Johan Cruijff #14 Football Genius RIP

[Amsterhammer]

“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,” read a statement on the World of Johan Cruyff website.

Just last month the former Ajax, Barcelona and Holland star, one of the main exponents, along with Rinus Michels, of the world famous Total Football – the Dutch style of play that involved players constantly interchanging roles – popularised in the 1970s but still playing a major influence on modern football, said he was ‘2-0 up’ in his match with lung cancer.

“With great sadness we have learned of the death of Johan Cruyff. Words are not enough,” wrote the Dutch football federation on Twitter. Ajax issued a short statement that read: “Johan Cruyff has died in Barcelona at the age of 68. The greatest Ajax player of all time had suffered with lung cancer since October last year. Ajax share in this great loss and wish the families much strength.”

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/mar/24/johan-cruyff-dies-aged-68-holland-football-legend

 

[sniper]

that first photo is not very favorable or characteristic of Cruyff, imo.
I love this photo (too large to post up so just the link):
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/e3/97/ec/e397ec0fadec7ba6bfad48dcb29c12a5.jpg
his physical talent and dynamics in full display.

 

[Amsterhammer]

 

[gooner]

One of the greatest players and footballing minds to grace the game. A deep thinker of the game and a pleasure to listen talking and reading his thoughts about it.

He is what players aspired to. He set the template for what the Barcelona model is today and what Pep saw as an inspiration. Players looked to what he did and looked to implement it. It didn't matter whether it succeeded or not as Pires and Henry with the penalty or Messi and Suarez. It is testament to his legacy that they tried it and the impact of his that they saw it for.

Will be sorely missed by the footballing world. A football purist with a genuine love for the state of football in the general sense.

 

[sniper]

well said.

question for anybody who saw him play: is it true that he was better at Ajax than he ever was at Barca?

 

[Amsterhammer]

Barcelona, 24 March 2016

Thank you, Johan.

Johan Cruyff's death is sad news for the entire world of football. His individual and collective achievements made him one of the best players and coaches in history and the professional and personal footprint he left at our club is enormous. First and foremost, we want to convey our sincerest condolences to the Cruyff family and to all the Club's players and staff who, throughout his various stages as a player and coach, shared emotions, efforts and the joys of success.

On a day like today, every FC Barcelona fan will recall their own memories of and experiences relating to Cruyff as both a leader and as a symbol. We, as presidents of FC Barcelona, have the immense honour to give thanks, on behalf of Barcelona supporters everywhere, to a brilliant and audacious man who decisively marked the trajectory of the club.

We are thankful to Cruyff for his work as a player and as a coach, and for the titles he achieved. But above all, we are thankful for the intangibles which are still alive today and which will endure into the future, for they are worth more than all those titles; Cruyff endowed us with high levels of self-esteem and set a new course for the success of FC Barcelona.

With Cruyff we began to play differently, breaking new ground and innovating. With him, both as a player and coach, we established our own style on the field, what is traditionally known as 'total football,' the Barça style everyone admires.

The arrival of Cruyff altered the history of Barça. He contributed decisively to a change of mentality. He got us to keep our heads up and to see that no opponent was invincible, that we could attain what we were aiming for. Cruyff was an icon who explained, better than anyone, that Barça is more than a club. He did it simply and based in reality, and always moving forward.

Without Cruyff's unabashed and non-conformist spirit, we quite possibly wouldn't have become the greatest club in the world. So, again, thank you, Johan. Thanks to the man who was admired, thanks to the social icon, thanks to the football superstar. Thank you for your audacity, thank you for your expertise, and thank you for having chosen Barça and Barcelona in the same way that, for Barça and Catalonia, you have always been, and will always be, one of us.

Thank you, Johan.

signed,

Agustí Montal, Raimon Carrasco, Josep Lluís Núñez, Joan Gaspart, Enric Reyna, Joan Laporta, Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu

 

[ferryman]

Legend. One of the best of all time, no argument. That Cruyff turn.. could watch it all day...

Lots of respect and memories being shared on a lot of Scottish football forums today..

 

[del1962]

Cruyff is one of the true gates of football up there with Best, Pele and Maradona

The Cruyff turn and that penalty

 

[gooner]

 

[Amsterhammer]

This selection of today's front pages might show non football fans just what this man's stature was, and how widely he was (literally) worshiped. In a US context, imagine someone with the magnetism, charisma, and universal appeal of an Ali, the classic one-liners of Yogi Berra, the tactical nous and insight of a Belichick (though not the 'cheating',) a Catalonian folk hero, your favorite QB, and your favorite uncle, all combined in one person. That would be part of his unique magic.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Wonderful footballer. We all tried to imitate his move and ideas back in the day. Ain't many footballers alive I really like.

RIP, JC.