Johan Cruyff

It is no easy task to encapsulate the impact of Johan Cruyff on the history of European football. There were no shortage of great quotes ("Playing football is very simple, but playing simple football is the hardest thing there is.") nor iconic moments, all hallmarks of a career that captured the imagination of the world. What sticks out is the ripple-effect Cruyff's ideas and visions have even to this day. From the late 1960s to the early 80s, first with Ajax then with FC Barcelona and Holland, Cruyff mastered the sport both on the field and from the dugout. He knew the intricacies of the game better than almost any other. He knew how to make an influence and how to elicit change; he was never shy of rebelling against authority; and he was so innovative that he even had a move named after him. In such an arena as subjective as sport this much is irrefutable: there will never be another Johan Cruyff.