Klaas Nuninga (born 7 November 1940) is a former Dutch international footballer who played for GVAV-Rapiditas, Ajax and DWS during his career.

Club career

Early career

Nuninga began his career in the youth ranks of WVV 1896 in his home town of Winschoten. It was the same amateur club where Jan Mulder and Arie Haan began their careers. After a move to Be Quick 1887, he was recruited by GVAV-Rapiditas in 1961.

GVAV-Rapidistas

Starting his professional career in

Groningen Groningen (; gos, Grunn or ) is the capital city and main municipality of Groningen province in the Netherlands. The ''capital of the north'', Groningen is the largest place as well as the economic and cultural centre of the northern part of t ...

, with GVAV-Rapiditas, Nuninga played alongside

Tonny van Leeuwen Teunis Pieter van Leeuwen (21 March 1943 – 15 June 1971) was a Dutch association football, footballer who played as a goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper for GVAV Groningen and Sparta Rotterdam. He made two appearances for the Ne ...

and

Martin Koeman Martinus Cornelis Koeman (26 July 1938 – 18 December 2013) was a Dutch footballer who played as a centre-back. Biography Koeman played professional football with KFC of Koog aan de Zaan from 1955 to 1960, Blauw-Wit Amsterdam from 1960 to 19 ...

among others, to make up a pretty competitive side at the time. It was during his playing period in

that Nuninga was called up to play for the Netherlands national team, making a total of 19 appearances.

Ajax

His talent would not go unnoticed, and in 1964 Nuninga transferred over to Ajax. He was an integral part of what is considered the great 'blooming' period of the Amsterdam club. He participated in the 1968-69 European Cup, as the first choice striker for Ajax, and started in the Final, where Ajax would face, and eventually lose to AC Milan (4-1). After this loss, Nuninga was sidelined by then coach Rinus Michels.

DWS

Remaining in Amsterdam, Nuninga went on to sign with DWS, with whom he would play three more seasons, making 88 appearances, and scoring 7 times before retiring from professional football.

Post career

After his footballing career, Nuninga delved into Business, eventually becoming a member of the board at Ajax, and afterwards the IPO commissioner of Ajax N.V. In 2005, he stepped down from his position, after a difference in opinion and dispute with then chairman of the board, John Jaakke.

International career

From 1963 to 1967, Nuninga made 19 appearances for the Netherlands national team, scoring a total of 4 goals.

Honours

Club

Ajax * Eredivisie: 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68 *

KNVB Cup The KNVB Beker (; en, KNVB Cup), branded as the TOTO KNVB Beker for sponsorship reasons, is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) since 1898. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Ou ...

: 1966–67

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nuninga, Klaas 1940 births Living people Dutch men's footballers Netherlands men's international footballers FC Groningen players AFC Ajax players AFC DWS players Eredivisie players People from Winschoten Men's association football forwards Footballers from Groningen (province)