Few goalkeepers can say they have played in two World Cup finals, and few have done it in a more fashionable way than Jan Jongbloed. Despite being on the losers side on both occasions his appearances were special as most of his Dutch caps came in the World Cup finals in 1974 and 1978.
Jongbloed made his first appearance in the Dutch national team as far back as 1962. A long wait for his next cap, 12 years, and into his 30’s. In the World Cup’s of 74 and 78, he had the number 8 jersey, seldom a number used by a goalkeeper. He was not really a first choice and the goalkeeper position were seen as a problematic one for the national side as Jongbloed stepped in and becoming an “iconic” figure.
Ajax goalkeeper Piet Schrijvers was capped 46 times between 1971 to 1984 and played most of the qualification games and other Dutch friendlies in that period, with Jongbloed only making 26 caps all together.
Heinz Stuy was the first choice at Ajax before Schrijvers, but was never ever used in the Dutch national team. Eddie Pieters Graafland was also a famous goalkeeper and playing for Feyenoord when they won the European Cup in 1970. Pieters Graafland was a Dutch international but never appaered in the national team after 1967.
But whenever the World Cup came around, Jan Jongbloed became first choice. As said earlier he had to wait 12 years between his first and second appearance for the national team, and at the age of 33, returning just before the 1974 World Cup finals.
Few would believe that he would be picked when the 1978 World Cup in Argentina came around but Jongbloed made the squad again. He had frequently appeared in the national team between 1974 and 1978 and still regarded as a suitable option, playing at the time for Roda JC.
Jongbload is well remembered for his appearances in these two World Cup’s once heading the ball outside the penalty area to stop an attack. Jongbloed was often described as a playing goalkeeper and acting more or less like a sweeper, and by that seen as an eccentric and modern type.
He was also the goalkeeper against Scotland when Archie Gemmill made a name of himself and scored his fantastic goal and Jongbloed had to see them going in behind him, but that game and the Dutch defeat had no impact since they were allready through to the next round.
His last game in the Dutch national team was that World Cup final against Argentina, but his club career was far from over. He continued to play for eight more years, and didn’t hang up his “gloves” and “boots” before he had reached the age of 45.
During his long lasting career in Dutch football, Jongbloed represented DWS and when they merged into FC Amsterdam he continued and in all played a total of 514 league games from 1959 to 1977. Then at Roda JC from 1977 to 1981, and finally four more years in football goalkeeping at Go Ahead Eagles.
After his retirement as a player Jongbloed continued in football as a coach and assistant manager at Haarlem and Vitesse, keeping it going until 2010.
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