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Football was introduced into the Netherlands by Pim Mulier in the 19th century when in 1879 at the age of 14 he founded Haarlemsche Football Club. Over the next 30 years football gained popularity in the Netherlands and the late 1890s and early 1900s saw the foundation of many new clubs, notably Sparta Rotterdam in 1888 and AFC Ajax in 1900.
The Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) was founded on December 8, 1889 and joined FIFA in 1904, as one of the founding members alongside the Football Associations of France, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Prior to 1954, football in the Netherlands was amateur but in 1954, the Dutch Professional Football Association (Nederlandse Beroeps Voetbal Bond or KBVB ) was formed and football in the Netherlands turned professional. The first professional game being played between Alkmaar '54 (nowadays AZ Alkmaar, after a merger with FC Zaanstreek) and SC Venlo (nowadays VVV-Venlo) on the August 14 1954.
The Dutch FA (KNVB) still opposed professional football in Holland, but they submitted to pressure and NBVB and KNVB merged in November 1954 to form a new FA and a new (professional) competition.
Another milestone was achieved in 1956, with the founding of a new league system.
The highest level would be known as the Eredivisie (Premier Division in English). The second level became the Eerste Divisie (First Division). The third and lowest level of professional football was the Tweede Divisie (Second Division).
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