Gert Bals

Gerrit "Gert" Bals (18 October 1936 – 20 May 2016) was a Dutch footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Gert Bals
Bals in 1968
Personal information
Full name Gerrit Bals
Date of birth (1936-10-18)18 October 1936
Place of birth Utrecht, Netherlands
Date of death 20 May 2016(2016-05-20) (aged 79)
Place of death Veenendaal, Netherlands
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
Velox
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1955–1957 Zeist
1957–1961 't Gooi
1961–1965 PSV
1965–1970 Ajax 345 (0)
1970–1973 Vitesse
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Bals became the first Dutch goalkeeper in an UEFA Cup final, when he played for Ajax in the 1969 European Cup Final against Milan.[1]

Club career

Born in Utrecht, Bals played for local side RUC and Velox before joining SV Zeist[2] when they entered the at the start of the professional era in Holland. After a spell at 't Gooi, he moved to PSV for whom he would play 120 matches winning the 1963 league title[3] and later Ajax.

He played 216 official matches for Ajax after making his debut for them in August 1965 and won 4 league titles with the club.[4] He won the Dutch Footballer of the Year Award in 1969.

He finished his career at Vitesse after losing Ajax´ number one jersey to Heinz Stuy in 1970.

Personal life

After retiring as a player, Bals owned a sportshop in Velp and later a tobacco shop in Veendaal.[5] He died in May 2016.

References
  1. Voormalig Ajax-keeper Gert Bals overleden - Volkskrant (in Dutch)
  2. Oud-doelman Gert Bals overleden - RTV Utrecht (in Dutch)
  3. Oud-doelman Gert Bals overleden - PSV (in Dutch)
  4. Oud-keeper Gert Bals overleden - Ajax (in Dutch)
  5. Legendarische oud-doelman Gert Bals overleden - NOS (in Dutch)
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