Cryuff

Johan Cruyff
Cruyff is considered THE most important Dutch soccer player of all times and he gained legendary status wherever he played, be it for Ajax Amsterdam, FC Barcelona or even Feyenoord. Cruyff is also considered third in a list of the best all times soccer players, following Pele and Maradona closely (some even say he was over Maradona, as Maradona had feats of brilliance combined with poor games, whereas Cruyff kept a high standard for himself all throughout his career). He redefined modern soccer as we know it with his game style and vision on the pitch and many football specialists agree that Johan Cruyff was one of the smartest and most calculated players ever to feel the grass of a soccer stadium.

Same as with most young boys born in Amsterdam, the Ajax youth academies were Johan Cruyff's first choice and he started playing for the club in 1957, at age 10. He played for 7 years throughout Ajax's youth systems, standing out as one of the best players of his generation (and that's not an easily obtainable performance, when you're part of the best youth club system in the World).


In 1964, he was taken to the first team and had his debut in the Dutch first division short after, even managing to score on his first game for Ajax (Ajax lost to GVAV 3-1 though). Despite this, he didn't have a first team place until the 1965-66 season, when he started catching the eyes of the press, and even the national squad staff. He scored 25 goals in 23 games that season and emerged surprisingly high in the Dutch top scorer competition, considering his young age.

But his best season at Ajax would be the 1966-1967 one, when Cruyff would score 33 goals becoming top goalscorer and helping Ajax to an amazing league-cup double. He would repeat this feat in the 1969-1970 season, but unfortunately 1970 also brought him a serious injury that kept him off the pitch for some time. All in all, in his first 9 years with the Dutch club, Johan Cruyff managed to win 6 league titles, 4 Dutch cups and 3 European Cups (today's Champions League equivalent).

He was also named European Footballer of the Year twice while here, namely in 1971 and 1973. But in the summer of 1973, after winning almost everything he could have won with Ajax, Johan Cruijff decided it's time for a move and accepted FC Barcelona's offer, who was trying to get him for the past 3 years.