Legends of Club Football: Johan Cruyff

In 1969, Cruyff and Michels reached the European Cup Final in Madrid, and lost to European behemoths, AC Milan. But it was crucial experience for Ajax. Two seasons later, the Ajax ascendancy in Europe would officially start. On a sunny, tepid London afternoon at Wembley, Cruyff and his team took to the field against Panathanaikos. Slotting into left midfield but terrorising the Greek team all over the pitch, Cruyff played crucial parts in both goals as Ajax began their domination of Europe where the legendary teams of Benfica and Real Madrid had once ruled.

A year on, Ajax were back in the final, with a managerial change but the same philosophy. De Kuip Stadion was closer to Amsterdam than London and the Ajax faithful did not disappoint. Millions cheered as the “sons of God” – Ajax’s nickname – faced off against an Inter side all the way from Italy. Starting at centre-forward, Cruyff was frustrated for the first half. After all, the Italians are known to be deadly defenders. But then arrived the greatest moment in the history of Total Football, as people say. Cruyff, finally breaking out of the shackles of Facchetti to score once and again within half an hour. It wasn’t a case of one-off success for this Ajax – oh, they were here to stay, alright!

The year after that, Johnny Rep would score against Juventus to give Ajax their third consecutive European Cup, becoming only the second club to do so, behind the legendary Real Madrid side of the late 1950s. But this would be the end of Cruyff’s affair with both the European Cup and Ajax. Capping off by winning the Ballon d’Or for the second time in three years in 1973, behind-the-scenes issues with the Board at Ajax and the way things were run meant that one of Ajax or Cruyff had to give in. Ajax, after its recent success had become too big an icon in the Netherlands to do that, and as the reigning World Player of the Year, Cruyff had to part ways with the club which made him who he was.

In the summer of 1973, Cruyff decided to join Barcelona, at a time where the club had been trodden upon and pushed to the periphery by the infamous Franco regime in Spain. Cruyff made an instant capture of Catalan hearts by publicly saying he did not join Real Madrid as he did not want anything to do with Franco and named his third child, Jordi – a Catalan name, which had to be registered in the Netherlands as Franco, with the use of Catalan prohibited.

In his first season, Cruyff led the team to their first La Liga title since 1960 and picked up another European Footballer of the Year award. Barcelona, pre-Cruyff and post-Cruyff only had one difference, one difference that meant the world – a winning mentality. A confidence that only the World Player of the Year himself could exude. When he arrived, the club was second from bottom and from his debut, they went unbeaten till they won the league.

In 1974 came the World Cup too, and the Netherlands went in as hot favorites, with a well-rounded team and the best player in the world at the time. Michels and Cruyff would unite again, and with players like Neeskens and Rep, the Netherlands steamrolled their way through their matches. In the match vs Sweden, Cruyff introduced to the world a move that would stay tagged to his name forever. With all his usual tricks tried, Cruyff pulled the ball back with his non-stationary foot to produce a 180-degree turn that left the fullback catching thin air. The biggest match thus far would be the one against the reigning champions – Brazil. Cruyff set up one and scored one himself to inflict a 2-0 defeat on the Samba boys and as he put it himself, “We didn’t only outplay them, we outplayed them with good football.”

In the final, they faced hosts West Germany. Cruyff admitted that they knew they were much better and went in with little fear. Within a few minutes of the start, Cruyff, deployed in central midfield went on a run which won them a penalty. Neeskens buried it and the Dutch were 1-0 up. But soon enough, West Germany won a penalty of their own which Breitner struck in. By half time, der Bomber, Muller had put them ahead. The match ended 2-1 – complacency and overconfidence getting the better of the tournament favourites. What was to ignite Dutch dominance of World football was burnt to embers – in two finals since, the Netherlands are yet to taste World Cup victory. But that was the only World Cup Cruyff would take part in. Increased pressure and attempts to kidnap his family forced Cruyff to bring his national career to a premature end.

In 1974, Cruyff picked up his third European Footballer of the Year award, as Barcelona’s fulcrum and star. But for a short while, Cruyff retired from football, before moving to the United States and then Levante for a short stint. Then, Cruyff decided he had to complete the circle and returned to Ajax, where he played upfront with a certain youngster called Marco van Basten, looking to make his mark. In the 1981–82 and 1982–83 seasons, Ajax, along with Cruyff, became league champions again and in 1982, he scored the most audacious penalty. After placing it and running as normal, he nudged it sideways to teammate Jesper Olsen, who passed it back for Cruyff to tap in, past the Helmond keeper.

Ajax refused to offer the 36-year-old Cruyff a new contract in 1983 and this dented Cruyff’s ego. He responded by defying his own stance as a childhood Ajax supporter and a club legend and signed for their fiercest rivals – Feyenoord Rotterdam. He won a KNVB Cup and League double in his solitary season there, playing all but one game with the emerging Ruud Gullit and Pete Houtman. He was voted Dutch Footballer of the Year again and thus, ended his playing career off very nicely.