Luuk Balkestein

Luuk Balkestein ( born April 9, 1954 in Apeldoorn) is a former Dutch football player.

The defender rose as a regular in the starting eleven in 1975 with Sparta Rotterdam in the Eredivisie. In five seasons, he was for Sparta in the top division 158 times in use, but he scored six goals. He then moved in 1980 to local rivals Feyenoord, where he in two seasons only aground 17 times and scoring three goals. With Feyenoord he also played in the European Cup five times and once in the UEFA Cup competition. When playing in the UEFA Cup with Dynamo Dresden on 4 November 1981, he scored his only goal in an international competition: be it 1-1 in the 90th minute meant getting ahead of Feyenoord and the end for the GDR representatives.

Shortly before his move to Feyenoord, he was appointed a single time in the Dutch national team. On March 26, 1980 he played in the 0-0 draw in Paris half time against France, but was replaced at the break against Willy van de Kerkhof.

From 1995 to 2001 was at sc Heerenveen Balkestein Scout, since then he has held the same position at the German first division club Borussia Mönchengladbach.

His son Pim Balkestein also plays football; in the season 2010/11 he is at Brentford FC under contract.