Friday, March 25, 2016

Johan Cryuff legacy as a genius and master of the fields



A whole generation of class act players was Johan Cryuff part, the great Dutchman who was a top class in the field as a player, Manager and scholar of the game itself.

Being among the pantheon of immortals that included the likes of Pele and Franz Beckenbauer, who this latter one and his German National squad that beat Cryuff Netherlands in the 1974 World Cup.

So close and still so far away for this virtuoso of the football fields and one that wrote many memorable pages of gold in the annals of this sport in the world stages.

Today’s as the world learned about this man’s succumb to cancer, many who knew his achievements in and outside the field will be missing his all-around wisdom of the game he loved so much and represented proudly.

Leaving a big hollow space in the annals of world football a man of many battles some he lost and other won proudly, today at the age of 68 years old, his life came short after losing a long battle with cancer.    

Still one man dubbed, as Genius is a word that comes short to remember, his ways of being so motivated and poised to offer in his playing years exemplary acts of kindness and top-notch spectacle in every match he participated.

As a professional with an impressive CV from his early years from his beloved Ajax of Amsterdam were he won all the glories in the Eredivise and in the always-prestigious European competitions.

Alongside of making his native Netherlands a force not to be messed with in the world stages and above-mentioned defeat, still this man saw his squad shine through in the qualifiers to Argentina 1978.

Here Cryuff marked another milestone by qualifying the Netherlands squad as a last contribution and his national team by retiring in 1977, despite him not being in the national squad his influence made his squad reach into the finals to lose to hosts Argentina.

As a manager with Barcelona and Ajax this man won it all and conquered the sky the limits and really wrote many memorable pages in these clubs.

Considered a great among giants, his generation of notable payers of the likes of Pele, Bobby Charlton, Pele, Carlos Alberto, George Best, Eusebio, Teofilo Cubillas, Franz Beckenbauer and Wolfang Overath to mention a few.

Still his achievements outside the pitch were outstanding as in his playing years in American soil in that disappeared North American Soccer League, his stints with the Los Angeles Aztecs and Washington Diplomats.
 
Were in the eyes of many huge and considered as a big promoter of the game in a nation that knew so little about the game that at the end went to love it, considered as one of his legacies not as big as Pele contributions in American fields.

At the end the legacy and all around class left by this man in his play days that made the beautiful game delightful and charming in every sense of the word, thank you Maestro Johan Cryuff for your one of a kind legacies.

Rest in Peace!


Post Contents and Property of Fern Mc Costigan © Copyright All Rights Reserved

Crest Credit and Property of Telegraph Media Group 2016
                     
Photos Credit and Property of © Gustas Naceri Reuters and Rex Features 2016



 

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