🎥 Remembering the iconic Johan Cruyff on the anniversary of his death 🧡

Has any one person had a greater impact on football than Johan Cruyff?

World class player. World class manager. Innovator. Genius.

Nine years on from his untimely death, the Netherlands, Barcelona and Ajax remember their favourite son.

Cruyff was the personification of "Total Football", helping Ajax to three European Cups in a row, and inspiring the Netherlands to the 1974 World Cup final.

Not even a striker, he is the top scorer for the Amsterdam giants with 257 goals, and was also the first player to ever win three Ballon d'Or awards in a row.

♾️ @JohanCruyff forever 🧡#NothingLikeOranje pic.twitter.com/oek5pP9p6t
— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) March 24, 2025

At Barcelona, he transformed the club, blending Total Football and Catalan spirit to create the style that has become synonymous with the club.

As a player, he helped them win their first LaLiga title in over a decade, while as manager, he won four titles in a row and secured the club's first-ever Champions League title in 1992.

Thank you for teaching us to love the ball.
Nine years without Johan. Always in our memory. 💙❤ pic.twitter.com/Q7fRFKLPzE
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 24, 2025

Known for inventing the turn named after him and being the first player to start the tradition of squad numbers - famously 14 in his case - he was ahead of the game in every single way, including from the penalty spot.

That @JohanCruyff-Olsen penalty 🎗#OnThisDay 𝟒𝟎 years ago... pic.twitter.com/sEvKIEtGWE
— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) December 5, 2022

For all his goals, it was his creativity that perhaps he is best remembered for.

9️⃣ años sin Johan Cruyff.

💫 Siempre en el recuerdo.#LALIGAEASPORTS | #LALIGAHistory pic.twitter.com/t2gBkDhuoG
— LALIGA (@LaLiga) March 24, 2025

His spirit lives on with both of his most famous clubs and throughout the Netherlands, with Ajax's stadium being renamed in his honour.

There was no one like him before, and there may never be another again.

📸 COR MULDER - 2007 AFP

Topics

'All the players just went 'ooooh!' - and he completely blanked me'

Mohamed Salah is known for playing there, but did you know Gary Lineker was put out on the wing during his time at Barcelona? Let's just say he didn't like it - and made it known to Johan Cruyff...
BBC News - 17h
Why 'world class' Asensio can face employers PSG for Villa

Marco Asensio's Paris St-Germain career has been forgettable - but he now has the chance in the Champions League to make them remember his name.
BBC News - Mar. 12
“World-class” star now “more confident” of United stay, 28yo feels he has backing of manager

Manchester United have had a difficult Premier League campaign. They have accumulated just 37 points with nine games left in the season.The club are 13th in the standings and could finish in the ...
Yahoo Sports - 6d
Barcelona manager has already made his decision regarding 22-year-old’s future

Recent reports from SPORT suggest that Ansu Fati’s time at Barcelona may be coming to an end, as the club’s manager has no intention of including him in his long-term plans. This decision was not...
Yahoo Sports - 3d
His Death Was Interrupted, Just as He Had Planned

Brendan Costello’s family was bracing for goodbyes. But he had one last wish.
The New York Times - Mar. 16
Kobe Bryant's former players remember his words during their first year of college basketball

Five years after the death of Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash, six members of his Mamba Basketball Academy team are finishing up their first season of college basketball
ABC News - Mar. 12
Andrey Santos names “world class” Chelsea team-mate he hopes to create “great duo” with next season

Andrey Santos has hailed Estevao Willian as “world class” and hopes they can become a great duo in the future at Stamford Bridge.Chelsea agreed a deal to sign the 17-year-old from Palmeiras last s...
Yahoo Sports - 3d
'Record' payout for world's longest-serving death row inmate

Nearly 50 years on death row had inflicted "extremely severe" mental and physical pain on Iwao Hakamata, a judge said.
BBC News - 19h
Mike Tyson, sports world mourns George Foreman: 'His contribution to boxing and beyond will never be forgotten'

Foreman's personality, as much as his toughness as a fighter, left an impact on the sports world.
Yahoo Sports - 3d