Our Footie Heroes - Johannes Cruijff

Yes, there are those who believe Edison Arantes do Nascimento
is the greatest soccer/football/calcio/fotebol/fútbol player ever.
And his exploits in the 1958 and 1970 World Cups
certainly indicate a striker / playmaker of heavenly ability.
Many a soul would also give a shout out to Diego Armando Maradona
who could single-handedly (with a literal hand of god) alter the outcome of a game.
Franz Anton Beckenbauer is known as Der Kaiser for his leadership on the pitch,
a leadership that gained momentum as he moved the ball from the backfield all the way to the forwards…watching him play in the 1970s was like watching Ferran Adria make ravioli out of air…intoxicating.
Alfredo di Stéfano Laulhé, a player of profound skill and stature for Real Madrid in the 1950s,
won five consecutive European Cups for his squad
and scored more goals in the Spanish league than every other player (save two).
For my sheckles though, the greatest player in the history of the game
is Hendrk Johannes Cruijff,
a Dutchman who stared with Ajax and the national team of Holland in the 1970s.
As orchestrated by his coach Rinus Michels,
Johan Cruyff introduced the world to the concept of Totaalvoetbal (Total Football).
Space and the creation of space were the main elements of the system.
Each player was interchangeable; a fluid system was created where no player had a set position…
everyone was expected to be a forward, a midfielder and a defender.
When you moved into a new position,
you were immediately replaced by another member of the team.
The physical and mental demands of the system were grueling.
And there was no better leader / conductor / puppet master than Johan Cruyff.
Cruyff-isms for the kids:
-“Italians can’t beat you, but you can lose to them.”
-“If we have the ball, they can’t score.”
-“If I wanted you to understand, I would have explained it better.”
-“Football is simple, you’re either on time, or you’re too late.
If you’re too late then you have to leave earlier.”