In the summer of 1988, the murmur in the streets of Barcelona centred on one thing: Who was to replace Carles Rexach? After enduring tough times, the Blaugrana faithful were restless and craving silverware. As Sid Lowe states, “Barça were at that time a club riddled with debt and crisis.”
A prominent name resonating amongst those close to the club was that of Johan Cruyff. The Dutch national was no foreigner to the Camp Nou. His name was carved in the Barça history-books as he warranted the most expensive transfer of that era – one which ultimately proved a bargain.
He delivered the Liga in his first year as a player, the club’s first since 1960. Add a 5-0 humiliation of the eternal rivals Real Madrid to the equation, and the success elevated him to demi-god status. His run-ins with Spanish authority and the infamous decision to name his son ‘Jordi’ in remembrance of the Catalan saint only added to his stature.
Johan Cruyff, on how he named his son ‘Jordi’, a Catalan name banned in Spain during Franco’s regime. #CatalanReferendum pic.twitter.com/DIK03bhwQe
— Quotes of Cruyff (@Cruyff_Quotes) October 1, 2017
The question was, would he deliver as a coach or tarnish his legacy?
Barça were riddled with controversies and problems at the time. The financial condition was deteriorating, and the club’s image as an illustration of Catalan bravery and strength was fading. Results were terrible, the atmosphere was hollow, and attendances seemed lower than ever before. The relationship between the president of the club, Josep Lluís Núñez, and the president of the Spanish autonomous community they represented, Jordi Pujol, had fallen apart. This added to the reasons for public disapproval.
Prior to this, he had a successful career with Ajax as a coach, revolutionizing the Dutch side with his famous Totaal Voetbal, a.k.a. Total Football. However, Barça were a significantly bigger club, and more infested with problems than Ajax. His success here merited further appraisal, but demanded struggle and risks. Luckily, Cruyff was never one to back down from challenges.
Any doubts over his ability to succeed were silenced almost immediately as Cruyff beat Sampodria in the 1989 European Cup Winners’ Cup final. What followed was unprecedented in Barcelona’s footballing history. The ‘dream team’ Cruyff built went on to win four successive La Liga titles, four Supercopa de España, one Copa del Rey, and the club’s first European Cup (1992) – a title which had eluded them for 90+ years.
Similarly to his playing career, the trophies were a less significant part of his coaching career. What Cruyff brought to the club was much more than silverware; relaying self-belief, confidence, tactical innovation, and a winning mentality to the team.
However, the crown jewel turned out to be his work in the club’s youth academy, La Masia. Cruyff emphasised the need for youth teams to train and play in accordance with the first team. His motto of “talent over physique” led to the growth of players who understood the game better and were always a step ahead. The efforts paid off in spectacular fashion as La Masia players formed the core of the historic Spain and Barça sides that conquered the footballing world.
Two years ago today football lost Johan Cruyff—a legend of the game 🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/YK3W4DixeY
— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 24, 2018
The Blaugrana have inarguably been the best side in the past decade – comprised of La Masia graduates like Xavi, Iniesta, Pique, Busquets, Puyol, Pedro, and the greatest footballer to grace the game, Lionel Messi. Barça have excelled in youth competitions, with their Juvenil A side outclassing Chelsea’s youth team in the Youth Champions League final to add another in a long list of successes,
All because one man was up to the challenge of dragging the club out of the abyss and setting it back onto the path of success. Cruyff won a best-ever 11 trophies in his reign as Barça coach, only bettered by his greatest pupil, Pep Guardiola, who won 14 trophies in his first four seasons. Pep has added substantially to his tally after his exploits with Bayern Munich and Manchester City.
The Cruyff footprint is evident in Guardiola’s approach as his sides look to dominate possession, create space through flexible positioning, and play aesthetically-pleasing football.
“I knew nothing about football before knowing Cruyff,” Guardiola states.
“I thought I knew about football but when I started to work with him a new world appeared in front of me. Not just me – but a whole generation of players. Johan helped us understand the game. Football is the most difficult game in the world because it is open and every situation is completely different and you have to make decisions minute by minute. But I was a lucky guy. I am sitting here now because I met him. If not for him it would not have been possible.”
Barça have been adequately partitioned into two eras; pre-Cruyff and post-Cruyff. The most resounding testament to this is the fact that the 72 years before Cruyff yielded 42 trophies, and the 29 years after Cruyff yielded 50 (!) trophies. This is not a case of pure luck or coincidence, but the fruit of the labour Cruyff put in to changing the fortunes of Fútbol Club Barcelona.
His ideology of high-pressing and possession oriented play, which demanded technical superiority and acute awareness of player positions, is prevalent in the world’s leading sides. Sweeper keepers, ball playing centre-backs, over-lapping full backs, inverted wingers, and a striker who dropped back to create rather than poach in the 12-yard box were common features of his sides. Although considered commonplace now, these things were revolutionary back when the infamous Catennacio reigned supreme.
The legend whose words offer an unforeseen insight into the world of football best summarized his influence by quoting, “In a way, I’m probably immortal.”
Unmistakably accurate as ever, Cruyff transcends time and boundaries with his work in the most beloved game on the planet – and as a result, fortifies himself as the only mortal who could claim to be an exemplary player, revolutionary coach, and one of the greatest footballing philosophers in the history of the game.