Ajax and Barcelona come with beautiful words: ‘We are thinking of you’

Sunday, April 25, 2021 at 9:44 AM• Daniel Cabot Kerkdijk

On Sunday, Ajax and Barcelona reflected on the birthday of football legend Johan Cruijff. The best footballer ever of Dutch descent would have turned 74 today. April 25th. The day that football changed forever. We are thinking of you, Johan ”, the Amsterdam club writes on social media.

Also at Barcelona, ​​April 25 has been circled in red for decades. “He would have turned 74 today. Thank you for your legacy, Johan ”, Barcelona publishes. More than five years ago, on March 24, 2016, Cruijff died from lung cancer.

With Ajax, Cruijff won the former European Cup I three times, in 1971, 1972 and 1973. In 1973 the attacker moved to Barcelona, ​​with which he took the Spanish title a year later. He has also played for Los Angeles Aztecs, Washington Diplomats, Levante and Feyenoord. In the service of the latter club, Cruijff ended his career in 1984, after winning the national title and KNVB Cup.

Cruijff also worked for Ajax and Barcelona as a trainer. In 1987 he guided the team from Amsterdam to the overall victory in the former European Cup II tournament and with the Catalans he won the former European Cup I in 1992. After his departure from Barcelona in 1996, Cruijff did not return as a trainer, although he still was a few times national coach of Catalonia. He remained influential with both Ajax and Barcelona.

At Barcelona, ​​the new home of the Catalan club’s B-team and the women’s team was named after Cruijff, the Estadi Johan Cruyff. Ajax previously decided to name its own stadium after the legendary football player. That was announced on April 25, 2017, the day on which Cruijff would have turned seventy. For various reasons, the Amsterdam Arena was eventually officially called the Johan Cruijff ArenA from 2018/2019.