The soccer world is in mourning after the passing of Dutch soccer legend Johan Cruyff on Thursday at the age of 68 after a five-month bout with lung cancer.
A talent for Ajax Amsterdam and FC Barcelona, the Netherlands legend led his nation to the World Cup final in 1974 and 1978. In addition to an illustrious career in Europe, Cruyff also played in the NASL for the Washington Diplomats and the Los Angeles Aztecs.
Cruyff also spent the 1979 season with the Aztecs where he scored 13 goals in 25 games. Once his playing days were over in 1985, Cruyff moved into coaching where he revolutionized the game with his possession-oriented tactics with FC Barcelona.
“This is a sad day for the world of football. He was one of the greatest footballers of all-time, especially for the generation before us,” said Dutch midfielder Nigel de Jong, who like Cruyff came up through the academy at Ajax Amsterdam. “He was such a junkie for football, and he loved the game so much. He could just sit down and speak to you for 24 hours on football. He saw everything that was going on the pitch and off. … He was by far the most famous person in Holland. If you speak about Holland, you speak about Cruyff.”
Whether it was with his remarkable skill on the field or his technical acumen off of the pitch, Cruyff’s contributions to the game made the Dutchman a legend.
“It’s respectful to say that he was a game changer,” De Jong added. “He created the “Total Football” style … he gave football joy and excitement again, and people came to the stadium to see the game. You have to give credit where credit is due. He’s certainly one of the guys who changed football.”
Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena, who first remembers watching Cruyff during the 1974 World Cup agrees that Cruyff’s individuality and flair separated him from all others.
“He was one of the greatest players in the history of the game and obviously contributed a lot to the game past his playing days as a coach, an advocate and critic of the sport. He’s one of the legends of the game, and he’ll be missed. I don’t think that we’ll see too many Johan Cruyff's in our lifetime.”
Arena does not consider himself to be profoundly influenced by the legendary Dutchman but admits that his brand of “Total Football” and tactical innovations influenced soccer tactics the world over.
“It influences everyone. There’s nothing that I could do about it. That’s genius, and I’m not in that category. He was a genius, no question about it. His comments about the game were very influential as well.”
