Former Ajax Cape Town coach Leo van Veen has died aged 80, his former Dutch club FC Utrecht announced.
Van Veen was the first Ajax Cape Town coach when the club was formed in 1999 as an amalgamation of Cape Town Sours and Seven Stars.
He stayed for the first season where Ajax finished fourth in the best league by a new club and thereby qualified to play the CAF Cup the next season.
Van Veen was known as ‘Mister FC Utrecht’ after playing 13 seasons at the club with 391 appearances and 154 goals.
If you include his time at VV Dos, which merged with Velox and USV Elinkwijk to form FC Utrecht in 1970, Van Veen played and scored 174 goals in 491 top flight matches in the Netherlands.
"Van Veen had been ill for quite some time," the club stated in a detailed announcement on its website. "He remained in contact with FC Utrecht right up to the final weeks of his life; cherished former teammates frequently visited him. Now, 'Mister FC Utrecht' is gone. But one thing is certain: we will never forget him."
🕊️ Mister FC Utrecht
— FC Utrecht (@fcutrecht) July 8, 2026
❤️ Voor eeuwig en altijd in ons rood-witte hart, Leo van Veen.
🔗 https://t.co/XROQBcF4LS pic.twitter.com/IqouSk3HpW
Van Veen also played in the North American Soccer League with the Los Angeles Aztecs, later one season at Ajax Amsterdam.
Playing as a central defender, he won the league title in 1983. After one more season at FC Utrecht, he concluded his impressive career at RKC in 1986, at the age of 41.
Van Veen then embarked on a coaching career in Waalwijk that took him to Haarlem, Go Ahead Eagles, VVV Venlo, Ajax Cape Town and FC Utrecht.
Later, he also held roles in scouting (including at NEC) and served as technical director.
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