Dutch football legend, Johan Cruyff, has passed away aged 68 after a battle with cancer.
The former Ajax and Barcelona great was diagnosed with lung cancer back in October last year, and it was announced that Cruyff had lost the battle on Thursday.
A statement from his family reads: “On March 24 2016 Johan Cruyff (68) died peacefully in Barcelona, surrounded by his family after a hard fought battle with cancer.
“It’s with great sadness that we ask you to respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief.”
Regarded as the greatest player Netherlands, and Europe has ever produced, Cruyff guided Ajax to three straight European Cups in the early 1970’s and scored 190 goals in 240 games before moving to Barcelona in 1973.
The winger continued his remarkable form with the Catalan’s and helped them to their first La Liga title in his first season of a five year spell in Spain.
Cruyff’s career then took him to America and Levante before he returned to Ajax, and finished his playing days at rivals Feyenoord.
He also captained Netherlands to the World Cup final in 1974, before they were edged out by West Germany.
As a coach, Cruyff managed Ajax and Barcelona, winning the Spanish side their first European Cup in 1992. He retired in 1996, but briefly returned to the touchline to coach Catalonia.
During his career, Cruyff scored 293 goals in 521 appearances for five different clubs and was awarded the Ballon d’Or on three occasions.
He also netted 33 goals in 48 international games for Netherlands. His most memorable moment came in 1974 when the winger invented the “Cruyff turn” against Sweden.
