Rinus Bennaars (14 October 1931 – 8 November 2021) was a Dutch professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
Club career
Bennaars started his career before professional football was established in the Netherlands. When professional football was introduced in the country, Bennaars and SV DOSKO began playing in the Dutch Second Division. After three years at DOSKO, Bennaars joined
NAC Breda for one season before transferring to
SC Feijenoord.
[ Marinus Apolonia Rinus Bennaars - Voetbal Legends ] In his second season with Feijenoord, Bennaars won his first trophy when the club won the
Eredivisie. They retained the title the following season, and Bennaars was recalled to the Netherlands national team again, nine years after his last call-up. He left Feijenoord after five seasons and went to play another two years in the Second Division at
FC Dordrecht, where he won the championship of that division in his first season. After his second season at the club Bennaars retired from professional football.
International career
On 25 November 1951, while playing for
DOSKO, Bennaars played his first match for the Netherlands national team in
Rotterdam versus Belgium. The Netherlands lost the match 7–6, but Bennaars managed to score one of the Dutch goals. Until 19 May 1954, he played ten times for the national team. In 1963, he played in another five matches, bringing his total caps to 15. He played one match at the 1952 Summer Olympics.
Personal life
Upon retiring, Bennaars worked for Dutch Railways.
[ Bennaars: ik zat als klittenband aan Pele vast - Trouw ] He and his wife, Corry, lost two daughters in infancy. His wife later died of Parkinson's disease in 2005.
[ 'Ik ben dankbaar voor alles wat het leven me heeft gebracht' - BN De Stem ] Bennaars died in his home-town Bergen op Zoom on 8 November 2021, at the age of 90.
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