Johnny Rep


John Nicholaas Rep is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a right winger. He holds the all-time record for FIFA World Cup goals for the Netherlands with 7.

Playing career

Rep played as a right-footed striker in the Dutch World Cup teams of 1974 [FIFA World Cup|1974 (West Germany)] and 1978 (Argentina). He scored the winning goal for Ajax Amsterdam against Juventus in the 1973 European Cup Final in Belgrade and also helped SC Bastia reach the finals of the 1978 UEFA Cup. His pairing with Rob Rensenbrink was seen as an offensive powerhouse.
He said that his time at Valencia was not good and that the only thing they helped him do was "learn Spanish". He claimed that SC Bastia suited him best. After his time in Bastia, Rep joined AS Saint-Étienne and was part of a side that included Michel Platini.

Personal life

He said he liked to distract himself by reading books by Harold Robbins and by playing cards.

Career statistics

International

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
12 May 1973Olympisch Stadion, Amsterdam, Netherlands1–03–2Friendly
215 June 1974Niedersachsenstadion, Hannover, Germany1–02–01974 [FIFA World Cup Group 3|1974 FIFA World Cup]
315 June 1974Niedersachsenstadion, Hannover, Germany2–02–01974 FIFA World Cup
423 June 1974Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Netherlands3–04–11974 FIFA World Cup
526 June 1974Parkstadion, Gelsenkirchen, Germany3–04–01974 FIFA World Cup
622 May 1976Heysel Stadium, Brussels, Belgium1–12–1UEFA Euro 1976 qualification
726 March 1977Bosuil Stadium, Antwerp, Belgium1–02–01978 [FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 4|1978 FIFA World Cup qualification]
831 August 1977Goffertstadion, Nijmegen, Netherlands3–04–11978 FIFA World Cup qualification
911 June 1978Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza, Argentina2–32–31978 FIFA World Cup
1014 June 1978Estadio Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina3–05–11978 FIFA World Cup
1114 June 1978Estadio Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina4–05–11978 FIFA World Cup
1214 June 1980Stadio San Paolo, Naples, Italy1–32–3UEFA Euro 1980

Honours

Ajax
Bastia
Saint-Étienne
Netherlands
Individual

Trivia

Rep is included in the "Classic Netherlands" team in the football video game Pro Evolution Soccer 6 under the name of "Rak".
Rep is the namesake of the Irish indie pop band Jonny Rep.
He also has a song named in his honour, written by French rock band Mickey 3D, who hail from Saint Etienne. In 2024, Wilfred Genee released the single Johnny Rep, an adaptation of the single Johnny Däpp by Austrian DJ Lorenz Büffel.