Abe Lenstra, Netherlands footballer: Profile, Career, News & Videos

Abe Lenstra was a Dutch footballer and national football icon in the 1950s who played as a forward. He is regarded as one of the greatest players ever to hail from the Netherlands. He was also a Frisian legend, most notably with the club where he made his name as a football player, Heerenveen. Known for his exceptional dribbling skills, creativity, and goal-scoring ability, Lenstra was considered one of the best forwards of his generation He earned 47 caps for the Netherlands national team, scoring 33 goals, and played a crucial role in the team's success during his era. In addition to his national fame, Lenstra was beloved in Friesland, where his contributions to both Heerenveen and regional football left a lasting legacy.

Abe Lenstra's arguably greatest performance came in a match between Heerenveen and Ajax, where his team was losing 5–1 at halftime. Lenstra led a stunning comeback, scoring multiple goals to secure a 6–5 victory by the end of the second half. This game is often remembered as a testament to his exceptional skill and leadership on the pitch. His talent was recognized internationally, with Serie A clubs, including Fiorentina, showing interest in signing him during a time when players rarely left their home countries due to the aftermath of World War II

. This interest further emphasizes Lenstra's exceptional abilities. Over the course of his career, Lenstra scored more than 500 goals, a feat achieved by only a handful of players in football history, cementing his legacy as one of the sport's greats. Lenstra won the Sportsman of the Year 1951 which was the first Sportsman of the Year election, Lenstra was the first to win this prize and won the Bond Rifle of the KNFB on 3 April 1960.