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“Playing football is very simple, but playing simple football is the hardest thing there is.” - Johan Cruyff
The Cruyff incredible path
Hendrik Johannes Cruiff born on 25 April 1947, in Amsterdam, known as Johan Cruyff was a Dutch professional soccer player and a manager. He grew up in a football-loving family near the stadium of AFC Ajax. Earlier, Cruyff´s life was always connected to sport, with the encouragement of his father to play and of his mother cleaning the Ajax offices, after his father's death.
At the age of 10 he joined Ajax´s youth academy. His talent was undeniable and soon began to make progress, improving his skills with strict training and a natural affinity with the game. In 1964, at only 17 years he was already in the first-team, becoming famous for his agility, vision and incredible ability to score. When he was 18 years he was already a Dutch international and at 19 he won the first of the six title leagues with Ajax.
He won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1971, 1973, and 1974, and he was the famous promoter of the football philosophy known as Total Football with his founder Rinus Michels. In 1999 he was voted as the European Player of the Century, but he came in second, after the also famous soccer player, Pelé.
He passed away on 24th March 2016 after losing his battle with lung cancer. Posthumously, the Spanish Government awarded him with a Gold Medal of Royal Sporting Merit, on 18th April he was given the Laureus Award for the spirit of sport and in July 2016 Barcelona City awarded him with the Gold Medal for Sporting Merit. His Bronze Statue was revealed at Camp Nou, on 26th August 2019, in its pedestal it can be read “Go out and have fun”.
Why is Cruyff the father of modern football
As Cruyff´s fame escalated, so did his influence on soccer tactics and player development. The concept of Total Football transformed modern football, it consisted of a tactic that encouraged players to adapt to several positions during a game, rather than staying in one fixed position during a match. The main idea of Total Football is that any player can take over the role of a teammate, a philosophy that demands both versatility and high awareness from all team members. He didn´t only play by that system, but he was also its representation. His awareness and technical ability allowed him to naturally change roles during the match, becoming unpredictable to the other team. Under the leadership of Rinus Michels, both Ajax and the Netherlands achieved a remarkable success with Cruyff as a player.
This approach revolutionized the impact on global soccer tactics and offered a rigid contrast of the soccer sport at the time. This tactic would need a high resilience and accuracy, while using smart plays that depend on the physical or long-ball strategies. Teams around the world start to incorporate elements of Total Football philosophy into their style of game. The evolution of soccer was due to the introduction of the Dutch innovation that completely changed the tactics of the games. Adaptation and improvisation became the major key through the fluid movements and the change of roles, achieving new levels of proficiency and control.
The method was more visible at FC Barcelona, where its legacy as both player and coach integrated the identity of the club. The technique of Tiki-Taka is associated with the club since Johan Cruyff was their coach. It's a style of play in football based on short passing and movements, working the ball by means of various channels and maintaining possession of the ball. Nowadays, it is still used by the team, and has been adopted by other La Liga teams. According to FC Barcelona, Cruyff is considered an incomparable legend, noticeable in the 70s, where he was seen as the number one in the world.
All the Cruyff´s teams
Throughout his professional football career he was part of several teams, such as Ajax (1964-1973), FC Barcelona (1973-1978), New York Cosmos (1978), Los Angeles Aztecs (1979), Washington Diplomats (1980), Levante (1980-1981), Washington Diplomats (1981), Ajax (1981-1983), Feyenoord (1983-1984), as a trainer he had only two teams Ajax (1985-1988) and FC Barcelona (1988-1996).
The legend who invented Clockwork Orange
The name “clock orange” mostly refers to the Dutch National Team, for the moment, in 1974. Where the team was weak and little known and who hadn't played in the World Cup for 36 years. But everything changed when Ajax became three-time European champions, and then we had the rise of one of the greatest footballers in history, Johan Cruyff. Thanks to this legend, the Dutch team managed to qualify for the 1974 World Cup in Germany, after scoring 24 goals in 6 games during the European qualifiers. The team was a pioneer of a game style that consisted of not having a defined position, a predecessor of Guardiola's Tiki-Taka. The coach Rinus Michels planned the strategy and the players followed it, while Cruff was the leader. Along with the rest of the incredible players namely Johan Neeskens, Johnny Rep, Rob Ressenbrink, Ruud Krol and Jan Jongbloeed. The orange jerseys and the “mechanized” style gave rise to the famous name of Clockwork Orange.
The emotional story behind the famous number 14th
Johan Cruyff will always be remembered with the number 14 on his back. He usually used to wear number 9, but during a specific match he used a spare number 14. Legend has it that before the game against rivals PSV Eindhoven on 30 October 1970, his team-mate Gerrie Mühren could ́t find his Nº 7 shirt. Cruyff offered his usual shirt, No 9 to Muhren and went to the basket of spare shirts, taking the one from the top. It just happens to be the famous number 14. Ajax won 1-0, and Cruyff insisted they kept the same number for the next game.
What does Cruyff-isms mean?
You probably didn´t know this, but the Cruyff’s quotes are known as Cruyff-isms, for example “You have got to shoot, otherwise, you can´t score. ”, “Football is a game of mistakes. Whoever makes the fewest mistakes wins.” or “Every disadvantage has its advantage.”, the sentences are paradoxical, but they are right and very smart.
The impact of Johan Cruyff on modern football was crucial to inspire so many teams around the world. The partnership with Rinus Michels gave birth to Total Football, a revolutionary tactic that emphasized versatility and adaptability among players. He was one of the keys to the transformation of the Dutch National Team and the denomination of “Clockwork Orange”.
His persistence and vision contributed to the growth of F.C Barcelona and Ajax, who will never forget the Johan Cruyff Legend who is the Father of Modern Football.
Don't let your dreams fade
At BYMS, we're ignited by the story of Johan Cruyff. His relentless pursuit of his football passion, the obstacles he conquered, and the unwavering flame within him are an inspiration to all. Just like Cruyff transformed the landscape of the beautiful game, Miguel Soares, the visionary behind BYMS, ignites the dreams of young athletes, but in a different way. As Miguel states, "Life is fleeting, and dreams can vanish before our eyes. Embrace the pursuit, for the sting of regret will forever outweigh the sting of failure."
Fueling this spirit, we've crafted a stunning suit that pays homage to the legendary Cruyff. It's a timeless piece, a classic silhouette infused with the dynamism of the sport itself. We poured our passion into its creation, but the final verdict lies with you. Share your thoughts, and let the fire of inspiration continue to burn bright! Discover the 14th linen classic suit here!
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