Johan Cryuff Biography | Family | Career | Net Worth

March 30, 2023

Johan Cryuff Biography:

Johan Cruyff was one of the best forward the world had seen. When the ball was at his feet, opponents feared what was going to happen the next moment. Such was his influence in the game. His special type of body feint was named “ Cruyff Turn “ which always left the players and the goalkeeper in thought that what had happened.

Cruyff was one of the most influential figures. Not only as a player, but he also succeeded incredibly as a manager too. Ajax and Barcelona are among the clubs that have developed youth academies based on Cruyff’s coaching methods. His coaching philosophy helped lay the foundations for the revival of Ajax’s international successes in the 1990s.

On 24^th March 2016, Johan Cruyff aged 68 passed away due to Lung cancer which had metastasized his brain. He had lost his speaking ability a week before his death. Johan Cruyff was cremated within 24 hrs of his death in Barcelona, Spain.

Johan Cruyff biography is all about his family, career as a player and manager and his success story.

Johan Cryuff Family:

Johan Cruyff was born on 25^th April 1947 in Amsterdam, just five minutes away from the Ajax Stadium. He was the second child of Hermanus Cornelis Cruijff and Petronella Bernarda Draaijer. He belonged to a working-class background. His father was a football lover and always encouraged Johan to play with his friends and schoolmates. In 1959, Cruyff’s father died from a heart attack at the age of 45 which had mentally effected Cruyff a lot.

On 13^th June 1967, Johan met his future wife Diana Margaretha at the wedding of his Ajax teammate Petit Keizer. Johan and Diana married on 2^nd December 1968. Diana’s father Cor Coster later became Cruyff’s agent. The marriage lasted happily for almost 50 years. Cruyff was a highly principled, devoted and family man, and he had three kinds are Chantal, Susila, and Jordi Cryuff, and Johan Cryuff Son Jordi Cryuff played his part for clubs like Barcelona and Manchester United and now he is the head coach of Ecuador national team.

Johan Cryuff Family plays an important role in Johan Cryuff Biography.

Johan Cryuff Children:

Johan Cruyff, the unbelievable Dutch football player and mentor, had three youngsters:

Chantal Cruyff – brought into the world in 1975, Chantal is the little girl of Johan Cruyff and his most memorable spouse, Danny Coster. She has filled in as a model and a TV moderator.

Susila Cruyff – brought into the world in 1978, Susila is additionally the girl of Johan Cruyff and Danny Coster. She functions as a money manager and has been engaged with a few magnanimous associations.

Jordi Cruyff – brought into the world in 1974, Jordi is the child of Johan Cruyff and his subsequent spouse, Danny Cruyff. He emulated his dad’s example and turned into an expert footballer, playing for a few clubs including Barcelona, Manchester Joined together, and Alaves. He later turned into a football chief and has trained a few groups, including Maccabi Tel Aviv and the Chinese club Chongqing Lifan.

Career:

Johan Cryuff is one of the most decorated footballers in his generation, he is the one who has won the prestigious Ballon d’Or award three times in his career, and he is the first footballer who put the philosophy of total football, in the 1974 world cup because of his stunning performance for his country he won the Golden ball awards as well.

Ajax(1964-73):

Cruyff and his friends frequently played in the ground in his neighborhood. Cruyff’s talent was noticed by Ajax coach Jany Van Der Veen and offered him a position in the Ajax youth team without any formal trial. Johan Cryuff Ajax first-team debut was made on 15 November 1964 in the Eredivisie, against GVAV, scoring the only goal for Ajax in a 3–1 defeat. Cruyff established himself as a regular first-team player in the season 1965-1966. He scored 8 goals in 7 matches that winter and ended the season with 25 goals in 23 games and helped Ajax claim the league title.

In a league game against AZ ’67 on 29 November 1970, Cruyff scored six goals in an 8–1 victory. After winning a replayed KNVB Cup final against Sparta Rotterdam by a score of 2–1, Ajax won in Europe for the first time. In 1972. Ajax claimed their 2nd European cup by beating Inter Milan in the finals by 2-0 with both the goals being scored by Cruyff. Cruyff became the top scorer that season with 25 goals and Johan Cruyff Champions league dream came true in that season with the Dutch Giants and in that season he also won the league title with them as well.

Barcelona:

After his wonderful season with Ajax, Johan Cryuff Barcelona move was imminent and then, in the summer transfer window of 1973, Barcelona made the World Record Fee of $2 million sign Cruyff, his move to the European club Barcelona was one of the greatest chapters in Johan Cryuff Biography.Cruyff was expected to bring good fortunes for Barcelona and he met the expectations wisely. He helped Barcelona claim the Laliga title after 14 long years and also helped them to defeat arch-rivals Real Madrid by 5-0 in their home stadium. The fans had come out of their houses and started celebrating on the streets.

Johan Cruyff had brought back good times, Barcelona remained at the top of their game with Cruyff. Cruyff stayed in Barcelona for 4 years and ended up scoring 43 goals in 143 appearances. Cruyff also scored one of his memorable goal against Atletico Madrid in which he leaped into the air, twisted his body so he was facing away from the goal, and kicked the ball past Miguel Reina in the Atlético goal with his right heel.

Levante:

Cruyff thought it foolish of himself to end his career at a young age of 31 even after having some more to give. In January 1981, he signed for the second division side Levante. Injuries and disagreement with the administration always stood as an obstruction for the Veteran. He ended the season scoring two goals in ten games and decided to leave the club after he failed to carry the team to the first division.

Ajax(1980-83):

On 30^th November 1980, Cruyff decided to sign for his first club Ajax as they were suffering a lot due to bad form. When Cruyff joined, Ajax was eighth in the league table but the impact of Cruyff was so that Ajax finished 2^nd that season. With Cruyff, Ajax became unstoppable and claimed the league title in both the seasons 1981-1982 and 1982-1983. Ajax also won the KNVB Cup in the season 1982-1983.

Despite giving so much for the club, Ajax refused to offer a new contract to Cruyff which had angered Cruyff a lot and he decided to join Ajax’s arch-rivals Feyenoord.

In 1982, Cruyff scored his famous penalty kick against Helmond Sport. He put the ball down on the penalty spot, took a regular run up then instead of taking the shot, he passed the ball to teammate Jesper Olsen who passed it back to Cruyff and Cruyff calmly tapped the ball into the empty net keeping the goalkeeper confused on the other side. Despite giving so much for the club, Ajax refused to offer a new contract to Cruyff which had angered Cruyff a lot and he decided to join Ajax’s arch-rivals Feyenoord.

Feyenoord:

Johan Cryuff Feyenoord Career was as after suffering from an illness he decided to play for the Ajax Arch Rivals, Cruyff played one season with Feyenoord and played all the matches except one in because of sickness. Feyenoord had one of the most successful seasons because of Cruyff. Feyenoord claimed the league title, won the KNVB Cup and won the Eredivisie after a long decade. Cruyff played his last game for Feyenoord against AL Ahli in which the team was loosing 1-0 but Cruyff turned the game by scoring one and providing one assist. After that game on 13^th May 1984, he brought the conclusion to a long successful career.

International Career:

The Dutch National Team had never lost a match in which Cruyff had scored. On 7 September 1966, Johan Cryuff Netherlands debut was made in the UEFA Euro 1968 qualifier against Hungary, scoring in the 2–2 draw. In his second match, a friendly against Czechoslovakia, Cruyff was the first Dutch international to receive a red card. The Royal Dutch Football Association banned him from Ajax games but not internationals.

The Netherlands had chosen Cruyff to be their captain in the 1974 World Cup. The Netherlands went all the way to the finals knocking out Argentina, East Germany, and Brazil. Cruyff became the first captain to carry the Netherlands to the finals of the World Cup, but Johan Cryuff World cup dream got shattered when they lost the final match to West Germany.

Johan Cryuff Retirement:

The Legendary Dutchman announces his retirement from the football in the year 1978, but during that time he was suffering from many illnesses and spends a huge amount of money to cure it, after recovering from the Illness he decided to play again and in the year 1984 he played his last match for Feyenoord. though he did not Withdraw himself totally from the sports and he becomes the manager of some legendary clubs and under his coaching, Barcelona played the “Tiki-Taka” football for the first time.

Johan Cryuff Post Retirement:

In the 1985-1986 season, ajax finished 2nd in the league under the coaching of Cruyff. In the 1985-1986 and the 1986-1987 season, Cruyff coached Ajax to win the KNVB Cup. Cruyff decided to try his dream formation 3-4-3. The formation worked unexpectedly and Ajax won the Champion’s League title under the strategies of Cruyff in 1995.

Barcelona was in debt and crisis along with a continuous bad performance by the team. The management after seeing the success of their former player Cruyff with Ajax appointed Cruyff as the manager in 1989, and Johan Cryuff Fc Barcelona managerial journey began Cruyff calmly met the expectations of the management and brought back the glorious era.

Cruyff had made the Barca team in a way that people around the world started calling it the “Dream Team”. Cruyff introduced the system of tiki-taka play which runs in the Barca team to date.

Cruyff had made the Barca’s European Cup dream come true. Before the team went out to play the finals in 1992, Cruyff just gave on instruction to his players “ Just go out and enjoy yourself”. He was one of the most successful managers and the longest-serving manager of Barca history.

Johan Cryuff Net Worth:

from various sources, we get to know that the net worth of the famous dutch footballer in the year 2019 was around $5 Million, and he has earned most of his money from the game by playing outstanding football and managing the clubs to the new reach.

Johan Cryuff Records and Achievements: