Former PSV captain Pleun Strik passed away on Thursday evening. The eight-time international of Orange turned 78 years old.
Born Rotterdammer Strik started his football career in the 1963/1964 season with Feyenoord and made the switch to Go Ahead Eagles a season later. In Deventer he fought in the selection of Orange, after which he made the switch to PSV in 1967.
The people of Eindhoven paid about 170,000 guilders for Strik, a very high amount in Dutch football at the time. At PSV, the defender was a fixed value from his first day. In seven seasons, he played no fewer than 330 games and missed only two games.
Strik was also part of the Dutch World Cup selection in 1974, but did not play a minute at the tournament in Germany. At the time, the Dutch national team lost in the final against West Germany.
In 1976 Strik moved to EVV, with which he was relegated to the First Division in his first season. A year later, NEC brought him back to the Eredivisie, where he played four seasons. Strik ended his career in 1984 at FC VVV, later VVV-Venlo. In total he played 457 matches in professional football.
Pleun Strik (right) with Johan Cruijff at the ceremony of the Orange selection after the 1974 World Cup.
Pleun Strik (right) with Johan Cruijff at the ceremony of the Orange selection after the 1974 World Cup.
Photo: National Archives
