Dutch football legend Johan Cruyff has sadly passed away aged 68 after a battle with cancer.
- By Michael Bell
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The former Ajax and Barcelona great was diagnosed with lung cancer back in October last year, and sadly it was announced that Cruyff had lost the battle on Thursday.
A statement from his family read, “On March 24 2016 Johan Cruyff (68) died peacefully in Barcelona, surrounded by his family after a hard fought battle with cancer.
“It’s with great sadness that we ask you to respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief.”
Regarded as the greatest player Netherlands, and Europe has ever produced Cruyff guided Ajax to three straight European Cups in the early 1970’s and scored 190 goals in 240 games before moving to Barcelona in 1973. The winger guided the Catalan’s to their first La Liga title in his first season of a five year spell in Spain. Cruyff’s career then took him to America and Levante before he returned to Ajax, and finished his playing days at rivals Feyenoord. Cruyff also captained Netherlands to the World Cup final in 1974, before they were edged out by West Germany.
As a coach Cruyff managed Ajax and Barcelona, winning the Spanish side their first European Cup in 1992. Cruyff retired in 1996, but briefly returned to the touchline to coach Catalonia.
During his career, Cruyff 293 goals in 521 appearances for five different clubs and was awarded the Ballon D’or on three occasions. He also netted 33 goals in 48 international games for Netherlands. His most memorable moment came in 1974 when the winger invented the Cruyff turn against Sweden.
A statement from the KNVB read, “With great sadness we learned of the death of Johan Cruyff. Words can hardly be found for this huge loss.”
“The greatest Dutch footballer of all time and one of the world’s best ever. Our condolences go to his wife, family, friends and the entire football world at home and abroad. We wish everyone a lot of strength in this difficult time.”
The KNVB also announced that there will be a minute silence held during the 14th minute of Netherlands friendly with France on Friday.
R.I.P Johan Cruyff: You changed football forever and will never be forgotten.
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Doesn’t matter what side of the divide you are, Cruijff was an utter genius and it was down to him that I became interested in Dutch football – 1974 / 1978 Netherlands national teams.
Very few genuine pioneers in the game among so many “so called greats”, but Johan Cruijff was undeniably one of them.
I would like to grieve the early death of Johan Kruff who really changed the world of the most popular sport and prepared it to the course of the media development.
Johan was the best football player in the world for about ten years and he is the best European football player ever.
He made me cry for the only time in my life due to football, when he attacked the West German squad in 1974, right after the start of the final match between The Netherlands and West Germany. He made it so dramatically, with so much devoton, as if God had turned him into a storm after he made his decison that the orange team should win.
He made me really cry and I could not forget that the rest of my life.
I would like to join the mourn of the wonderful Dutch people, his family and especially Jordy, the General Technical Manager of Macabbi Tel Aviv, since I’m an Istaeli citizen, and thank him for his great contribution to the Israeli football.