Footballing legend Johan Cruyff has today passed away after his battle with cancer.
The Dutch footballer was suffering from the illness since October and his official site have revealed that the former Barcelona forward has died of cancer, aged 68.
Cruyff won the Ballon d’Or thrice during his time with Ajax and Barcelona.
Recently in an interview, he claimed that he is hopeful about beating cancer. Regarded as the most important man in modern football, Cruyff managed to win three consecutive European Cups with Ajax as a player and then guided Barcelona to their first European Cup win in 1992.
He also helped his country reach the World Cup final in 1974, where they lost to West Germany.
Johan Cruyff 1947-2016 (RIP)
More https://t.co/Y5rif7KR4E
Más https://t.co/L2BK27eyz2
Meer https://t.co/rPjPG2epxj pic.twitter.com/QcVfmeJINu— Johan Cruyff (@JohanCruyff) March 24, 2016
Here is how the social media reacted to the news
Johan Cruyff one of the most influential figures on our game we’ve ever seen. RIP
— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) March 24, 2016
Johan Cruyff, unquestionably one of the greatest of all time. Effortlessly cool. Ridiculously talented #RIP pic.twitter.com/tQVDTHIJkx
— Ben Smith (@BSmith) March 24, 2016
Johan Cruyff. My first footballing hero when I watched the 1974 World Cup as a nine year old boy. Very sad day. https://t.co/rBdOK2nanU
— Simon Gleave (@SimonGleave) March 24, 2016
Cruyff: “Winning is an important thing, but to have your own style, to have people copy you, to admire you, that is the greatest gift.” Amen
— Matt Dickinson (@DickinsonTimes) March 24, 2016
Johan #Cruyff was one of the few true greats. He will always be remembered & revered as a magical Total footballer & a visionary coach. RIP.
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) March 24, 2016
Johan Cruyff’s quotes are just as phenomenal as the man himself…here’s 10 of the very best.
Technique is not being able to juggle a ball 1000 times. Anyone can do that by practicing. Then you can work in the circus. Technique is passing the ball with one touch, with the right speed, at the right foot of your team mate.
In my teams, the goalie is the first attacker, and the striker the first defender.
Why couldn’t you beat a richer club? I’ve never seen a bag of money score a goal.
Players that aren’t true leaders but try to be, always bash other players after a mistake. True leaders on the pitch already assume others will make mistakes.
When you play a match, it is statistically proven that players actually have the ball 3 minutes on average … So, the most important thing is: what do you do during those 87 minutes when you do not have the ball. That is what determines whether you’re a good player or not.
There is only one ball, so you need to have it.
Players today can only shoot with their laces. I could shoot with the inside, laces, and outside of both feet. In other words, I was six times better than today’s players.
Quality without results is pointless. Results without quality is boring.
I find it terrible when talents are rejected based on computer stats. Based on the criteria at Ajax now I would have been rejected. When I was 15, I couldn’t kick a ball 15 meters with my left and maybe 20 with my right. My qualities technique and vision, are not detectable by a computer.
Playing football is very simple, but playing simple football is the hardest thing there is.
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