Johan Cruyff

Dutch footballer and manager (1947-2016) · Netherlands · Footballers · Died at 68

Johan Cruyff is read about 5,450 times a day, in 107 languages.

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The man who turned football into geometry. Three Ballons d'Or, three European Cups with Ajax, and the architect of a style - Total Football - that made the Netherlands a force and later reshaped Barcelona twice: once as a player who broke a 14-year title drought, again as a manager who built a dynasty.

Footballers Football / Soccer Player Soccer Football 20th Century

A life in dates

202610 years since their death, on 24 March.24 March 20252016Died24 March 2016Gold Medal of the City of Barcelona for Cultural, Scientific, Civic or Sports MeritAward2014“Van Gaal has a good vision on football. But it's not mine. He wants to gel winning teams and has a militaristic way of working with his tactics. I don't.”In their wordsreported in Maarten Meijer (2014). Louis van Gaal: The Biography.Read the whole statement

2013UEFA President's AwardAward2012“Every trainer talks about movement, about running a lot. I say don't run so much. Football is a game you play with your brain.”In their wordsreported in David Winner (2012). Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Football.Read the whole statement

“There is no medal better than being acclaimed for your style. As a coach, my teams might have won more games if we’d played in a less adventurous way.”In their wordsreported in David Winner (2012). Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Football.Read the whole statement

2010“It hurts me that Holland chose an ugly path to aim for the title.”In their words12 July 2010BBC Sport (12 July 2010).Read the whole statement

“Who am I supporting? I am Dutch but I support the football that Spain is playing. Spain's style is the style of Barcelona.”In their wordsCruyff wrote in his weekly column for the Barcelona-based newspaper El Periodico, prior to the 2010 FIFA World Cup final match (Goal.com,Read the whole statement

2006Saint George's CrossAward2005“4-5-1? Never. It was always 4-3-3 for me as a player and as manager, just like [Frank] Rijkaard at Barcelona. With 4-3-3, it's much easier to make combinations going forward.”In their words1 October 2005In an interview with Lawrence Donegan of The Guardian (1 October 2005).Read the whole statement

1983Feyenoord RotterdamClub1983-19841981AFC AjaxClub1981-1983Levante UDClub1980Washington DiplomatsClub1980-19811979Los Angeles AztecsClub1977Don Balón AwardAward1973Dutch Sportsman of the yearAwardCatalonia national football teamClub1973-1976FC BarcelonaClub1973-19781971Ballon d'OrAward1968Dutch Footballer of the YearAward1966Netherlands national association football teamClub1966-19771964AFC AjaxClub1964-19731947Born25 April 1947

Also in Deutsch

Photos 8

Johan Cruijff (1974)

2022 Akkerstraat 32, Asd (1)

3U2A8086

Camp Nou Johan Cruyff 26 març 2016

Document Cruyff

Homenatge Camp Nou Johan Cruyff

Homenatge Cruijff Camp Nou

In their own words 10

Johan Cruyff

10 statements, newest first

Van Gaal has a good vision on football. But it's not mine. He wants to gel winning teams and has a militaristic way of working with his tactics. I don't.
2014, reported in Maarten Meijer (2014). Louis van Gaal: The Biography., Own words
Because you play football with your head, and your legs are there to help you. If you don't use your head, using your feet won't be sufficient.
2013, reported in Dennis Bergkamp (2013). Stillness and Speed: My Story., Own words
Every trainer talks about movement, about running a lot. I say don't run so much. Football is a game you play with your brain.
2012, reported in David Winner (2012). Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Football., Own words

Wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0

Teams 9

Feyenoord Rotterdam1983-1984

Levante UD1981-1981

AFC Ajax1981-1983

Washington Diplomats1980-1981

Los Angeles Aztecs1979-1979

FC Barcelona1973-1978

Catalonia national football team1973-1976

Netherlands national association football team1966-1977

AFC Ajax1964-1973

Career record

SpellAppsGoals

1983-19843311

1981-1981102

1981-19833614

1980-19813012

1979-19792313

1973-197814348

1973-197620

1966-19774833

1964-1973240190

Awards

Gold Medal of the City of Barcelona for Cultural, Scientific, Civic or Sports Merit2016

UEFA President's Award2013

Saint George's Cross2006

Don Balón Award1977

Dutch Sportsman of the year1973

Ballon d'Or1971

Dutch Footballer of the Year1968

Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau

Family

Johan Cruyff

Partners

Spouse Danny Coster

Child Jordi Cruyff

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About this person

Johan Cruyff arrived at Ajax in 1964 and spent the next decade turning Dutch football from semi-professional obscurity into a European powerhouse, collecting six Eredivisie titles and three European Cups. His move to Barcelona in 1973 delivered La Liga after 14 barren years. He led the Netherlands to the 1974 World Cup final - three goals, three assists, a Golden Ball - but they lost to West Germany, and after finishing third at Euro 1976, a kidnapping attempt at his Barcelona home ended his international career before the 1978 tournament. He returned to Ajax in 1981 for two more titles, then crossed to rivals Feyenoord in 1983 and won the double in his only season before retiring in 1984. As manager, he won the 1987 Cup Winners' Cup at Ajax and four La Liga titles plus a European Cup at Barcelona, embedding the Total Football philosophy Rinus Michels had developed until it became doctrine. Voted European Player of the Century in 1999, he founded a charity for disadvantaged children in 1997 and left behind aphorisms that became everyday language in the Netherlands.

Country

Netherlands

In common with Johan

Francesco TottiBoth received UEFA President's Award

Karim BenzemaBoth received Ballon d'Or

Gerard PiquéBoth received Don Balón Award

RonaldoBoth received Ballon d'Or

David BeckhamBoth received UEFA President's Award

Footballers from the Netherlands 1

Robin van Persie77.8

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