Legend of ASSE, Johnny Rep is now 72 years old. The former Dutch striker underwent heart surgery this week.
Nicholaas (“Johnny”) Rep was born in Zaandam (Netherlands) on November 25, 1951. He appeared in the great Ajax Amsterdam team that terrorized football Europe in the early 1970s. He held the position as a winger and in the company of his illustrious teammates, Johann Cruyff and Johann Neeskens. He wins countless trophies. He won the Intercontinental Cup in 1972 against the Argentinian Independiente by scoring two goals in the two matches (1-1 then 3-0 in Amsterdam) then the European Super Cup in 1973 against the Glasgow Rangers (3- 1 and 3-2).
Famous throughout Europe, ASSE achieved a major coup by recruiting Rep and Platini in July 1979. He would mark the history of the Greens in the European Cup. He is the first Saint-Etienne player in history to score a hat-trick in the European Cup. Moreover, continental matches inspire him. In the next round, he was one of the heroes of the confrontation against PSV Eindhoven. Martyred on the first leg, like his partners he must admit defeat 2-0. He foams with rage upon returning to the cauldron, his revenge not being completely satisfied until the sixth goal which he scores from the penalty spot.
He is to be credited with other great performances on the continental scene such as this quadruple executed against the Finns of Kuopio Palloseura in 1980. In Hamburg, he is even capable of sacrificing himself for the good of his team by being at the marking of the international full-back, Manfred Kaltz. His self-sacrifice is the basis of one of ASSE’s greatest exploits, which annihilated the Germans 5-0. With twelve goals to his credit in the European Cup, he is the top scorer in Stéphane ahead of Hervé Revelli 10 goals, Michel Platini 9 goals and Jean-Michel Larqué 7 goals.
Operated successfully
L’Equipe informs us that the Dutchman had heart surgery this Monday:“Placed for a week in intensive care in a hospital in Malaga, Spain, where he resides for a large part of the year, Johnny Rep (42 caps and 12 goals with the Netherlands from 1973 to 1981), has just to have a successful heart operation The surgical procedure consisted of fitting a pacemaker. This operation was made possible thanks in particular to the financial assistance of Ajax Amsterdam, his training club in the Netherlands.
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