Niels Kokmeijer

Niels Kokmeijer (born 30 December 1977) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a forward. He later managed the Netherlands national beach soccer team.

Career Kokmeijer, born in Uitgeest, North Holland, played as a forward, making his professional debut as part of the FC Volendam squad in the 1998–99 season. He also played for SC Heerenveen and HFC Haarlem before joining Go Ahead Eagles in 2004–05, playing in the Eerste Divisie.

Injury In his first and only season at Go Ahead, Kokmeijer was seriously injured by opponent Rachid Bouaouzan playing for Sparta Rotterdam on 17 December 2004. Kokmeijer's leg was broken so badly that he had to retire from professional football. Sparta Rotterdam suspended Bouaouzan for the rest of the season, which was more than the ten-match ban the KNVB awarded him. He was also prosecuted by the Dutch government and Kokmeijer for battery, unique in Dutch football history. Bouaouzan received a suspended six-month jail sentence.

Later career From 2007 to 2014 Kokmeijer was manager of the Netherlands national beach soccer team, who became silver medalists in the 2008 Euro Beach Soccer League. He later did a number of projects for the Johan Cruyff Foundation and the Johan Cruyff Institute.

Career statistics