Johan Cruijff

 
Hendrik Johannes Cruijff was born in Amsterdam , Netherlands, on April 25, 1947 . It is considered by fans to football and FIFA as one of the four best soccer players of the twentieth century , alongside Pele , Diego Maradona and Alfredo

Di Stefano, and the best European-born player of all time. Johan Cruyff 's childhood was linked to a football and Ajax Amsterdam , for just ten years he was chosen from 300 other children to join the ranks of the club , growing in college football attack. At the age of twelve he lost his father , so he was forced to help his brother with the family finances. A couple of years later , he would find a new father figure in Ajax greenkeeper who helped in their work. Within the structure of Ajax quickly went through all the ranks ( including work as shoeshine and caregiver costume ) until made ​​it to the first team, and in the Dutch League debut at the age of 16.The debut party was held on November 15, 1964 , facing the GVAV Groningen. The

start of the race considered the best European player in history , which would help in making the Ajax clearly dominated football on the old continent is well produced , and got 6 leagues and 4 Copas Netherlands 3 European Cups, 1 Intercontinental Cup and 1 European Super Cup. When Ajax shattered Liverpool 5-1 was evident that this small long haired teenager was no ordinary player and when he lifted his third consecutive European Cup in 1973 and everyone knew it was one of the best players ever . His figure became a benchmark in the world of football , getting a three-time Golden Ball , awarded by the French magazine France Football for the years 1971, 1973 and 1974 (the latter two already wearing the shirt of FC Barcelona). If Maradona and Pele are remembered for wearing the number 10 on their

jerseys , Cruyff is the race number 14 , something strange beginning, as in the 1970s , when there were no shirts, higher numbers to 11 was dedicated to alternates .The break with the Ajax came in the 1973-74 season , when the club of the Dutch capital Cruyff negotiated the transfer to Real Madrid. By knowing the player, made ​​a rebellion sample also characterized him throughout his career, and I decided not to join Real Madrid, but his rival, FC Barcelona, ​​the club that had greater esteem in youth. The transfer of the Barcelona Cruyff became the most expensive in football history up to that time (60 million pesetas) and signed a contract for $ 12,000 per month .Cruyff was intercepted in Barcelona as an idol , and that the blaugrana fans saw him as the only hope he come out afloat , for fourteen years who had

not won the league. And Johan did not disappoint anyone . The team took a turn since then , getting not miss a single match since arrival nicknamed Skinny and achieving finally win the Spanish League . In addition , the team achieved a milestone that has not yet managed to meet , and who won 0-5 on their visit to Santiago Bernabeu Real Madrid on February 17, 1974 , with an anthology of Dutch goal . He finished that first season with 24 goals to his

credit. In the summer of 1974 he played as captain of the Dutch national team 's World Cup. The Dutch side displayed a game that would go down in posterity as Total Football , which revolved around the figure of Johan Cruyff. This selection of the Netherlands would be remembered as the Clockwork Orange , being considered one of the greatest teams in football history . The final was played against West Germany after crush Brazil and Argentina in previous rounds. The hosts , led by Franz Beckenbauer, prevailed 2-1 . But Cruyff was named the best player of the tournament .In 1978 he decided not to participate in the World Argentina due to massive human rights violation carried the prevailing dictatorship. Your stay at FC Barcelona would last three seasons , you would only win a Cup , but continued making a difference as a football star. Problems with management led him to decide to leave the club. However, their stay in Barcelona left a great impression on him, because very quickly joined the Catalan culture. After a brief period of inactivity, in which he made ​​a game tribute from Ajax , he decided to enlist in the American League , joining in 1979 by Los Angeles Aztecs . The following season play with the Washington Diplomats , and the year 1981 it would begin the Spanish second division , playing several months with the Levant , later to finalize it in Washington again. Cruyff 's career seemed to be coming to an end , but surprisingly signed by Ajax back to the age of 34. During his two seasons at his boyhood club managed to win twice Holandea League , along with a cup in his last season at Ajax , 1982-83 , Cruyff , created the indirect criminal . Instead of a strike served an assist to teammate Jesper Olsen, who returned the pass to Cruyff could score. That last season was particularly difficult for the player , since the death occurred after he had been a second father to him . Cruyff fell into a low mood , and the president of Ajax even declared that the player and lacked capacity to continue playing in the Dutch first division .And so it came to light again the rebellious spirit of Cruyff , who decided to sign for arch-rivals Feyenoord , with 37 years and counting . In what was his last season he managed to land a double , winning the League and Cup as well as being named best player of the league championship . His career as a player could not finish more triumphantly .Cruyff played in the midfield, but like Pele, Di Stefano or Beckenbauer , Cruyff redesigned its position and football brought something never seen before , total football. To Cruyff football was in this attack and lay the beauty of the game .In addition to leading his teammates with a rare intelligence , individually Cruiff was a gifted player . It is difficult to describe the things he did with the ball, but just an example .After suffering a heart attack that nearly cost him his life , Cruyff made ​​a commercial in Spain against snuff . Filmed in one take Johan took a pack of snuff for twenty seconds and touched it with his foot , knee, head, chest, and prepared it in a half-volley cleared image . That was what I was doing with a pack of snuff . Imagine a ball, It was not long after his retirement as a professional player until his return to the pitch . As coach of Ajax he won one Cup Winners Cups and two Dutch . Again I was called by the FC Barcelona and what player did not win as Barca coach did that joining the Dream Team was called . Four consecutive league titles, one Copa del Rey , one Cup Winners Cup and the European Cup finally in 1992. Today not train any team, but their heart team (Ajax and FC Barcelona) , are still steeped in his philosophy of attacking play.