Johan Cruyff completely invented modern football with his brain and his boots. While fans worship him as the father of "Total Football," his life contained mysteries that went far beyond the pitch. For instance, he once released a pop song that climbed the charts in Spain. Furthermore, he refused to wear the official team kit during the World Cup because of a personal sponsorship deal. Prepare to turn with the legend.
Johan Cruyff
Johan Cruyff refused to wear the Adidas three stripes. He had a personal contract with Puma, so he demanded a custom jersey. Consequently, he played the 1974 World Cup with only two stripes on his sleeves.
Criminals attempted to kidnap him before the 1978 World Cup. Armed men entered his home in Barcelona and tied up him and his wife. Therefore, he skipped the tournament in Argentina to protect his family from further danger.+2
He smoked 20 cigarettes a day during his playing career. Amazingly, he often lit up a Camel cigarette right inside the locker room at halftime. He believed it helped him relax before he destroyed the opposition.
Johan Cruyff registered his son in the Netherlands to defy a dictator. General Franco banned the Catalan name “Jordi” in Spain. Thus, Cruyff flew his wife back to Amsterdam to ensure his son carried the forbidden name legally.
He released a pop song called “Oei Oei Oei.” The song reached the charts in the Netherlands, although he could barely sing. Luckily, the catchy tune amused fans enough to become a cult classic.
A planet floats in space with his name. Astronomers officially named asteroid 14282 “Cruijff” to honor his impact on the world. It orbits the sun between Mars and Jupiter.
He accidentally created his iconic Number 14. Before a game, his teammate Gerrie Mühren could not find his shirt. Cruyff gave Mühren his own number 9 and grabbed a spare 14 from the basket.
Johan Cruyff joined his biggest rival to prove a point. When Ajax refused to offer him a new contract, he signed with their arch-enemy Feyenoord. He immediately won the league title with them to spite his old club.
He nearly signed for Leicester City in 1981. The English club thought they had secured his signature for a massive coup. However, he changed his mind at the last minute to play in Spain instead.
He replaced his cigarettes with Chupa Chups lollipops. After emergency heart surgery in 1991, doctors ordered him to stop smoking. Consequently, sales of the candy brand doubled in Catalonia because he constantly ate them on the bench.
He played two games for Paris Saint-Germain as a guest. He agreed to the friendly matches because he was friends with the fashion designer Daniel Hechter. He played alongside his future rival Michel Platini for just those 180 minutes.
Johan Cruyff never lifted weights in the gym. He believed that football required agility rather than brute strength. Therefore, he famously told others that “you don’t practice football with a dumbbell.”
He commanded the goalkeeper to play as a sweeper. He hated when goalies just stood on the line. Thus, he forced his keepers to use their feet and participate in the passing game.
He holds a degree in “Street Football.” He claimed the sidewalks of Amsterdam taught him how to balance and avoid falling on concrete. This harsh environment formed his unbreakable style of play.
Finally, he wore size 9 boots (43 EU) despite having size 8 feet (42 EU). He liked the extra space to move his toes freely. He claimed this looseness gave him a better feel for the ball.
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