Amsterdam American footballer Harald Hasselbach died: “He was an idol”

Hubert Bedford, commentator and analyst for ESPN on the National Football League (NFL), still manages to take comfort in Hasselbach’s death. “He played a major role in the sport here in the Netherlands and certainly in Amsterdam. In that sense he will never be forgotten.”

From Amsterdam to ‘World Champion’

Hasselbach was born in Amsterdam, but traveled the world at an early age with his father – who was an agricultural engineer. They eventually settled in Canada where the then young Hasselbach came into contact with the sport. The talent of the 1.97 meter tall defensive endone of the most physical positions in football, did not go unnoticed.

He secured a scholarship to the University of Washington – in the northern state, not the capital – and after his college career signed with Canada’s Calgary Stampeders, in the Canadian Football League. He won the national award with that team, after which he was picked up by the Denver Broncos in the American, and larger, NFL.

For the Broncos, Hasselbach played 131 games in seven seasons, which is all possible games. He won the Super Bowl twice in a row, the grand finale of the American football season, and was allowed to call himself ‘Champion of the World’ according to American custom.

In 1998, Hasselbach defeated the Green Bay Packers and the following year the Atlanta Falcons. After the Amsterdam native lost his place at the Broncos in 2001 and was unable to find another team, he decided to end his career. Hasselbach is the only Dutchman to ever win the prestigious prize.

Source of inspiration

In Dutch football terms, a career of ten years sounds short, but in the physically demanding American football you are one of the veterans. In addition, it is very special to win a Super Bowl.

“Most pros in the NFL will never make it to the Super Bowl in their lives, let alone win it, he did that twice in a row,” Bedfort explained. “That ring (every player gets a ring when they win a Super Bowl, ed.) is truly a coveted item that is worth a lot of money.”

As a born Amsterdammer with such a top performance, he became a source of inspiration for the growing sport in the Netherlands. “It was nice to know that anyone who has so much talent here and can develop it so well can play at the highest level in America. He may have been a hidden idol for the average Dutch American football player.”

Six months ago, the former player was diagnosed with cancer. His family said in a statement that he “fought as hard as a man could, with incredible strength.”