Who was Johan Cruyff? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Nick Name: El Flaco

Also Known As: Hendrik Johannes Cruijff

Died At Age: 68

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Danny Coster

father: Hermanus Cornelis Cruijff

mother: Petronella Bernarda Draaijer

children: Chantal Cruijff, Jordi Cruyff, Susila Cruijff

Born Country: Netherlands

Football Players Dutch Men

Height: 5'10" (178 cm), 5'10" Males

Died on: March 24, 2016

place of death: Barcelona, Spain

Ancestry: Indian American

Cause of Death: Lung Cancer

City: Amsterdam, Netherlands

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1

= What playing style was Johan Cruyff known for?

Johan Cruyff was known for his innovative and influential style of play known as "Total Football," which emphasized fluid movement, quick passing, and positional interchange among players.
2

= How did Johan Cruyff revolutionize Barcelona as a coach?

As a coach, Johan Cruyff revolutionized Barcelona by implementing his "Barcelona Dream Team" philosophy, which focused on possession-based attacking football, youth development, and creating a distinct playing style that became synonymous with the club's identity.
3

= What impact did Johan Cruyff have on the development of modern football tactics?

Johan Cruyff's tactical innovations and coaching methods had a profound impact on the development of modern football tactics, particularly in the areas of pressing, positional play, and the importance of technical skill and intelligence on the field.
4

= How did Johan Cruyff's time at Ajax influence his football philosophy?

Johan Cruyff's time at Ajax as a player and later as a coach played a significant role in shaping his football philosophy, as he learned and developed the principles of "Total Football" and instilled them into the club's youth academy and senior team.
5

= What was Johan Cruyff's legacy beyond his playing and coaching career?

Beyond his playing and coaching career, Johan Cruyff's legacy includes his charitable work, advocacy for youth development in football, and the establishment of the Johan Cruyff Foundation to promote sports and physical activity for children worldwide.

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Childhood & Early Life

Hendrik Johannes Cruijff, better known as Johan Cruyff, was born on 25 April, 1947 in Amsterdam, Netherlands to Hermanus Cornelis Cruijff and his wife Petronella Bernarda Draaijer. The family had modest means but Cruyff’s father was a keen follower of football and encouraged him to play as much football as he could.

He was an enthusiastic footballer right from his childhood and played with his school friends and entered the Ajax youth ranks as a 10 year old. His father died when he was only 12, and he wanted to become a footballer in memory of his father.

He progressed through the youth ranks at Ajax pretty quickly and by the time the season started in 1965, he established himself in the senior team by scoring regularly. Cruyff returned a tally of 25 goals in the season as Ajax ended up the league champions.

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Career

Following his breakthrough season with Ajax in 1965, he continued to be the main goals scorer at the club and helped the club win the league title in each of the next two seasons. Four years after first becoming a part of the team, Cruyff went to play the European Cup final for Ajax but the club ended as runners up to AC Milan.

In 1966, he made his debut for the Dutch national team and played a total of 48 matches scoring 33 goals. In the 1974 World Cup, he scored 5 goals as the team ended as the runners up at the World Cup and he was named player of the tournament. The ‘Total Football’ played by the Dutch team was revolutionary and Cruyff was instrumental in the whole system.

In 1970, he helped Ajax win the Dutch league as well as the league cup and the following year he helped the club win the coveted European Cup. Cruyff scored a brace in the following year’s European Cup final against Italian club Inter Milan to help Ajax win the tournament. That final also marked the triumph of ‘Total Football’ as Cruyff completely dominated one of Europe’s most defensive teams.

He helped Ajax win 6 league titles during his 9 year stint at the club and in his last season, which ended in 1973, he rounded it off by helping the club win the third European Cup on the trot. Cruyff scored 250 goals across all competitions and made Ajax the best club in Europe. At the end of the season, he moved to Spanish club Barcelona, who paid a world record fee for his services.

He became one of the most important ever signings at Barcelona when he helped the club win the league title in his very first season that ended in 1974 and ended a fourteen year wait for the league titles at the club. He also orchestrated a 5-0 win against Real Madrid in Madrid to cement his place as one of Barcelona’s greatest players. During his five seasons at the club, he scored 48 league goals in 143 games.

He decided to part with Barcelona after being offered a lucrative contract by the Los Angeles Aztecs in the United States in 1979 but the following season he played for Washington Diplomats. After two years in the US, Cruyff played 10 games for Spanish club Levante and subsequently returned to Ajax.

Cruyff rejoined Ajax in 1980 and the following two seasons he helped the club win two back to back league titles. The following season, he joined Ajax’s rival Feyenoord since he had not been offered a new contract and duly led his new club to victory in the Dutch league and the league cup. He ended his career at Feyenoord.

In 1985, he started his career as a manager with his old club Ajax and won the Dutch Cup at the end of his first season. The following season Ajax won the Dutch Cup again and it was during his times as manager of Ajax that he developed his celebrated system that was heavily concentrated on quick attacking play complemented by ball playing defenders, controlling midfielders and the lone forward. After spending three years at Ajax, he took over at Barcelona as the manager.

Three years after taking over as the manager of Barcelona, Johan Cruyff won his first league title in 1991 and followed it up with the European Cup as well as league title wins in each of the next three seasons. He built one of history’s most celebrated teams known as the ‘Dream Team’ which included players like Romario, Michael Laudrup, Hristo Stoichkov and Pep Guardiola among others. He left Barcelona after eight years following mounting tensions with the club’s management and remains the second most successful manager of the club with 11 trophies.

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He became an advisor to Ajax in 2011 but his tenure ended the following year when he resigned following troubles with the club’s management. Cruyff did not want Louis van Gaal to be appointed as the CEO of the club and challenged the appointment in court. The club had stated that they wanted to implement the recommendations of Cruyff in order to improve the fortunes of the club. Subsequently, he served the Mexican club Club Deportivo Guadalajara as an advisor for nine months.

Awards & Achievements

He is regarded a great footballer and manager and touched many milestones throughout his career. However, his achievement is without doubt his managerial stint at Barcelona from 1988 to 1996 during which he completely transformed the club and created the basis of one of the most successful clubs in the world.

Johan Cruyff won the Ballon D’Or in 1971.

He won the Ballon D’Or in 1973 for the 2nd time and followed it up with his 3rd win in the following year.

He was named the player of the tournament in the FIFA World Cup 1974.

Personal Life & Legacy

He got married to Danny Coster on 2 December, 1968. The couple has two daughters - Chantal and Susila and a son - Jordi. Jordi Cruyff went on to become a professional footballer.

Johan Cruyff died of lung cancer on 24 March 2016, in Barcelona, Spain, at the age of 68.

Facts About Johan Cruyff

Cruyff was a pioneer in advocating for total football, a style of play that emphasized fluid movement and positional interchange among players, revolutionizing the game of football.

Off the field, Cruyff was a keen entrepreneur and successful businessman, establishing his own sports brand and investing in various business ventures.

Despite his fame and success, Cruyff remained humble and approachable, often taking time to engage with fans and share his knowledge and insights about the game.

Cruyff had a playful sense of humor and was known for his witty remarks and clever one-liners, adding a touch of charm to his personality both on and off the pitch.

Johan Cruyff Biography

You wanted to know

= What playing style was Johan Cruyff known for?

= How did Johan Cruyff revolutionize Barcelona as a coach?

= What impact did Johan Cruyff have on the development of modern football tactics?

= How did Johan Cruyff's time at Ajax influence his football philosophy?

= What was Johan Cruyff's legacy beyond his playing and coaching career?