La Liga: Ranking Every Dutchman To Play For Barcelona

#1 Johan Cruyff

Johan Cruyff

The first and most important Dutchman to play for Barcelona, the legendary Johan Cruyff started it all. Leaving his boyhood team Ajax in 1973 Cruyff joined for what was a then world record fee ahead of rivals Real Madrid. Cruyff was one of the worlds best players at the time and brought “total football” to Spain. His arrival would change Barcelona forever. He spent five successful seasons at the Camp Nou spending four of those as captain while winning the La Liga and Copa del Rey. During his time at Barça, in 1974, Cruyff was named European Player of the Year. He dazzled with his pinpoint passes, jaw-dropping dribbling and vision, all-round technical ability and reading of the game and unmatched football IQ. He made the game look easy. He was clearly just so much better and smarter than everyone else around him.

But his impact at the club goes beyond the trophies he won. Barcelona legend Xavi put it best back in 2016, “Cruyff established a very clear philosophy at Barcelona, he gave birth to that philosophy, he created Barça's DNA.” Cruyff created the Barcelona we know today. Without the Dutch international Barcelona may not be the European superpower they are today. His influence was even seen in the Spain side that dominated international football from 2008-2012 and numerous other teams, past and present that dominated football, both internationally and at club level.

But Cruyff’s greatest contribution to the Blaugrana may not have even come when he was on the pitch, but rather the touchline. In 1988 Cruyff returned to Barcelona, but this time as manager. It was during this eight year period where Cruyff forever wrote himself in Barça folklore.

Cruyff’s Barça showed the world the first signs of the now famous “tiki-taka”. His “dream team” played sides out of the park with their slick movement, fast passing, relentless pressing and quick transitions. As Cruyff once said, "Quality without results is pointless. Results without quality is boring." And that's what he tried to do with “total football.”

During his eight seasons as manager Cruyff won 4 consecutive La Liga’s, Copa del Rey once, Spanish Super Cup 3 times, UEFA Cup Winners Cup and UEFA Super Cup once each and the clubs first ever Champions League.

When Cruyff took charge of Barcelona in 1988 the club were in a bad place. Performances on the pitch and problems in the boardroom, including massive debt, set up Cruyff with an impossible task to reignite the entire club. In the 30 years before his arrival Barça won 4 league titles. In the 30 years since they've won 15. Barcelona’s 5 Champions League’s also came after the Dutchman's arrival.

Cruyff has influenced the likes of Michael Laudrup, Eric Cantona, Xavi, Frank Rijkaard, Arsène Wenger, Arrigo Sacchi, Sir Alex Ferguson, and of course one of his former players Pep Guardiola. His impact on the game is still being felt to this day as his methods, philosophy and ideology have shaped football forever.

After all his success Cruyff said that the legacy he left behind is his greatest accomplishment, “Winning is an important thing, but to have your own style, to have people copy you, to admire you, that is the greatest gift.”

It cannot be understated just how important Cruyff is to Barça, not just back then but today as well. The impact he made decades ago is still being felt today. Without his work Barça could very well not be the juggernaut they are today.

A massive change Cruyff made at the club was bringing through youth. Barcelona’s world famous La Masia academy was stepped into overdrive by Cruyff. The then manager put in emphasis on developing players’ footballing brains rather than just physical attributes. Without these changes Messi could have very well been turned away by the club for being too small and weak. Other La Masia graduates and club legends like Xavi and Andrés Iniesta could have also suffered the same faith if it wasn't for Cruyff’s academy rehaul.

Xavi once said of the legend, "He changed the idiosyncrasy of the club. He introduced the philosophy to keep the ball, to play in triangles, to attack. That philosophy remains true to this day. We're all students of Cruyff and his school of thought.

He changed everything at the club. His methods, philosophy and identity changed Barcelona forever. He is quite possibly the most important person in the club's history.

Cruyff was revolutionary, way ahead of his time in everything he did. It is a crime that he isn't always in the conversation when discussing the greatest of all time, he was that good.

Cruyff set the base for not one, but two clubs to go on and achieve massive success. He is without a doubt the greatest footballing mind ever and quite possibly the most important and influential person in football history.

Cruyff was an exceptional player and manager and is without a doubt Barcelona’s best ever Dutch player.