Hans Jorritsma, the former manager of the Netherlands national football team, has died at the age of 77.
His passing was reported by vi. nl on June 5, 2026.
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Jorritsma joined the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) staff in 1996 on the recommendation of then-national coach Guus Hiddink.
At the time, appointing a team manager to the technical staff was an unconventional move in professional football.
He remained in the role for 21 years, leaving at the end of 2017. During his tenure, he became a highly popular figure among the Oranje internationals.
Tournament Highlights
Jorritsma managed the national team through four World Cups and four European Championships.
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Notable achievements include reaching the 2010 World Cup final in South Africa and securing a third-place finish in Brazil four years later.
He officially stepped down after the team failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
Before his football management career, Jorritsma was an elite field hockey player. He earned 65 international caps, competed in the 1976 Olympics and the 1978 World Cup.
During the 1978 tournament, he refused to accept a silver medal from Argentine dictator Jorge Videla.
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He later coached the Dutch men's hockey team to a world championship title in 1990.
