Rene de Koning is a Dutch-born footballer who made a significant impact on the Western Australian soccer scene as a versatile defender and midfielder. He was born in Nijmegen, 1963 emigrated to Western Australia with his family in 1980 and joined Bayswater as a schoolboy. At 17, he debuted in the Third Division and went on to spend 17 seasons with Bayswater, winning the 1987 Night Series.
In 1991, de Koning was awarded the Gold Medal as the fairest and best player in the Super League. He also played in the National Soccer League with Brisbane Lions and Morwell Falcons before returning to WA, where he played for clubs including Stirling Macedonia, Spearwood Dalmatinac, Western Knights, and Inglewood United.

De Koning represented Western Australia 28 times, debuting in 1983 and participating in tournaments such as the Kings Cup in Thailand and the Marah Halim Cup in Indonesia. He was part of the Perth Kangaroos side that won the Singapore League.
In recognition of his contributions, Rene de Koning was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame Western Australia in 2008.
De Koning’s career exemplifies the influence of Dutch immigrants on Australian soccer, particularly in Western Australia, where they established clubs and contributed to the sport’s development.
See also: Clogball