Dutch soccer player and manager Frans de Munck (1922-2010) was also a one-time film star. In 1958, the goalkeeper was with his club DOS champion of the Netherlands. 'The Black Panter' also played for Fortuna '54, VV Goes, Sittard Boys, FC Köln, Veendam and SC Cambuur. The handsome De Munck appeared in a German film and he gave a legendary kiss to Jayne Mansfield.
![Frans de Munck RIP]()
German postcard by Kunst und Bild, Berlin, no. A 1012. Photo: Arthur Grimm / BBF / Nordfilm / Allianz Film. Publicity still for Das ideale Brautpaar/The perfect couple (Robert A. Stemmle, 1954).
![Frans de Munck]()
German postcard by Ufa/Film-Foto, Berlin-Tempelhof, no. FK 749. Photo: Arthur Grimm / BBF (Berliner Bühne und Film) / Allianz Film. Publicity still for Das ideale Brautpaar/The perfect couple (Robert A. Stemmle, 1954).
Soccer player Frans de Munck was born in 1922. He was goalkeeper at several soccer clubs including VV Goes, the German FC Köln, BV Veendam and SC Cambuur.
'The Black Panther', played 31 matches for the Dutch national team. In 1949, he made his international debut in a friendly international against France. 'Orange' won the game with 4-1.
De Munck acquired his nickname 'The Black Panther' because of his legendary charismatic appearance - his striking black hair and trademark black shirt - and his cat-like reflexes.
In March 1953, De Munck took part in the famous 'flood event' between France and the Dutch national team in Paris. That event was intended to collect money for victims of the disastrous floods which had hit the southern Netherlands earlier that year and in which more than 1,800 people were killed.
Orange went to Paris with a team consisting of professionals who worked abroad. At the time, soccer was an amateur game in the Netherlands and the 1953 charity international is seen as one of the catalysts which led to professional Dutch football. The match ended in 2-1 for Holland. Just one year later, the first professional soccer match was played in the Netherlands.
![Frans de Munck flirt met Jayne Mansfield]()
When Jayne met The Black Panther... DOS player Cor Luiten watches how the two flirt. Source: Poedie @ Flickr.
![Jayne Mansfield kust Frans de Munck]()
A shot of The Kiss before the soccer game Sparta - DOS Utrecht in Rotterdam on 13 October 1957. DOS players Tonny van der Linden en Gerrit Krommert watched it happen. The game ended 1-7. Source: Poedie @ Flickr.
In the early fifties, when soccer was still seen as an amateur sports in the Netherlands, Frans de Munck was for one year suspended by the KNVB (Royal Dutch Soccer Union) because he would have had money from his club Sittard Boys.
De Munck then went to the German club FC Köln, and he became very popular in Germany. He was called 'Der erste Star' (The First Star), a David Beckham avant-la-lettre.
The handsome goalkeeper even appeared in the film Das ideale Brautpaar/The perfect couple (Robert A. Stemmle, 1954), a romantic comedy starring Ingeborg Körner and Peter Mosbacher. De Munck played a famous keeper, Jürgen Busse
He returned to the Netherlands and played between 1954 and 1957 for Fortuna '54 and from 1957 till 1961 for DOS in Utrecht.
In 1957, famous Hollywood star Jayne Mansfieldvisited the Netherlands for a publicity tour. The Black Panther was the only DOS-player who was allowed to kiss the platinum blonde bombshell for the kickoff of the match Sparta - DOS.
The kiss created quite a stir in the Lowlands. Years later, De Munck told about The Kiss: "And I was not even captain of DOS!"
After his active football career, Frans de Munck worked from 1966 till 1974 as a coach at Vitesse in the Netherlands, and at Club Brugge and Lierse SK in Belgium.
In 2010, Frans de Munck passed away in Arnhem, The Netherlands. He was 88.
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Photo: Jaap J. Herschel. At the World Press Photo 1957 exhibition, this photo was chosen as the Best Dutch Sports Photo of the Year. Source: Zeeland blog.
Sources: Renate Verhoofstad (AD) (Dutch), Volkskrant (Dutch), Voortschrijdende Inzichten (Dutch), RNW, Wikipedia (Dutch and English) and IMDb.
German postcard by Kunst und Bild, Berlin, no. A 1012. Photo: Arthur Grimm / BBF / Nordfilm / Allianz Film. Publicity still for Das ideale Brautpaar/The perfect couple (Robert A. Stemmle, 1954).
German postcard by Ufa/Film-Foto, Berlin-Tempelhof, no. FK 749. Photo: Arthur Grimm / BBF (Berliner Bühne und Film) / Allianz Film. Publicity still for Das ideale Brautpaar/The perfect couple (Robert A. Stemmle, 1954).
Cat-like Reflexes
Soccer player Frans de Munck was born in 1922. He was goalkeeper at several soccer clubs including VV Goes, the German FC Köln, BV Veendam and SC Cambuur.
'The Black Panther', played 31 matches for the Dutch national team. In 1949, he made his international debut in a friendly international against France. 'Orange' won the game with 4-1.
De Munck acquired his nickname 'The Black Panther' because of his legendary charismatic appearance - his striking black hair and trademark black shirt - and his cat-like reflexes.
In March 1953, De Munck took part in the famous 'flood event' between France and the Dutch national team in Paris. That event was intended to collect money for victims of the disastrous floods which had hit the southern Netherlands earlier that year and in which more than 1,800 people were killed.
Orange went to Paris with a team consisting of professionals who worked abroad. At the time, soccer was an amateur game in the Netherlands and the 1953 charity international is seen as one of the catalysts which led to professional Dutch football. The match ended in 2-1 for Holland. Just one year later, the first professional soccer match was played in the Netherlands.
When Jayne met The Black Panther... DOS player Cor Luiten watches how the two flirt. Source: Poedie @ Flickr.
A shot of The Kiss before the soccer game Sparta - DOS Utrecht in Rotterdam on 13 October 1957. DOS players Tonny van der Linden en Gerrit Krommert watched it happen. The game ended 1-7. Source: Poedie @ Flickr.
A Sensational Kiss
In the early fifties, when soccer was still seen as an amateur sports in the Netherlands, Frans de Munck was for one year suspended by the KNVB (Royal Dutch Soccer Union) because he would have had money from his club Sittard Boys.
De Munck then went to the German club FC Köln, and he became very popular in Germany. He was called 'Der erste Star' (The First Star), a David Beckham avant-la-lettre.
The handsome goalkeeper even appeared in the film Das ideale Brautpaar/The perfect couple (Robert A. Stemmle, 1954), a romantic comedy starring Ingeborg Körner and Peter Mosbacher. De Munck played a famous keeper, Jürgen Busse
He returned to the Netherlands and played between 1954 and 1957 for Fortuna '54 and from 1957 till 1961 for DOS in Utrecht.
In 1957, famous Hollywood star Jayne Mansfieldvisited the Netherlands for a publicity tour. The Black Panther was the only DOS-player who was allowed to kiss the platinum blonde bombshell for the kickoff of the match Sparta - DOS.
The kiss created quite a stir in the Lowlands. Years later, De Munck told about The Kiss: "And I was not even captain of DOS!"
After his active football career, Frans de Munck worked from 1966 till 1974 as a coach at Vitesse in the Netherlands, and at Club Brugge and Lierse SK in Belgium.
In 2010, Frans de Munck passed away in Arnhem, The Netherlands. He was 88.
Photo: Jaap J. Herschel. At the World Press Photo 1957 exhibition, this photo was chosen as the Best Dutch Sports Photo of the Year. Source: Zeeland blog.
Sources: Renate Verhoofstad (AD) (Dutch), Volkskrant (Dutch), Voortschrijdende Inzichten (Dutch), RNW, Wikipedia (Dutch and English) and IMDb.