Hendrik Johannes Cruijff OONThe Order of Orange-Nassau is a military and civil order of the Netherlands which was created on 4 April 1892 by the Queen regent Emma of the Netherlands, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina. The Order is a chivalry order open to "everyone who have earned special merits for...
(ˈjoˑɦɑn ˈkrœy̆f; born 25 April 1947 in
AmsterdamAmsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
), known as
Johan Cruyff, is a retired
DutchThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
footballer and is currently the
managerIn sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
of the Catalan national team as well as a member of the AFC Ajax board of directors. He won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1971, 1973 and 1974, which is a record jointly held with
Michel PlatiniMichel François Platini is a former French football player, manager and current president of UEFA. Platini was a member of the French national team that won the 1984 European Championship, a tournament in which he was the top goalscorer and voted the best player. He participated in the 1978, 1982...
and
Marco van Basten. Cruyff was one of the most famous exponents of the football philosophy known as
Total Football"Total Football" is the label given to an influential tactical theory of association football in which any outfield player can take over the role of any other player in a team. It was pioneered by Dutch football club Ajax from 1969 to 1973, and further used by the Netherlands National Football...
explored by
Rinus MichelsMarinus Jacobus Hendricus Michels OON was a Dutch association football player and coach...
, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.
After his retirement from playing in 1984, Cruyff became highly successful as manager of Ajax and later
FC BarcelonaFutbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
; he remains an influential advisor to both clubs. His son
JordiJohan Jordi Cruijff , anglicised as Jordi Cruyff is a Dutch former footballer and currently AEK Larnaca's Director of Football. He played from 1992 through to 2010, his clubs including Barcelona and Manchester United. He gained nine caps for the Netherlands national football team, playing in the...
has also gone on to play football professionally.
In 1999, Cruyff was voted
European Player of the Century in an election held by the
IFFHSThe International Federation of Football History & Statistics is an organization that chronicles the history and records of Association football. It was founded on 27 March 1984 at Leipzig by Dr. Alfredo Pöge with the blessings of general secretary of the FIFA at the time, Dr. Helmut Käser...
, and came second behind
PeléHowever, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
in their
World Player of the Century poll. He came third in a vote organised by the French weekly magazine
France FootballFrance Football is a French bi-weekly magazine containing football news from all over the world. It's one of the most reputable sports publications in Europe, mostly because of their photographic reports and accurate statistics of the big European Cup matches, and extensive coverage of the European...
consulting their former
Ballon d'OrThe "", literally translated as "the golden ball" and often referred to as the European Footballer of the Year award, was an annual association football award. It was presented to the player who had been considered to have performed the best over the previous calendar year...
winners to elect their
Football Player of the Century.
Style of play
Through his career, Cruyff became synonymous with the playing style of "
Total Football"Total Football" is the label given to an influential tactical theory of association football in which any outfield player can take over the role of any other player in a team. It was pioneered by Dutch football club Ajax from 1969 to 1973, and further used by the Netherlands National Football...
". It is a system where a player who moves out of his position is replaced by another from his team, thus allowing the team to retain their intended organizational structure. In this fluid system, no footballer is fixed in their intended outfield role; anyone can be successively an attacker, a midfielder and a defender. The style was honed by Ajax coach
Rinus MichelsMarinus Jacobus Hendricus Michels OON was a Dutch association football player and coach...
around the time Cruyff came to prominence.
Cruyff was a playmaker, ammunitions provider and marksman rolled into one, with the ability to time a pass that has hardly "been equalled before or since". Strictly speaking, Cruyff played centre forward in this system. But he would drop deep to confuse his markers or suddenly move to the wing with devastating effect. No one had seen a centre forward like that before. Due to the way Cruyff played his game, he is still referred to as "the total footballer."
Cruyff was known for his technical ability, speed, acceleration and dribbling but his greatest quality was vision, based on an acute sense of his team-mates' positions as an attack unfolded. The sports writer David Miller believed Cruyff superior to any previous player in his ability to extract the most from others. He dubbed him "
PythagorasPythagoras of Samos was an Ionian Greek philosopher, mathematician, and founder of the religious movement called Pythagoreanism. Most of the information about Pythagoras was written down centuries after he lived, so very little reliable information is known about him...
in boots" for the complexity and precision of his angled passes and wrote: "Few have been able to exact, both physically and mentally, such mesmeric control on a match from one penalty area to another."
Cruyff also perfected a move now known as the "Cruyff Turn." To do this move, Cruyff would look to pass or cross the ball. However, instead of kicking it, he would drag the ball behind his planted foot with the inside of his other foot and turn through 180 degrees and accelerate away outside a defender.
Club career
Cruyff played for Ajax,
FC BarcelonaFutbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
,
Los Angeles AztecsThe Los Angeles Aztecs were a soccer team that competed in the North American Soccer League from 1974-81. The team was based in Los Angeles, California and part-owned by Elton John.-History:...
,
Washington DiplomatsThe Washington Diplomats were an American soccer club based in Washington, D.C.. Throughout their existence, the club played their home games at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium...
,
Levante UDLevante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:...
, and Feyenoord during his career.
Ajax
Cruyff joined Ajax youth system on his 10th birthday. He made his first team debut on 15 November 1964 in the
EredivisieThe Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
, against GVAV, scoring the only goal for Ajax in a 3–1 defeat. That year Ajax finished in their lowest position since the establishment of professional football, 13th. Cruyff really started to make an impression in the 1965–66 season. Cruyff established himself as a regular first team player after scoring two goals against
Door Wilskracht SterkAFC Door Wilskracht Sterk is a Dutch football club from Amsterdam.-History:AFC Door Wilskracht Sterk was founded on 11 October 1907, by the trio of Robert Beijerbacht, Theo Beijerbacht and Jansen van Galen under the name of Fortuna which was soon changed to Hercules. The team played in a blue and...
in the Olympic stadion on 24 October 1965 (in a 2–0 victory). In the seven games that winter he scored eight times and in March 1966, he scored the first three goals in a league game against Telstar (6–2 win). Four days later, in a cup game against
VeendamSC Veendam is a Dutch football club based in Veendam, Groningen province, playing in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of football in the Netherlands. The club's official colours are black and yellow.- History :...
(7–0 win), he scored four goals. In total that season, Cruyff scored 25 goals in 23 games, and Ajax won the league championship.
In the 1966–67 season, Ajax again won the league championship, but also won the
KNVB CupThe KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...
, for Cruyff's first "double." Cruyff ended the season as the leading goalscorer in the Eredivisie with 33.
Cruyff won the league for the third successive year in the 1967–68 season. He was also named Dutch footballer of the year for the second successive time, a feat he would repeat in 1969. On 28 May 1969, Cruyff played in his first
European CupThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
final against
MilanAssociazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
, but the Italian team ended up winning 4–1.
In the 1969–70 season, Cruyff won his second league and cup "double," but at the beginning of the 1970–71 season, Cruyff suffered a long-term groin injury. He made his comeback on 30 October 1970 against
PSV. In this game, he did not wear his usual number 9, which was in use by
Gerrie MührenGerardus Demonicus Hyacinthus Mühren is a former Dutch international footballer.He started his career at FC Volendam, before moving to play for Ajax between 1968 and 1976...
, but instead used number 14. Ajax won 1–0. Although it was very uncommon in those days for the starters of a game not to play with numbers 1 to 11, from that moment onwards, Cruyff's number was 14, even using the number with the
Dutch national teamThe Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
. There has even been a documentary on Cruyff titled
Nummer 14 Johan Cruyff and in his native Holland there is a magazine by
Voetbal InternationalVoetbal International is a Dutch football magazine, which has been publishing since 1965. It is the oldest Dutch football magazine that is still running....
titled "Nummer 14".
In a league game against AZ '67 on 29 November 1970, Cruyff scored no less than six goals in an 8–1 victory. After winning a replayed KNVB Cup final against
Sparta RotterdamSparta Rotterdam is the oldest professional football team in the Netherlands, established on April 1, 1888. Sparta is one of three professional football clubs from Rotterdam, the others being Excelsior and Feyenoord , the latter playing in the Eredivisie.-History:Sparta was first founded in 1887....
by a score of 2–1, Ajax won in Europe for the first time. On 2 June 1971, in
LondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Ajax won the European Cup by defeating Panathinaikos 2–0. In spite of speculation that Cruyff would move to another club (Feyenoord and
BarcelonaFutbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
were interested) on 12 July 1971, he signed a seven-year contract at Ajax. At the end of the season, he became not only the Dutch, but also the
European Footballer of the YearThe "", literally translated as "the golden ball" and often referred to as the European Footballer of the Year award, was an annual association football award. It was presented to the player who had been considered to have performed the best over the previous calendar year...
for 1971.
1972 was a particular successful year for Ajax and Cruyff. Ajax won a second European Cup, beating
InternazionaleFootball Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
2–0 in the final, with Cruyff scoring both goals. This victory prompted Dutch newspapers to announce the demise of the Italian style of defensive football in the face of
Total Football"Total Football" is the label given to an influential tactical theory of association football in which any outfield player can take over the role of any other player in a team. It was pioneered by Dutch football club Ajax from 1969 to 1973, and further used by the Netherlands National Football...
.
Soccer: The Ultimate Encyclopaedia says: "Single-handed, Cruyff not only pulled Internazionale of Italy apart in the 1972 European Cup Final, but scored both goals in Ajax's 2–0 win." Cruyff also scored in the 3–2 victory over
ADO Den HaagAlles Door Oefening Den Haag , commonly known by the abbreviated name ADO Den Haag , is a Dutch football club from the city of The Hague. The club was for a time known as FC Den Haag , with ADO representing the amateur branch of the club...
in the KNVB Cup final. In the league, Cruyff was the top scorer with 25 goals as Ajax became champions. In the autumn, Ajax won the
Intercontinental CupThe European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the World Club Championship, Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores...
, beating Argentina's
IndependienteClub Atlético Independiente is an Argentine athletic, sports and social club, which has its headquarters and stadium in the city of Avellaneda, Buenos Aires Province. The club is best known for its football team, that plays in the Argentine Primera División....
(1–1 and 3–0) and then in January 1973, they won the
European Super CupThe UEFA Super Cup is an annual football game between the reigning champions of the two cup competitions organized by UEFA: the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League...
by beating
RangersRangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
3–1 away and 3–2 in
AmsterdamAmsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. Curiously, Cruyff's only own goal came on 20 August 1972 against
FC AmsterdamFC Amsterdam was a Dutch football club which was founded on June 20, 1972, from the merger of the Amsterdam football clubs Blauw Wit and DWS. The club Volewijckers joined the side for the 1973-1974 season...
. A week later, against
Go Ahead EaglesThe Go Ahead Eagles are a football club from Deventer, Netherlands, currently playing in the Eerste Divisie. The club's home stadium is De Adelaarshorst. To date, the club has won the national championship four times...
(6–0), Cruyff scored four times for Ajax. The 1972–73 season was concluded with the another league championship victory and a third successive Europe Cup (Ajax —
JuventusJuventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
1–0).
In the summer of 1973, Cruyff was sold to
BarcelonaFutbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
for 60 million
guilder (approx.
US$The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
20 million, c. 1973). On 19 August 1973, he played his last match for Ajax (Ajax —
AmsterdamFC Amsterdam was a Dutch football club which was founded on June 20, 1972, from the merger of the Amsterdam football clubs Blauw Wit and DWS. The club Volewijckers joined the side for the 1973-1974 season...
6–1), the 2nd match of the 1973–74 season.
Barcelona
At
BarcelonaFutbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, Cruyff quickly won over the Barça fans when he told the European press he chose Barça over
Real MadridReal Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
because he could not play for a club associated with the Spanish dictator
Francisco FrancoFrancisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
. He further endeared himself when he chose a Catalan name
Jordi for his son. He helped the club win
La LigaThe Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
for the first time since 1960, along the way defeating
Real MadridReal Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
5–0 at their home of
BernabéuThe Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is an all-seater football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and is owned by Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. It has a current capacity of 85,454 spectators....
. He was also crowned
European Footballer of the YearThe "", literally translated as "the golden ball" and often referred to as the European Footballer of the Year award, was an annual association football award. It was presented to the player who had been considered to have performed the best over the previous calendar year...
.
During his time at Barcelona, Cruyff scored one of his most famous goals,
The 'Phantom' Goal. In a game against Atlético Madrid, Cruyff leapt into the air, twisted his body so he was facing away from the goal, and kicked the ball past
Miguel ReinaMiguel Reina Santos is a retired Spanish footballer, who played as a goalkeeper.-Club career:During his playing years, he played for Córdoba CF, FC Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, and earned 5 caps for the Spain national football team...
in the Atlético Madrid goal with his right heel (the ball was at about neck height and had already travelled wide of the far post). The goal was featured in the documentary
, in which fans of Cruyff attempted to recreate that moment. The goal has been dubbed
(Cruyff's impossible goal).
Note that Cruyff played two games with Paris Saint-Germain in 1975 during the Paris tournament. He had only agreed because he was a fan of designer
Daniel HechterDaniel Hechter is a French fashion designer, sometimes referred to as the inventor of Pret-a-Porter or ready-to-wear .-Personal life:...
, who was then president of PSG.
United States
At the age of 32, he signed a lucrative deal with the
Los Angeles AztecsThe Los Angeles Aztecs were a soccer team that competed in the North American Soccer League from 1974-81. The team was based in Los Angeles, California and part-owned by Elton John.-History:...
of the
North American Soccer LeagueNorth American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
(NASL). He had previously been rumored to be joining the
New York CosmosThe New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...
but the deal did not materialize. However, he did play exhibition games for the Cosmos. He stayed at the Aztecs for only one season, but was voted
NASL Player of the YearThis North American Soccer League gave out an MVP Award each year from 1968 to 1984.*1968 – John Kowalik*1969 – Cirilio Fernandez*1970 – Carlos Metidieri*1971 – Carlos Metidieri*1972 – Randy Horton*1973 – Warren Archibald*1974 – Peter Silvester...
in that time. The following season, he moved to play for the
Washington DiplomatsThe Washington Diplomats were an American soccer club based in Washington, D.C.. Throughout their existence, the club played their home games at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium...
. He played the whole 1980 campaign for the Diplomats, even as the team was facing dire financial trouble at the time. In May 1981, Cruyff played as a guest player for
MilanAssociazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
in a tournament, but was injured. As a result, he missed the beginning of the 1981 NASL soccer season thereafter, which ultimately led to Cruyff choosing to leave the team.
Levante
In January 1981, Cruyff played three friendly matches for
FC DordrechtFC Dordrecht is a football club from the city of Dordrecht in the Netherlands, currently playing in the Eerste Divisie.- History :Founded on 16 August 1883 as Dordrechtsche Football Club , it became a professional club in 1954 upon the introduction of professional football to the Netherlands...
. Also in January 1981, manager Jock Wallace of English club
Leicester CityLeicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
made an audacious attempt to sign Cruyff. Despite negotiations lasting three weeks, in which Cruyff expressed his desire to play for the club, a deal could not be reached as he instead chose to sign with Spanish Segunda Division side
LevanteLevante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:...
. In March 1981, Cruyff took the field for the first time for Levante. Injuries and disagreements with the administration of the club would blight his spell in the Segunda Division, as he was only able to amount 10 appearances after his signing, scoring two goals. Having failed to secure promotion to the first division, Levante did not keep the financial agreements that were specified in Cruyff's contract.
Back in the Netherlands
After his spell in the USA and a short-lived stay at UD Levante in Spain, Cruyff returned to play in his homeland, rejoining Ajax on 30 November 1980 as "technical advisor" of trainer Leo Beenhakker, Ajax being 8th in the ranking of the table of the Dutch League then after 13 games. Ajax would finish 2nd in 1980–81 in June 1981 after 34 games. In December 1981, Cruyff signed a new contract as player for Ajax. His already since November 1980 expected return was on 6 December 1981 against Haarlem (4–1 home win), Cruyff scored the first goal. In the 1981–82 and 1982–83 seasons, Ajax, along with Cruyff, became league champions. In the 1982–83 season, Ajax also won the Dutch Cup (KNVB-Beker). One notable incident from this era was a famous goal he scored against
Helmond SportHelmond Sport is a Dutch football club, playing in the Dutch Eerste Divisie and located in Helmond, Noord-Brabant. The club was founded on July 27, 1967, as a breakaway from the local professional club Helmondia '55, which had gone bankrupt.-History:...
in 1982 while playing for Ajax. Cruyff scored a penalty the same way Rik Coppens had already done it 25 years earlier. He put the ball down as for a routine penalty kick, but instead of shooting at goal, Cruyff nudged the ball sideways to his Ajax teammate
Jesper OlsenJesper Olsen is a Danish former footballer who most notably played for Ajax of the Netherlands and Manchester United of England. Olsen was a regular left winger for the Danish national team, scoring five goals in 43 matches...
who in return passed it back to Cruyff who tapped the ball into the empty net, as Otto Versfeld, the bemused Helmond goalkeeper, looked on.
Feyenoord
At the end of the 1982–83 season, Ajax decided not to offer Cruyff a new contract. This angered Cruyff, who responded by signing for Ajax's archrivals Feyenoord. Cruyff's season at Feyenoord was a successful one in which the club won the Eredivisie for the first time in a decade, part of a league and
KNVB CupThe KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...
double. He ended his Eredivisie playing career on May 13, 1984 with a goal against PEC Zwolle. In his last season as a player, he was voted footballer of the year. Cruyff played his last game in Saudi Arabia, bringing Feyenoord back into the game with a goal and an assist.
International career
As a
Dutch internationalThe Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
, Cruyff played 48
matchesIn sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
, scoring 33 goals. The national team never lost a match in which Cruyff scored. In his second Dutch national team match, a friendly against
CzechoslovakiaThe Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...
, Cruyff was the first Dutch international to receive a
red cardMisconduct in association football is any conduct by a player that is deemed by the referee to warrant a disciplinary sanction in accordance with Law 12 of the Laws of the Game. Misconduct may occur at any time, including when the ball is out of play, during half-time and before and after the...
. He received a one-year suspension from the
Royal Dutch Football AssociationThe Royal Dutch Football Association is the governing body of football in the Netherlands. It organises the main Dutch football leagues , the amateur leagues, the KNVB Cup, and the Dutch national football team. It is based in the municipality of Zeist.The KNVB came into being on 8 December 1889...
.
Accusations of Cruyff's "aloofness" were not rebuffed by his habit of wearing a shirt with only two black stripes along the sleeves, as opposed to
AdidasAdidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
' usual design feature of three, worn by all the other Dutch players. Cruyff, however, had a separate sponsorship deal with
PumaPuma SE, officially branded as PUMA, is a major German multinational company that produces high-end athletic shoes, lifestyle footwear and other sportswear. Formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler, relationships between the two brothers deteriorated until the two...
.
Cruyff led the Netherlands to a runners-up medal in the
1974 World CupThe 1974 FIFA World Cup, the tenth staging of the World Cup, was held in West Germany from 13 June to 7 July. The tournament marked the first time that the current trophy, the FIFA World Cup Trophy, created by the Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, was awarded...
and was named the player of the tournament. Thanks to his team's mastery of
Total Football"Total Football" is the label given to an influential tactical theory of association football in which any outfield player can take over the role of any other player in a team. It was pioneered by Dutch football club Ajax from 1969 to 1973, and further used by the Netherlands National Football...
, they coasted all the way to the final, knocking out
ArgentinaThe Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
(4–0),
East GermanyThe East Germany national football team was from 1952 to 1990 the football team of East Germany, playing as one of three post-war German teams, along with Saarland and West Germany....
(2–0), and
BrazilThe Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
(2–0) along the way. Cruyff himself scored twice against Argentina in one of his team's most dominating performances, then he scored the second goal against Brazil to knock out the defending champions. The Netherlands faced hosts West Germany in the final. Cruyff kicked off and the ball was passed around the
Oranje team 13 times before returning to Cruyff, who then went on a rush that eluded
Berti VogtsHans-Hubert "Berti" Vogts is a German former footballer. He played for Borussia Mönchengladbach and won the World Cup with West Germany in 1974. He later managed Germany , Scotland and Nigeria...
and ended when he was fouled by
Uli Hoeneß inside the box. Teammate
Johan NeeskensJohannes Jacobus "Johan" Neeskens is a Dutch football manager and former midfielder. As a player, he was an important member of the Dutch national team that finished as runners-up in the 1974 and 1978 FIFA World Cups. Former England manager Alf Ramsey said Neeskens was "as good as any player" in...
scored from the spot kick to give the Netherlands a 1–0 lead, and the Germans had not even touched the ball. Only during the latter half of the final was his playmaking influence stifled by the effective marking of
Berti VogtsHans-Hubert "Berti" Vogts is a German former footballer. He played for Borussia Mönchengladbach and won the World Cup with West Germany in 1974. He later managed Germany , Scotland and Nigeria...
, while
Franz BeckenbauerFranz Anton Beckenbauer is a German football coach, manager, and former player, nicknamed Der Kaiser because of his elegant style, his leadership, his first name "Franz" , and his dominance on the football pitch...
,
Uli Hoeneß, and
Wolfgang OverathWolfgang Overath is a former West German football player. He represented his country three times in World Cup finals, culminating in 1974 with victory on home soil...
dominated the midfield, enabling West Germany to win 2–1. Cruyff received a yellow card during half time for talking to the referee.
Cruyff retired from international football in October 1977, having helped the national team qualify for the upcoming World Cup. Without him, the Netherlands finished runners-up in the World Cup again. Initially the reason given for missing the
1978 World CupThe 1978 FIFA World Cup, the 11th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Argentina between 1 June and 25 June. The 1978 World Cup was won by Argentina who beat the Netherlands 3–1 after extra time in the final. This win was the first World Cup title for Argentina, who became the fifth...
were political reasons given a military dictatorship was in power in
ArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
at that time. In 2008, however, Cruyff stated to the journalist Antoni Bassas in
Catalunya RàdioCatalunya Ràdio is Catalonia's public radio network. It's part of Corporació Catalana de Mitjans Audiovisuals, owned by the Generalitat de Catalunya...
that he and his family were involved in a kidnap attempt in Barcelona a year before the tournament, and that this had caused his retirement. "To play a World Cup you have to be 200% okay, there are moments when there are other values in life."
International goals
-
- Scores and results table. Netherlands's goal tally first:
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. |
7 September 1966 |
RotterdamRotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
|
|
2–0 |
2–2 |
UEFA Euro 1968 qualifying |
| 2. |
13 September 1967 |
AmsterdamAmsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Netherlands |
|
1–0 |
1–0 |
| 3. |
26 March 1969 |
Rotterdam, Netherlands |
|
1–0 |
4–0 |
FIFA World Cup 1970 qualifyingA total of 75 teams entered the 1970 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, competing for a total of 16 spots in the final tournament. Hosts and defending champions qualified automatically, leaving 14 spots open for competition....
|
| 4. |
2 December 1970 |
Amsterdam, Netherlands |
|
1–0 |
2–0 |
Friendly An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
|
| 5. |
2–0 |
| 6. |
24 February 1971 |
Rotterdam, Netherlands |
|
3–0 |
6–0 |
UEFA Euro 1972 qualifying |
| 7. |
4–0 |
| 8. |
17 November 1971 |
Eindhoven, Netherlands |
|
1–0 |
8–0 |
| 9. |
8–0 |
| 10. |
7–0 |
| 11. |
1 December 1971 |
Amsterdam, Netherlands |
|
1–0 |
2–1 |
Friendly |
| 12. |
16 February 1972 |
AthensAthens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, GreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
|
|
3–0 |
5–0 |
| 13. |
5–0 |
| 14. |
30 August 1972 |
PraguePrague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
|
|
1–0 |
2–1 |
| 15. |
1 November 1972 |
Rotterdam, Netherlands |
|
4–0 |
9–0 |
FIFA World Cup 1974 qualifyingA total of 99 teams entered the 1974 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, competing for a total of 16 spots in the final tournament. , as the hosts, and , as the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 14 spots open for competition....
|
| 16. |
8–0 |
| 17. |
2 May 1973 |
Amsterdam, Netherlands |
|
3–2 |
3–2 |
Friendly |
| 18. |
22 August 1973 |
|
2–0 |
5–0 |
FIFA World Cup 1974 qualifying |
| 19. |
5–0 |
| 20. |
29 August 1973 |
DeventerDeventer is a municipality and city in the Salland region of the Dutch province of Overijssel. Deventer is largely situated on the east bank of the river IJssel, but also has a small part of its territory on the west bank. In 2005 the municipality of Bathmen Deventer is a municipality and city in...
, Netherlands |
2–0 |
8–1 |
| 21. |
4–0 |
| 22. |
12 September 1973 |
Oslo Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
|
|
1–0 |
2–1 |
| 23. |
26 June 1974 |
GelsenkirchenGelsenkirchen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the Ruhr area. Its population in 2006 was c. 267,000....
, GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
|
|
1–0 |
4–0 |
FIFA World Cup 1974The 1974 FIFA World Cup, the tenth staging of the World Cup, was held in West Germany from 13 June to 7 July. The tournament marked the first time that the current trophy, the FIFA World Cup Trophy, created by the Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, was awarded...
|
| 24. |
4–0 |
| 25. |
3 July 1974 |
DortmundDortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union....
, Germany |
|
2–0 |
2–0 |
| 26. |
4 September 1974 |
StockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
|
|
1–0 |
5–1 |
Friendly |
| 27. |
25 September 1974 |
HelsinkiHelsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, FinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
|
|
1–1 |
3–1 |
UEFA Euro 1976 qualifying |
| 28. |
2–1 |
| 29. |
20 November 1974 |
Rotterdam, Netherlands |
|
2–1 |
3–1 |
| 30. |
3–1 |
| 31. |
22 May 1976 |
Brussel, BelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
|
|
2–1 |
2–1 |
| 32. |
13 October 1976 |
Rotterdam, Netherlands |
|
2–1 |
2–2 |
FIFA World Cup 1978 qualifyingA total of 107 teams entered the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, competing for a total of 16 spots in the final tournament. , as the hosts, and , as the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 14 spots open for competition....
|
| 33. |
26 March 1977 |
Antwerpen, Belgium |
|
2–0 |
2–0 |
Ajax
After retiring from playing, Cruyff followed in the footsteps of his mentor
Rinus MichelsMarinus Jacobus Hendricus Michels OON was a Dutch association football player and coach...
, coaching a young Ajax side to victory in the
European Cup Winners' CupThe UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
in 1987 (final: Ajax — Lokomotiv Leipzig 1–0; goal by
Marco van Basten). In May and June 1985, Cruyff returned to Ajax again. In the 1985–86 season, the league title was lost to
Guus HiddinkGuus Hiddink is a Dutch football manager and former player. He was the most recently manager of the Turkish national football team. He is considered to be one of the best managers of his generation and was the best-paid coach in international football in 2009...
's
PSV, despite Ajax having a goal difference of +85 (120 goals for, 35 goals against). In the 1985–86 and 1986–87 seasons, Ajax won the Dutch Cup (KNVB-Beker).
It was during this period as manager that Cruyff was able to implement his favoured team formation—three mobile
defendersWithin the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
; plus one more covering space - becoming, in effect, a
defensive midfielderA midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
(from
RijkaardFranklin Edmundo Rijkaard is a Dutch football manager of Dutch and Surinamese descent and former player. Rijkaard has played for Ajax, Real Zaragoza and Milan, and represented his national side 73 times, scoring 10 goals. In his coaching career, he has been at the helm of the Dutch national side,...
,
BlindDirk Franciscus "Danny" Blind is a football coach and former Dutch international player. He played as a defender for Sparta Rotterdam, AFC Ajax and the Dutch national team.Blind was born in Oost-Souburg, Netherlands...
,
SilooyJan Jacobus Silooy is a former Dutch footballer, who is now an assistant manager for D.C. United of Major League Soccer.-Club:...
,
VerlaatFrank Verlaat is a Dutch former international football defender, who retired in 2007, after a professional career of 21 years....
,
LarssonPeter Nils-Gösta Larsson, born 8 March 1961 in Nässjö, is a former Swedish football central defender.- Career :Larsson began his career in IF Hallby 1971–81. Later he played for Halmstads BK in Allsvenskan, after that he had a successful career at IFK Göteborg, where he won the Allsvenskan title...
,
SpelbosRonald Spelbos is a Dutch former football player and manager. He used to play central defense.-External links:**...
), two 'controlling' midfielders (from
RijkaardFranklin Edmundo Rijkaard is a Dutch football manager of Dutch and Surinamese descent and former player. Rijkaard has played for Ajax, Real Zaragoza and Milan, and represented his national side 73 times, scoring 10 goals. In his coaching career, he has been at the helm of the Dutch national side,...
,
Scholten,
WinterAron Mohamed Winter [VIN-ter] is a retired Dutch football midfielder and current head coach of Toronto FC...
,
Wouters,
MührenArnold Johannes Hyacinthus Mühren is a Dutch football manager and former midfielder. His older brother Gerrie, also a midfield player, won three European Cup titles with Ajax in the early 1970s...
,
WitschgeRobert "Rob" Witschge is a retired Dutch footballer who played as a midfielder. His younger brother, Richard, was also a footballer and a midfielder....
) with responsibilities to feed the attack-minded players, one second striker (
BosmanJohannes "John" Jacobus Bosman is a retired Dutch footballer who played as a striker.A prolific goalscorer for both club and country, he played professionally for 19 years, most notably with Ajax and Anderlecht , surpassing the 100-goal mark with both clubs and winning a total of eight major...
,
Scholten), two touchline-hugging wingers (from
BergkampDennis Nicolaas Bergkamp , is a former Dutch professional footballer who is currently the assistant manager to Frank de Boer at Ajax. At club level he played for Ajax, Internazionale, and Arsenal, and also represented the Netherlands at international level...
, van't Schip,
De WitRob de Wit is a former Dutch football player.- Career :De Wit made his debut for FC Utrecht in the 1982-83 season. He was transferred to Ajax Amsterdam two seasons later, July 1984, as successor of left wing attacker Jesper Olsen, who left to Manchester United...
,
WitschgeRichard Peter Witschge is a retired Dutch footballer. He could appear as either a left or a defensive midfielder.In an 18-year professional career, he played mainly for Ajax, but also represented, amongst other teams, Barcelona...
) and one versatile centre forward (from
van Basten,
MeijerHennie Meijer is a retired Dutch football player.Meijer was born in Paramaribo, Suriname. He is known for scoring the first ever J. League goal in the 19th minute of a game against Yokohama Marinos on 15 May 1993.-Club statistics:...
,
BosmanJohannes "John" Jacobus Bosman is a retired Dutch footballer who played as a striker.A prolific goalscorer for both club and country, he played professionally for 19 years, most notably with Ajax and Anderlecht , surpassing the 100-goal mark with both clubs and winning a total of eight major...
). So successful was this system that Ajax won the
Champions League in 1995The 1995 UEFA Champions League Final was the 40th edition and took place in Vienna between AFC Ajax and A.C. Milan. It was Milan's third European Cup final in three years and they were aiming to tie Real Madrid's record of having won the European Cup six times...
playing Cruyff's system - a tribute to Cruyff's legacy as Ajax coach.
Terry VenablesTerence Frederick "Terry" Venables , often referred to as "El Tel", is a former football player and manager, as well as being a media pundit. During the 1960s and 70s, he played for various clubs including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers, and gained two caps for England...
as England manager was an advocate of this system, based on free-flowing football and intelligent and incisive individuals carrying out seemingly simple functions, in the Euro 1996 semi-final versus Germany,
EnglandThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
used this system effectively.
Barcelona
In 1988, Cruyff returned to
BarcelonaFutbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
as manager. At Barcelona, Cruyff brought in players such as
Josep GuardiolaJosep "Pep" Guardiola i Sala , is a Spanish football manager and former player. Guardiola played as a defensive midfielder and spent the majority of his playing career with FC Barcelona, whom he currently manages. He was part of Johan Cruyff's dream team that won Barcelona's first European Cup....
,
José Mari BakeroJosé María Bakero Escudero is a retired Spanish footballer, and the current coach of Lech Poznań in Poland.Having played mainly for Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona, he began his career as a forward but was converted into an attacking midfielder, who possessed passing and netting ability José María...
, Txiki Begiristain, Goikoetxea,
Ronald KoemanRonald Koeman is a former Dutch footballer, and the current manager of Feyenoord. He is the younger brother of former Feyenoord coach Erwin Koeman and the son of former Dutch international Martin Koeman...
,
Michael LaudrupMichael Laudrup is a retired Danish footballer, who works as a manager and last coached La Liga side RCD Mallorca. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of football. His most prominent run of football came with Spanish club Barcelona, with whom he won four straight La...
,
RomárioRomário de Souza Faria , better known simply as Romário , is a former footballer who played striker,manager and current politician where is currently running for a mayor like position in his hometown...
,
Gheorghe HagiGheorghe Hagi is a former Romanian footballer. He was famous for his passing, close control, long shots and was regarded as one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe during the 1980s and 1990s and is considered the greatest Romanian footballer of all time...
, and
Hristo StoichkovHristo Stoichkov Stoichkov , sometimes Stoitchkov; born 8 February 1966 in Plovdiv) is a retired Bulgarian footballer. He is regarded as one of the best footballers of his generation and the greatest Bulgarian footballer of all time. Nicknamed The Dagger , The Dog , The Modern Left...
. Under Cruyff, Barcelona won
La LigaThe Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
four times between 1991 and 1994, and beat
SampdoriaUnione Calcio Sampdoria is an Italian association football club based in Genoa. The club was formed in 1946 from the merger of two existing sports clubs whose roots can be traced back to the 1890s, Sampierdarenese and Andrea Doria...
in both the 1989 European Cup Winners' Cup final and the 1992
European CupThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
final at Wembley. They also won a
Copa del ReyThe Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
in 1990, the
European Super CupThe UEFA Super Cup is an annual football game between the reigning champions of the two cup competitions organized by UEFA: the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League...
in 1992 and three
Supercopa de EspañaThe Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey...
.
Cruyff used to smoke 20
cigaretteA cigarette is a small roll of finely cut tobacco leaves wrapped in a cylinder of thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end and allowed to smoulder; its smoke is inhaled from the other end, which is held in or to the mouth and in some cases a cigarette holder may be used as well...
s a day prior to undergoing double heart bypass surgery in 1991 while he was the coach of Barcelona, after which he gave up smoking. He also led the anti-smoking campaign developed by the Health Department of the
CatalanCatalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
autonomous government. Cruyff juggled a cigarette pack 16 times in an anti-tobacco video sponsored by the Catalan Department of Health.
With 11 trophies, Cruyff was Barcelona's most successful manager, but has since been surpassed by his former pupil
Josep GuardiolaJosep "Pep" Guardiola i Sala , is a Spanish football manager and former player. Guardiola played as a defensive midfielder and spent the majority of his playing career with FC Barcelona, whom he currently manages. He was part of Johan Cruyff's dream team that won Barcelona's first European Cup....
who currently has 12. He has been the club's longest serving manager. However, in his final two seasons, he failed to win any trophies, and fell out with chairman
Josep Lluís NúñezJosep Lluís Núñez i Clemente was president of FC Barcelona between 1978 and 2000. Núñez also owns the Núñez i Navarro construction company and Núñez i Navarro Hotels chain. He was elected club president on 1 July 1978 despite having no previous connection with the club...
; this resulted in his departure from the club, and he vowed never to coach again.
While at Barcelona, he was in negotiations with the
KNVBThe Royal Dutch Football Association is the governing body of football in the Netherlands. It organises the main Dutch football leagues , the amateur leagues, the KNVB Cup, and the Dutch national football team. It is based in the municipality of Zeist.The KNVB came into being on 8 December 1889...
to manage the national team for the
1994 World CupThe 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
finals, but talks broke off at the last minute.
His open support helped candidate
Joan LaportaJoan Laporta i Estruch is a Spanish politician and former president of Futbol Club Barcelona between 2003 and 2010.Laporta is a lawyer with his own firm, Laporta & Arbós, which has important firms as clients. Laporta was married to Constanza Echevarría and has three sons, Pol, Guillem and Jan...
to victory in Barcelona's recent presidential elections. He continued to be an adviser for him, although he held no official post at Barcelona.
Known as a player's coach with deep convictions with regard to his philosophy of the game, he is considered a visionary and his presence at Barcelona was said to have changed many things and this was the beginning of what is known as the "Dutch influence" at Barcelona. The style of play Cruyff introduced at Barcelona came to be known as
tiki-taka and was successfully adopted by the Euro 2008 and 2010 World Cup winning Spanish national team.
On 26 March 2010, Cruyff was named honorary president of Barcelona, in recognition of his contributions to the club as both a player and manager. He was stripped of this title by new president
Sandro RosellAlexandre Rosell i Feliu , commonly known as Sandro Rosell, is the current president of FC Barcelona. With an MBA degree from ESADE, Rosell is known for being the running mate and senior adviser of Joan Laporta during the presidential elections at FC Barcelona in 2003...
in July 2010.
Proposed return to Ajax
On 20 February 2008, in the wake of a major research on the ten-year-mismanagement, it was announced that Cruyff would be the new technical director at his boyhood club Ajax—this would be his fourth stint at the Amsterdam club. However, Cruyff announced in March that he is pulling out of his planned return to Ajax because of "professional difference of opinion" between him and Ajax's new manager,
Marco van Basten. Van Basten said that Cruyff's plans were "going too fast", because he was "not so dissatisfied with how things are going now".
Catalonia
On 2 November 2009, Cruyff was named as manager of the
Catalonia national teamCatalonia national football team is the official football team of Catalonia. It is organized by the Catalonia Football Federation. The team has been referred to by various names including Selecció Catalana, Selecció de Barcelona and the Catalan XI...
in place of Pere Gratacòs. It is his first managing job in thirteen years.
On 11 February 2011, Johan Cruyff has returned to Ajax on an advisory basis after agreeing to become a member of one of three "sounding board groups".
Player
Ajax
- Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
: 8
-
- 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1982, 1983
- KNVB Cup
The KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...
: 5
- 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1983
- European Cup
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
: 3
- 1971, 1972, 1973
- Intercontinental Cup
The European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the World Club Championship, Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores...
: 1
- 1972
- 1972, 1973
- UEFA Intertoto Cup
The UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
: 1
- 1968 Group A2
Barcelona
- La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
: 1
-
- 1974
- Copa del Rey
The Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
: 1
- 1978
Feyenoord
- Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
: 1
-
- 1984
- KNVB Cup
The KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...
: 1
- 1984
Manager
Ajax
- KNVB Cup
The KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...
: 2
-
- 1986, 1987
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
: 1
- 1987
Barcelona
- Copa del Rey
The Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
: 1
-
- 1990
- La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
: 4
- 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994
- Supercopa de España
The Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey...
: 3
- 1991, 1992, 1994
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
: 1
- 1989
- European Cup
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
: 1
- 1992
- 1992
Individual playing honours
- 1966
- Netherlands Cup Top Scorer: 4 games (9 goals)
- 1967
- Dutch Footballer of the Year
The title Dutch Footballer of the Year has been awarded in the Netherlands since 1984. The award is determined by a poll of Dutch professional footballers playing in the First and Second leagues....
- Netherlands League Top Scorer: (33 goals)
- Golden Boot of the Europe: 43 games 42 goals with Ajax and Netherlands
- 1968
- Dutch Footballer of the Year
The title Dutch Footballer of the Year has been awarded in the Netherlands since 1984. The award is determined by a poll of Dutch professional footballers playing in the First and Second leagues....
- 1969
- Dutch Footballer of the Year
The title Dutch Footballer of the Year has been awarded in the Netherlands since 1984. The award is determined by a poll of Dutch professional footballers playing in the First and Second leagues....
- 1971
- European Footballer of the Year France Football
France Football is a French bi-weekly magazine containing football news from all over the world. It's one of the most reputable sports publications in Europe, mostly because of their photographic reports and accurate statistics of the big European Cup matches, and extensive coverage of the European...
- Dutch Footballer of the Year
The title Dutch Footballer of the Year has been awarded in the Netherlands since 1984. The award is determined by a poll of Dutch professional footballers playing in the First and Second leagues....
- Silver Shoe in Euro Cup 1972 Qualifying Rounds and Final: (5 goals)
- 1972
- European Cup Top Scorer: 9 games (5 goals) shared with Dunai
- European Super Cup Top Scorer: 2 games (2 goals)
- Netherlands League Top Scorer: (25 goals)
- 1973
- European Footballer of the Year France Football
France Football is a French bi-weekly magazine containing football news from all over the world. It's one of the most reputable sports publications in Europe, mostly because of their photographic reports and accurate statistics of the big European Cup matches, and extensive coverage of the European...
- 1974 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)
Listed below are the dates and results for the 1974 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the European zone . For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 1974 FIFA World Cup qualification....
: Top Goal Scorer (7 goals) shared with Luigi RivaLuigi Riva , best known as Gigi Riva or by his nickname Rombo di Tuono , is a former Italian footballer, the all-time leading scorer for the Italian national team...
and Bonev.
- Dutch Sportsman of the Year
The Dutch Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year are chosen annually by Dutch athletes from a shortlist compiled by sports journalists. The elections are organized by the Dutch Olympic Committee.- Sporter of the Year :...
1973
- 1974
- European Footballer of the Year France Football
France Football is a French bi-weekly magazine containing football news from all over the world. It's one of the most reputable sports publications in Europe, mostly because of their photographic reports and accurate statistics of the big European Cup matches, and extensive coverage of the European...
- Golden Ball of the World Cup 1974
- Dutch Sportsman of the Year
The Dutch Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year are chosen annually by Dutch athletes from a shortlist compiled by sports journalists. The elections are organized by the Dutch Olympic Committee.- Sporter of the Year :...
1974
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team 1974
- 1975
- European Footballer of the Year France Football
France Football is a French bi-weekly magazine containing football news from all over the world. It's one of the most reputable sports publications in Europe, mostly because of their photographic reports and accurate statistics of the big European Cup matches, and extensive coverage of the European...
Bronze Ball
- Don Balón Award
From 1976 until 2010, the Spanish magazine Don Balón confered the Don Balón Award to the best Spanish player, the best foreign player, the best referee, and the breakthrough player in La Liga...
for Foreign Player of the Year in La LigaThe Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
: 2
-
- 1977, 1978 and 1979 MVP of the NASL Soccer.
- 1984
- Dutch Golden Shoe Winner
The title Dutch Footballer of the Year has been awarded in the Netherlands since 1984. The award is determined by a poll of Dutch professional footballers playing in the First and Second leagues....
- Named in FIFA 100
The FIFA 100 is a list of the world-renowned Brazilian striker Pelé's choice of the "greatest living footballers". Unveiled on 4 March 2004 at a gala ceremony in London, the FIFA 100 marked part of the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Fédération Internationale de...
in 2004
- World Soccer Awards Manager of the Year: 1
- 1987
- Don Balón Award
From 1976 until 2010, the Spanish magazine Don Balón confered the Don Balón Award to the best Spanish player, the best foreign player, the best referee, and the breakthrough player in La Liga...
for Coach of the Year in La LigaThe Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
: 2
- 1991, 1992
- Onze d'Or for Coach of the Year: 2
- 1992, 1994
- European Player of the Century XX IFFHS: 1
-
- Golden Player
To celebrate the Union of European Football Associations 's 50th anniversary in 2004, each of its member associations was asked by UEFA to choose one of its own players as the single most outstanding player of the past 50 years . The 52 players were known as the Golden Players...
of the Netherlands: 1
Career statistics
|-
|1964–65||rowspan="10"|Ajax||rowspan="10"|
EredivisieThe Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
||10||4||0||0||0||0||10||4
|-
|1965–66||19||16||4||9||0||0||23||25
|-
|1966–67||30||33||5||5||6||3||41||41
|-
|1967–68||33||25||5||6||3||2||41||33
|-
|1968–69||29||24||3||3||10||6||42||33
|-
|1969–70||33||23||5||6||8||4||46||33
|-
|1970–71||25||21||6||5||6||1||37||27
|-
|1971–72||32||25||4||3||9||5||45||33
|-
|1972–73||26||16||0||0||6||3||32||19
|-
|1973–74||2||3||0||0||0||0||2||3
|-
|1973–74||rowspan="5"|
BarcelonaFutbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
||rowspan="5"|
La LigaThe Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
||26||16||0||0||0||0||26||16
|-
|1974–75||30||7||0||0||8||0||38||7
|-
|1975–76||29||6||0||0||9||2||38||8
|-
|1976–77||30||14||0||0||7||5||37||19
|-
|1977–78||28||5||7||1||10||5||45||11
|-
|1979||
Los Angeles AztecsThe Los Angeles Aztecs were a soccer team that competed in the North American Soccer League from 1974-81. The team was based in Los Angeles, California and part-owned by Elton John.-History:...
||
NASLNorth American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
||27||14||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||27||14
|-
|1980||
Washington DiplomatsThe Washington Diplomats were an American soccer club based in Washington, D.C.. Throughout their existence, the club played their home games at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium...
||
NASLNorth American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
||27||10||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||27||10
|-
|1980–81||
LevanteLevante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:...
||
Segunda DivisiónThe Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
||10||2||0||0||0||0||10||2
|-
|1981||
Washington DiplomatsThe Washington Diplomats were an American soccer club based in Washington, D.C.. Throughout their existence, the club played their home games at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium...
||
NASLNorth American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
||5||2||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||5||2
|-
|1981–82||rowspan="2"|Ajax||rowspan="2"|
EredivisieThe Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
||15||7||1||0||0||0||16||7
|-
|1982–83||21||7||7||2||2||0||30||9
|-
|1983–84||Feyenoord||
EredivisieThe Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
||33||11||7||1||4||1||44||13
308||215||47||40||54||25||409||280
153||50||7||1||34||12||184||63
59||26||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||59||28
520||290||54||41||88||37||662||368
|-
|1966||2||1
|-
|1967||3||1
|-
|1968||1||0
|-
|1969||3||1
|-
|1970||2||2
|-
|1971||4||6
|-
|1972||5||5
|-
|1973||6||6
|-
|1974||12||8
|-
|1975||2||0
|-
|1976||4||2
|-
|1977||4||1
|-
!Total||48||33
|}
Further honours
- In 1996, the Dutch Supercup was named Johan Cruijff-schaal
The Johan Cruijff Schaal is a football trophy in the Netherlands named after legendary Dutch football player Johan Cruyff, also often referred to as the Dutch Super Cup. The winner is decided in one match only, played by the winner of the national football league and the winner of the national...
.
- In November 2003, to celebrate UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
's Jubilee, he was selected as the Golden PlayerTo celebrate the Union of European Football Associations 's 50th anniversary in 2004, each of its member associations was asked by UEFA to choose one of its own players as the single most outstanding player of the past 50 years . The 52 players were known as the Golden Players...
of the Netherlands by the KNVBThe Royal Dutch Football Association is the governing body of football in the Netherlands. It organises the main Dutch football leagues , the amateur leagues, the KNVB Cup, and the Dutch national football team. It is based in the municipality of Zeist.The KNVB came into being on 8 December 1889...
as their most outstanding player of the past 50 years.
- On 22 May 2006, Cruyff was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to football by Laureus in their annual World Sports Awards
The Laureus World Sports Awards are awarded annually to sportspeople who have been outstanding during the previous year. The Laureus World Sports Awards were established in 1999 by Founding Patrons Daimler and Richemont and is supported by its Global Partners Mercedes-Benz, IWC Schaffhausen and...
.
- Cruyff received a lifetime achievement award from the KNVB in August 2006.
- In 2006, Cruyff played in Dennis Bergkamp's Testimonial as a second-half substitute with Ajax.
- On 18 April 2007, Ajax decided to retire the number 14 shirt in honour of Cruyff and in celebration of his birthday.
Outside football
In the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, and to some extent
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Cruyff is famous for his one-liners that usually hover between brilliant insight and the blatantly obvious. They are famous for their Amsterdam dialect and incorrect grammar, and often feature tautologies and paradoxes. In Spain, his most famous statement is
"En un momento dado." The quote has been used for the title of a 2004 documentary about Cruyff’s life:
Johan Cruijff - En un momento dado. In the Netherlands, his most famous one-liner is
"Ieder nadeel heb z'n voordeel" (
"Every disadvantage has its advantage") and his way of expressing himself has been dubbed
"Cruijffiaans." Cruyff rarely limits himself to a single line though, and in a comparison with the equally oracular but reserved football manager
Rinus MichelsMarinus Jacobus Hendricus Michels OON was a Dutch association football player and coach...
,
Kees FensKees Fens was a Dutch writer, essayist and literary critic.Fens received the P. C. Hooft Award in 1990.-External links:* – Digital library for Dutch literature...
equated Cruyff’s monologues to experimental proze, “without a subject, only an attempt to drop words in a sea of uncertainty (…) there is no full stop”.
In November 2003, Cruyff invoked legal proceedings against the publisher Tirion Uitgevers, over its photo book
Johan Cruyff de Ajacied (Johan Cruijff the Ajax player), which used photographs by Guus de Jong. Cruyff was working on another book, also using De Jong's photographs, and claimed unsuccessfully that Tirion's book violated his
trademarkA trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
and
portraitthumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
rights.
In 2004, Cruyff ended sixth place in the election of
De Grootste NederlanderDe Grootste Nederlander was a public poll held in 2004 by the broadcasting company KRO of the Publieke Omroep. The series is based on the BBC's 100 Greatest Britons...
(The Greatest Dutchman).
Cruyff had a small hit (No.21 in the charts) in the Netherlands with "Oei Oei Oei (Dat Was Me Weer een Loei)." Upon arriving in
BarcelonaBarcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, the Spanish branch of Polydor decided to release the single in
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
as well, where it was rather popular.
Family
On 2 December 1968, Cruyff married Danny Coster. Johan and Danny have three children together: Chantal (16 November 1970), Susila (27 January 1972), and Jordi (9 February 1974). The family has lived in
BarcelonaBarcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
since 1973, with a six year interruption from December 1981 to January 1988 when they lived in
VinkeveenVinkeveen is a town in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is a part of the municipality of De Ronde Venen, and lies about 18 km south of Amsterdam....
, The Netherlands.
His son
JordiJohan Jordi Cruijff , anglicised as Jordi Cruyff is a Dutch former footballer and currently AEK Larnaca's Director of Football. He played from 1992 through to 2010, his clubs including Barcelona and Manchester United. He gained nine caps for the Netherlands national football team, playing in the...
has played for teams such as
BarcelonaFutbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
(while father Johan was manager),
Manchester UnitedManchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, and
AlavésDeportivo Alavés, S.A.D., usually abbreviated to Alavés, is a Spanish football club based in Vitoria-Gasteiz, in the Basque Country. Founded in 1921, it plays in Segunda División B, holding home matches at the 19,500-seater Estadio Mendizorrotza....
. Interestingly, the younger Cruyff sports
"Jordi" on his shirt to distinguish himself from his famous father, which also reflects the common Spanish practice of referring to players by given names alone or by nicknames. It is also related to the commercial claim of "name and fame" of his father to the name Cruyff-Cruijff.
His grandson, Jessua Angoy, currently plays for the reserve side at
Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
.
External links