Hugely talented, Blanker was deemed
the new Cruijff and started his career with
Ajax winning the
1979–80 Eredivisie, and reaching the Semi-finals in the
1979–80 European Cup, where he scored four goals against
HJK Helsinki in the first round, then a hat-trick against
Omonia in the next round. Afterwards, Blanker played abroad for
Vitória de Guimarães,
Real Zaragoza and
Salamanca, then he eventually returned to
Eredivisie to play for
S.B.V. Excelsior and
FC Volendam. After a short spell in the United States with
Los Angeles Lazers, Blanker played two years in Belgium for
Germinal Beerschot and
Cappellen. ==Personal life==