Whatever you want to say about his massive ego, he's, by far, the single most influential footballer the Netherlands has ever produced. And probably the most influential ever, given his ability to play and coach at a high level, and his willingness to publicise his views on the game at all costs.
He might have had an ego the size of a planet, but even that was dwarfed by his talent. Just revisited a couple of Youtube videos, and some of the stuff is just glorious. (And seems to end up with a miss by a teammate.)
Aw shit, that's bad news.
I properly idolised Cruyff in my childhood years, the '74 World Cup was the first I paid attention to and he was magnificent.
My son never properly understood why he got the number 14 shirt to wear in the boys club team that I coached. He hated getting a "subs" number. Pah, what did he know!
For those of my age the 74 World Cup was the first one you properly watched and understood, especially with the games being on at such a time that you could watch them in the UK. Pele had retired and the other Brazilians were in relative decline and Beckenbauer was a defender so no-one wanted to be like him.
Cruijff was just amazing and everyone in all the schoolyards tried to play like him and to copy his skills. RIP indeed.
I saw him play once and it was a privilege even though Ipswich took Barcelona apart. Growing up in the early to mid 70's Cruyff was an unforgettable player.
He was probably lecturing the doctors on how to do their job right up until the very end. He had some ego. But then all the greats do. That's what makes the great players great. And great players are why we watch football.
RIP
My guess is that the Amsterdam Arena won't be known as the Amsterdam Arena for much longer.
I was only seven but remember the shock that the mighty Brazil were out of the World Cup, beaten by Holland. Cruyff set up Neeskens and scored the second, and those two moments (aside from Sparwasser) represent my clearest direct memory of the 74 WC.
It was the time I was getting into football, and the answer to a child's inevitable question about who the best footballer in the world was, was now Cruyff, not Pele.
never saw him play but do i count myself as really lucky to have been at wembley when the barcelona side he managed, beat sampdoria to win the european cup back in 1992.
i realised very very quickly i could never play like him, but i still harbour hopes one day of managing my time like him.
Football arguably progressed more in 1970-74 than in any other era (compare the two World Cups tactically) and Cruyff and Beckenbauer were the spearheads of that. Historically he's a key player, as well as for his genius skills and awareness.
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