Cruyff, Johan Born: 25th April 1947,  Position: Centre Forward (Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Los Angeles Aztecs, Cosmos New York, Levante, Ajax, Feyenoord and Holland)
Major Honours: European Cup 1971, 1972, 1973; European Footballer of the Year 1971, 1973, 1974. {as a player} Major Honours: One Dutch League title and one Dutch Cup {as a player manager},  two European Cup Winners Cups and two Dutch Cups, one European Cup, four Spanish League titles and one Spanish Cup {as a manager}. Relevant Career Statistics: 48 caps and 33 goals for Holland from 1966 to 1977 Admitted to the Hall of Fame: 1st April  2000 with 52% of the votes.
Roy of the Rovers References: Johan was featured in 'Tiger Choice' in the Tiger comic on 2nd June 1973. Roy of the Rovers comic - "Sign Please" - 9th August 1980, The Roy of the Rovers Football Champions Annual 1990 devoted a "This is Your Life" section to Johan. Johan is also featured in the 2000 Annual  in a "Just Like Dad!" article when he and Jordi are compared with Roy and Rocky.
Internet Links: Below are the known web sites dedicated to Johan Cruyff. The profile of Johan Cruyff on the Internet's best and free encyclopaedia. This page also give links to other references to this hall of famer. You Tube tribute -.  set to the song "All of My Memories" - including several wizardly dribbles, an inordinate number of goals scored with the outside of the foot and, of course, the Cruyff turn. International Hall of Fame -  A fitting tribute to Johan. International Hall of Champions - Johan Cruyff  - A run down on the inductee. The Johan Cruyff Page -  A look at the history and achievements of the Dutch Master. Cruyff: The Richest of Talents -  An insight into the life of Johan Cruyff from wc98.com.  Top International Stars in the NASL (Player Biographies A to H) Statistics from Johan's time in the NASL. The Official Cruyff Page - Johan's official website, although only available in Dutch at present - English version due soon. (Comprises a regularly updated news section). World Cup Tribute - A World Cup profile of Johan by Soccernet.
Books: Ajax, Barcelona, Cruyff is a collection of interviews with the Dutch Master conducted by journalists Barend and Van Dorp. Click on the cover to order.

Johan Cruyff could have been Roy Race, or perhaps Roy Race could have been Johan Cruyff. The similarities are striking. Both won International acclaim and countless trophies as players, both then player managed and the managed hugely successful clubs, again to International recognition. Not forgetting the gifted footballers they possess as sons. 

He started with Ajax when he was 10, due mainly to the persistence of his mother who worked as a cleaner at the offices of the Dutch club! A first team debut came when he was 17 years old, his goalscoring International debut at 19 and continued to dominate the world stage with Holland and their "Total Football". 

He was a prolific natural footballer one of the greatest to have played the game. Identified as a Centre Forward he was as unorthodox as the number 14 he wore suggested and was often found in the midfield and on the wings using his pace and touch to such effect. Single handed he not only took Internazionale of Italy apart in the 1972 Champions League final but scored both goals in Ajax's 2-0 win. The following year he masterminded another European Cup win over another Italian team, Juventus.

Barcelona then won the race to sign the sought after player. Costing a the world record £922,000. When he arrived in Spain Barcelona were struggling down the table, but by the end of the season and after a 20 game unbeaten run they were champions - "Real Roy of the Rovers stuff" indeed! With Barcelona Johan went on to complete his hat-trick of European Player of the Year awards. It was at the end of the 1974 season that Johan set the world stage alight. He took Holland through round after round famously beating Brazil in the last group match. Johan scored Holland's second and decisive goal in a  2-0 victory. Even though Holland lost the final to West Germany it was the start of a new era in International football.

He then famously retired from the European scene, refusing to play in the 1978 World Cup. Instead he went to play in America. Starring for Los Angeles Aztecs  (1978-1979) in the NASL, winning the most valuable player of the year award, before moving to Washington Diplomats in 1980 and late in 1981, returned to Holland to win the Championship with Ajax. Again similar to Roy Race, Johan after a dispute with Ajax signed for arch rivals Feyenoord, where he won the Championship again as player manager. 

His movement into management was again notorious, for he had not bothered to obtain the necessary examination qualifications. But it didn't matter as he guided Ajax to the Cup Winners Cup in 1987 and repeated the feat as manager of Barcelona in 1989. With Barcelona he guided them to four successive Spanish League titles and the European Champions Cup in 1992. Johan while with Barcelona survived a heart attack  and eventually left in the spring of 1996.

There still is the elusive World Cup which he hasn't secured but neither has Roy Race! His record speaks for itself - a welcome addition to the Roy of the Rovers Hall of Fame.