Coy Koopal

Coy Koopal (1956)

Coy Koopal (born July 22, 1932 in Blerick , † December 20, 2003 in Voerendaal ) was a Dutch national football player .

Koopal started playing soccer at SV Blerick. In 1954 he switched to VVV Venlo as a professional player . Here he made the leap into the Dutch national football team .

The striker made his debut on March 14, 1956 under bond coach Max Merkel in the legendary 2-1 win over Germany in Düsseldorf . Koopal played a total of six international matches by the end of 1956, scoring two goals. In June 1956 he scored the five hundredth goal in the history of the national team in a 3-2 win against Saarland . When Merkel gave Koopal's competitor Coen Moulijn the preferred position as the left striker, it was the end of his international career.

In 1956 Koopal moved to the honorary division Willem II Tilburg . He turned down an offer to move to the Italian Serie A in Genoa . He feared homesickness. With Willem II he experienced his most successful time as a club player. In eight years he scored 95 hits. This makes Koopal the club's record scorer to this day. Finally, in 1964 , he moved to league competitor Fortuna '54 Geleen , with whom he reached the European Cup Winners' Cup . After two years in Geleen, Koopal ended his football career at the age of 34.

In the following years he coached various amateur clubs. In 1976 he led BSV Limburgia Brunssum to the Dutch amateur championship.

Coy Koopal died on December 20, 2003 in his home town of Voerendaal at the age of 71 during a tennis match of cardiac arrest.