Mathieu Sprengers

The president of the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB), and member of the UEFA Executive Committee, Mathieu Sprengers, has died at the age of 69 after a short illness. Mr Sprengers also served for seven years as UEFA treasurer.

Outstanding career
Mr Sprengers enjoyed an outstanding career as a football administrator in his native country, as well as within European football, where he held a number of senior positions with UEFA.

Economic graduate
Mathieu Sprengers was born on 24 May 1938 in the city of Venlo, and graduated in economics from the University of Tilburg. He began his professional career as a consultant, and after a spell as managing director of a wholesale company, spent 20 years as chief executive of a construction company. He also served as chairman of the chamber of commerce in Limburg. During military service, he was a captain and lieutenant in the Dutch Air Force.

Football administrator
In his career as a football administrator, Mr Sprengers became treasurer of the VVV Venlo club in 1976, and served as club president between 1980 and 1990. After serving on the KNVB's finance and licensing committees, he became the association's president in 1993, succeeding another distinguished European football administrator and former UEFA treasurer, Jo van Marle.

UEFA duties
His first duties within UEFA came as a member of the Youth Committee from 1994 to 1996. In 1996, he was elected as a member of the UEFA Executive Committee, and served on UEFA's supreme executive body with distinction. Mr Sprengers was chairman of the Amateur Football Committee from 1996 to 2000, and of the UEFA Club Licensing Committee from 2007, and deputy chairman of the Club Competitions Committee from the same year.

Committee work
Mr Sprengers also served on the UEFA Finance Committee (1996-2000); the Club Competitions Committee (1998-2000), and was a member of the HatTrick Board for four years. He was the Executive Committee representative at various times on the UEFA Media Technologies SA Board, the Assistance Programmes Committee, the Development and Assistance Board, the Development and Assistance Committee and the Panel for Technical and Administrative Assistance.

UEFA treasurer
From 2000 to 2007, he served as UEFA's treasurer, and was a vice-chairman of the Euro 2008 SA administrative board from 2005 to 2007, having sat in the same position of the Euro 2004 S.A. board for the Portugal final round four years ago. He was also vice-chairman of the organising committee for UEFA EURO 2000™ in Belgium and the Netherlands.
 
Michel Platini's tribute
UEFA President Michel Platini has paid a fulsome tribute to Mr Sprengers. "It is with much sadness and great dismay that we have learned of the passing away of our friend Jeu Sprengers," he said.

Committed individual
"Beyond all doubt, European football has lost a very familiar face," Mr Platini added. "Jeu was a very committed individual who loved the game of football, and we shall remember him as a great and outstanding personality. We have had the privilege of working together with Jeu for a number of years and we will always remember him for his contribution to football but also for his very pleasant nature. His achievements will never be forgotten. UEFA would like to convey its deepest sympathy to his family and friends, as well as to all those who were close to him."