Jan van Breda Kolff 1894 – 1976
Biography
Jan van Breda Kolff was born on January 18, 1894, in Medan, a vibrant port city in the Dutch East Indies. He came of age during a period when football was rapidly gaining popularity across Europe and the Dutch colonial territories. His early years in this cosmopolitan setting would shape his life and athletic pursuits.
Van Breda Kolff became known as a Dutch footballer, contributing to the sport during the early-to-mid twentieth century. Throughout his career, he embodied the spirit of the game during an era when international football was still in its formative stages. His participation in Dutch football reflected the growing passion for the sport across his homeland.
He spent his later years in Chatham, where he passed away on February 6, 1976, at an advanced age. Van Breda Kolff lived a full life spanning more than eight decades, witnessing tremendous changes in European society, culture, and sport. His legacy remains part of Dutch football history, remembered as someone who participated in the beautiful game during its early development.
