RIP Johan Cruyff

[Jonny Come Lately]

I was very sorry to hear of the death today of Johan Cruyff. The former Netherlands forward, arguably the greatest European association footballer of all time and one of the game's most influential thinkers, has died of cancer at the age of 68.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35892775

I am far too young to remember Cruyff as a player, but the ingenious piece of trickery he invented ('The Cruyff turn') is in footballing immortality and his exploits are legendary. With his first club, Ajax, he won three European Cups, before later moving to Spain to play for Barcelona. On a personal level he won the Ballon D'or (award for European player of the year) on three occasions. He also played in the 1974 World Cup final as part of a magnificent Dutch side, although his team lost to West Germany. He was also one of several legendary players to enjoy a spell in the North American Soccer League (the forerunner of the modern MLS) in the late 1970s before ending his career back in his homeland.

He remained influential after his retirement as a player, becoming a highly successful manager at Barcelona. He revolutionised the club, and with a style of play based on the Ajax and Netherlands sides he played in guided the team to their first European Cup victory in 1992. These principles have served the club well and shaped the brilliant recent Barcelona teams. I have read books about the modern Barca teams and his influence at the club continues to be keenly felt.

RIP to one of the true greats.

[UndertheWire]

I watched that 1974 World Cup final in a room full of dutch and german people on a Jersey campsite. Johan Cruyff was known as "The World's Greatest Footballer" at that time.
RIP Johan Cruyff.

[Freypower]

He was a great player & manager, RIP.

[FWIW]

RIP Johan Cruyff. Aside from his brilliance on the pitch, he was a principled player. He chose Barca over Real Madrid back in 1973 because he couldn't join a club associated with Franco.

[Jonny Come Lately]

Very true. From what I've read he also caused a bit of a stir in Spain at the time by naming his son Jordi (who became a professional footballer himself, although like many famous footballing sons he never quite escaped his father's shadow), who was born the year prior to Franco's death - 'Jordi' is the Catalan version of the name George instead of the 'approved' Castilian Spanish name 'Jorge'.