Uden Celebrates Likely Next Dutch Prime Minister, Rob Jetten, as ‘One of Their Own’
UDEN, Netherlands – The village of Uden is brimming wiht pride as Rob Jetten, poised to become the Netherlands’ next Prime Minister, is remembered by locals not just as a politician, but as a former footballer, debate club member, and regular at the local pub. Jetten spent his formative years in Uden, attending school and playing sports within the close-knit community.
Patrik Puyn,owner of café De Preek,described Jetten as a friendly face who “comes hear sometimes and then he can really go wild. A very nice man.” He jokingly dismissed suggestions of renaming the café in Jetten’s honor, stating, “I don’t think that’s necessary.”
jetten’s family has deep roots in the regional football scene. His father, Anton, played for years in the first team at UDI’19, while his grandfather played for Helmondia ’55, the precursor to Helmond Sport. Rob himself progressed to the B1 youth team at UDI’19.
Mari Verhofstad, a former team leader, recalled Jetten as a ”modest boy” who transformed on the pitch. “Rob was fast and strong in grabbing the ball. His speed made him really perilous.Given his mentality, he could have easily gotten the first one,” Verhofstad said, referencing jetten’s potential for higher-level play. Jetten ultimately left football to pursue athletics after reaching the B1 level. Verhofstad expressed regret, noting he was “a real team player” with a “permanent starting position.”
Jetten remains connected to his former school, now Udens College havo/vwo. Director Miel Smits highlighted jetten’s continued involvement, stating, ”Rob opened our new school building in 2019 and is still involved. He follows us on social media and has come by occasionally.” smits also noted Jetten’s early engagement with civic issues, mentioning his participation in the school’s debate club and a speech delivered to the city council during his student years. Notably, D66 – the party jetten leads – became the largest party in student elections at Udens College.
