|
 Full name: Hendrik Johannes Cruyff
Shirt number for Barça: 14
Nationality: Dutch
Position: Forward
Birth
Date: 25.04.1947
Birth Place: Amsterdam [Netherlands]
Seasons in Barça: 5 - 1973-78
Games played: 227
Goals: 83
Transfered
to Barça from: AFC Ajax Amsterdam
Transfered from Barça to: L.A. Aztecs
Trophies:
1 League (1973/74)
1 King’s
Cup(1977/78)
A brilliant star who played a great part in Holland's "total-football", Johann Cruyff lead Holland into
the 1974 World Cup final, only to finish with a runner up's medal. He represented Holland in 48 games, netting 33 goals and
would have had more but for disputes with the Dutch FA and also his refusal to play in the 1978 World Cup. Cruyff was born
in Amsterdam in 1947 and in his first season in Ajax Amsterdam's first team, as a 19 year old, was the Dutch league's top
scorer and helped defeat Liverpool in the European Cup. In his eight years with Ajax Amsterdam, he won many domestic honours,
three European Cup medals and was voted European Footballer Of The Year three times as well.
In 1973, Cruyff joined
his old Ajax boss Rinus Michels, for £922.000, and helped Barcelona win the Spanish league and cup.In his first season, Cruyff
exploded onto the scene; using his technical brilliance and intelligence to help Barça win the league in 1973-74 – the
first time in 14 years. He scored a total of 84 goals in 227 matches played.
In the eyes of the fans, they will always
remember many images of the goal he scored against Athletico Madrid in Camp Nou and the famous 0-5 victory over Madrid in
the Bernabeu in 1974, which will go down in history. Unfortunately his level dropped in the following seasons due to injuries
and Barça only won the Copa Del Rey in 1977-78 season. Cruyff left the club in 1978.
After spending three years in
the NASL with Los Angeles Aztecs and Washington Diplomats,Cruyff signed for Spanish second division club, Levante in 1981,
but returned to Ajax in 1982, winning another league title with them and then joined Feyenoord in 1984 to win another league
title as well. He would rejoin Ajax and become their manager in 1984 and lead Ajax to a 1987 European Cupwinner's Cup final
win.
Cruyff became Barcelona's manager in 1988 and would lead his Dream Team to four consecutive Spanish league titles
and a European Cup triumph in 1991 against Sampdoria. However, the Dutchman's two last seasons at the Club were far less successful,
and during that time, Barça failed to capture a single title. As a result of his very public disagreements with the president,
Josep Lluís Núñez, Cruyff left the club via the back door. It was only after a series of legal disputes that the Club and
the Dutchman came to the agreement to stage two emotional testimonials at the Camp Nou and Amsterdam Arena.Overall, he coached
Barcelona to: 1 European Cup, 1 Cup Winners Cup, 4 League titles, 1 Spanish Cup, 1 European Super Cup and 3 Spanish Super
Cups.
|
