Johan Cruyff, European football legend, first triple Ballon d’Or, died at the age of 68 years died of cancer. He “died peacefully in Barcelona, surrounded by his family.” Here are ten things to know about the “Flying Dutchman”, a symbol of a time when the hair long and wore clopaient where players at halftime.
1974
a generation, Cruyff embodies the total Football practiced by the Netherlands in the 1970s in 1974, then at the height of this style of play developed by their coach Rinus Michels , the “Oranje” reach the final of the 1974 World Cup and face the FRG of “Kaiser” Franz Beckenbauer.
from the first minute of play, Cruyff nailed on site three German defenders and is mow in surface after a solo number over thirty meters. The penalty is transformed by Johan Neeskens, Holland leads 1-0 and everyone already sees the “mechanical Oranges” lift the World Cup in Munich’s Olympiastadion.
But then, Breitner and Gerd Müller mark and Cruyff victory escapes, leaving his record in national selection empty any trophy. The only downside of his brilliant career.
Rogue
On December 5, 1982, the 10,000 spectators at the De Meer Stadion Amsterdam could not believe their eyes. At the 21st minute, instead of shooting directly the penalty whistled by referee Manuel January, Cruyff shifts the ball on the left to teammate Jesper Olsen. As paralyzed, nobody moves on the ground and the young striker calmly makes the ball to his captain that mark in the cage dropped by the keeper Helmond Sport …
Johan Cruyff knows the Regulation allows this technique. Rumor has it that the combination developed by Cruyff perfectionist required to Olsen to give him the ball back instead of marking directly. Since then, other players – including Lionel Messi – have repeated this gesture, with varying degrees of success.
Grudgebearer
legendary mule’s head, the number 14 of the Netherlands was not one to be imposed decisions. In 1981, at 34, he has been back in his historic club Ajax Amsterdam, he takes the title by scoring 14 goals. Desiring to revise downward the – enormous – financial requirements of their midfielder, club officials decided not to extend his contract at the end of the season
lese majeste law for. Cruyff king who takes revenge by signing in stride in the sworn enemy of Ajax, Feyenoord, with whom he took a double league and cup in the Netherlands 1984 .. . Should not the search Cruyff.
Air
1973, the Franco regime is dying and the rivalry between the Catalans of Barcelona and Madrid reached new heights. Cruyff, who said he joined the Blaugrana by fascist beliefs and the socios call “El Salvador”, carries on his shoulders the hopes of Catalonia, deprived of title in the league for 14 years.
22 December against Atlético Madrid, he scored from an angle not one of the best goals of his career an aerial and lightning heel, difficult to describe and gone down in history as the “goal Kung-Fu” .
“it was just amazing: we had all seen the ball outside and no one could expect what goes something like,” recalls Juan Manuel Asensi, environment FC Barcelona, in “So Foot”.
the Camp Nou explodes and the Dutchman offers the league title to Barca a few months later.
Puma
On the field, Cruyff was indistinguishable only because of his talent. From the World in 1974, he has a different jersey of his team mates in the national team and refusing to show the famous three stripes of Adidas, the equipment from the Dutch selection.
Under contract with Puma, he is making a jersey and shorts only two bands, invoking a clause that forbids him to be associated with another brand. At the time, Adidas and the Dutch Federation get angry and raise the possibility of depriving the turbulent World number 14. Before you give up … for fear of suffering the “wrath of fans,” said Cherif Ghemmour in the biography “ Johan Cruyff, pop genius and despot” (2015, Hugo Sport editions).
Beau-dad
in his career at Ajax until the end of his career, Cruyff will build a solid reputation as a businessman, helped by his stepfather, Cor Coster, a Amsterdammers businessman. Alternately legal and accounting advice, it will allow Cruyff to obtain very lucrative contracts, negotiating inch of each professional choice of protection.
In 1969, he even save a dubious record to Cruyff, “ Oei oei oei (dat was me weer een loei) / Alle stoppen ineens naar de Knoppen” a “joke” that still reached 21st place Dutch charts .
“the only thing Cruyff can do without me, it’s piss,” he used to say Cornelius Coster, now considered the first professional sports agent. at the time of his death, Cruyff will lease the visionary qualities of his stepfather in the Catalan newspaper “El Periodico”
“it was a pioneer, and he changed the reality for many players, me included. [...] All footballers have something “
Camel unfiltered
Nicknamed” Wasem. “- For” steam “- by German and Dutch press. – Johan Cruyff has dragged his consuming tobacco addiction for most of his life
with his Dutch companions rock star look, it projects, fag beak, a certain idea of the revolt that will lead the youth of the 1970s and Camel smokeless filter halftime of each game are part of his legend.
Yet, 1991 Dante’s consumption – up to four packs a day – lack of a first win Victim of a cardiac arrest in the streets of Barcelona, he is dead for more than 30 minutes and must undergo a. triple bypass surgery. at 44, he dropped his Camel in favor lollipops “Chupa Chups” and engages in the fight against smoking.
“in my life, I had two passions: football and smoking. One gave me everything, the other almost all take me back, “Cruyff summarize in a spot against smoking shot in 1993.
Barcelona
on disembarking from the Ajax for Barcelona in 1973, Cruyff was then the most expensive player in history. But it was as a coach that mark most strongly his mark on the Catalan home. Excellent tactician, it matters the total football and shaping the organization and the club game.
Between 1988 and 1996, he won with his “dream team” four league titles, two King’s cups, a champions Cup clubs 1992. Very attached to the Catalan identity, he even takes the reins of the regional selection between 2009 and 2012.
“Cruyff built a cathedral. We simply preserved, “said Pep Guardiola, former Dutch player and twice winner of the Champions League on the Barça bench.
Precision Parts
Disaster, Tuesday, July 2, 1974, five days before the final against East Germany in 1974, the “Bild” published an a shocking: “ Cruyff, champagne and naked women”, as the powerful German newspaper, which reported – so highly romanticized – the testimony of two reporters who swear attending a thin part between the Dutch players and several young women in the jacuzzi of a hotel
in the locker room. “Oranje”, the announcement had the effect of a bomb and Cruyff finds himself having to manage the preparation of the match with a couple serious crisis that requires him to spend hours on the phone to reassure his wife Danny … intox German press or not, the maneuver of destabilization works and July 7, despite some flashes, Cruyff magnifying his game and missed the world title for good.
Four years later he decided not to participate in the World Cup in Argentina: long, the legend will see the sign of his opposition to the Argentine military junta. In reality, jealousy Danny, and the attempted kidnapping of which he and his family are victims end 1977 would have been right in his ambitions with the national team.
Melon
This is not to say that Johan Cruyff thought to know everything better than everyone. “ He will tell you he is the best pilot airplane pilot himself,” the Dutch coach Kees Rivjers.
In 1984, his teammates decided Feyenoord mocking his pretentiousness and ask him the definition of learned words, one fabricated. Obviously Cruyff has all the answers and colleagues explain his locker room joke. But Cruyff insists:
“He gave the definition of the word we had to invent with such aplomb that we all began to doubt,” recalls defender Ben Wijnstekers
It was like that Johan Cruyff.
Lucas Burel
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