football club based in Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia.- Early years :The club was formed as SV Vogelheim on 1 February 1907 out of the merger of two smaller clubs: SC Preussen and Deutsche Eiche. In 1910, Vogelheim came to an arrangement with Turnerbund...
(1966–1967, 1969–1971, 1973–1976) - 23 goals in 67 2. Bundesliga-Nord games for Rot-Weiss EssenRot-Weiss EssenRot-Weiss Essen is a German association football club based in Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia.- Early years :The club was formed as SV Vogelheim on 1 February 1907 out of the merger of two smaller clubs: SC Preussen and Deutsche Eiche. In 1910, Vogelheim came to an arrangement with Turnerbund...
(1979–1981) - 13 goals in 70 Bundesliga games for Borussia DortmundBorussia DortmundBallspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
(1976–1979)