Willem van Hanegem referees jubilee match for IJsselmeervogels

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the IJsselmeervogels Voetbal+ Team (formerly the G-Team), a special jubilee match was held at the De Westmaat sports complex. The event featured a unique matchup between the IJsselmeervogels squad and a team of 15 ministers from various churches in the Bunschoten-Spakenburg region, known as ‘FC de Predikanten’.

Football icon Willem van Hanegem served as the referee for the match. During the game, Van Hanegem acted more as a coach to ensure the players enjoyed themselves, noting that seeing the joy on the players' faces was the best part of the game. The event even included a simulated VAR moment, though Van Hanegem maintained his original decision after reviewing the screen.

The match was described by organizer Gerard Doorn as a ‘church-transcending’ event, emphasizing how sports can foster brotherhood across different denominations.